Standing in front of the olive oil shelf can feel overwhelming. Extra virgin, blends, refined, cold-pressed — the labels pile up, and unless you’ve spent time understanding what they actually mean, it’s hard to know which bottle belongs in your kitchen.
Different types of olive oil serve different purposes. Some are built for high heat, others for finishing and flavour. Once you understand what each one does well, choosing becomes straightforward.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil — The Gold Standard
Extra virgin olive oil sits at the top of the olive oil hierarchy. It’s made from fresh olives that are mechanically extracted — crushed and spun — without heat or chemicals. To qualify as extra virgin, the oil must be extracted at temperatures below 27°C and meet strict quality standards set by international bodies and enforced locally by organisations like the SA Olive Industry Association, including a free fatty acid level of no more than 0.8%.
What sets extra virgin apart is what stays in the bottle. Because it’s not refined, it retains natural antioxidants called polyphenols, along with vitamin E and the full flavour of the olives themselves. That peppery kick you sometimes taste? That’s oleocanthal, a compound linked to anti-inflammatory benefits.
Extra virgin olive oil is best used where its flavour can shine — drizzled over salads, finished over soups or pasta, used in dressings, or poured over roasted vegetables. Try it in our Marinated Mediterranean Olives recipe for a simple appetiser that showcases what quality olive oil can do. Despite common myths about smoke point, extra virgin olive oil is stable for cooking at home temperatures (between 175°C and 210°C), making it suitable for sautéing, roasting, and even baking.
Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil is cold-extracted and brings a fresh, bold flavour to every dish.
Olive Oil Blends — Versatile Everyday Cooking
Not every olive oil on the shelf is 100% extra virgin, and that’s not a shortcoming — it’s strategy. Wilson’s 10% Olive Oil Blend and 15% Olive Oil Blend combine olive oil with high-quality canola oil to create a lighter, more neutral everyday cooking oil.
Blending olive oil with canola oil delivers a few practical advantages. The flavour is milder, which works well when you don’t want the oil to dominate a dish. The smoke point is slightly higher, and the price point is lower, making it an economical choice for high-volume cooking. Professional kitchens have been doing this for years — it’s a sensible approach to everyday cooking.
Use olive oil blends for frying, baking, sautéing, and any situation where you need a reliable, neutral-tasting oil that still brings some of the health benefits of olive oil to the table.
Flavoured Oils — Instant Depth Without the Effort
Flavoured oils are your shortcut to bold, layered flavour. Wilson’s Peri-Peri Flavoured Oil and White Truffle Flavoured Oil bring complexity to dishes without requiring extra prep time or ingredients.
Peri-Peri oil adds smoky heat to grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, or stir-fries. White truffle oil turns creamy pasta, risotto, or mashed potatoes into something indulgent. A small drizzle goes a long way — flavoured oils are finishing oils, not cooking oils. Use them at the end of cooking to preserve their flavour.
High-Heat Oils — When Temperature Matters
Some cooking methods demand oils with higher smoke points and more neutral profiles. Peanut oil, grapeseed oil, and avocado oil handle high temperatures without breaking down or developing bitter flavours.
Peanut oil has a bold, nutty flavour and is a staple in wok cooking and deep-frying. Grapeseed oil is clean and light, making it ideal for stir-fries, marinades, and homemade mayonnaise. Avocado oil has a smooth, mild flavour and works well for roasting, grilling, and baking.
These oils won’t smoke or turn bitter under high heat, and they’re stable enough for repeated use in frying applications.
Coconut Oil — For Baking, Curries & Beyond
Wilson’s Coconut Oil is refined, which means it has no overpowering coconut scent or flavour. That makes it useful in both sweet and savoury cooking — baking, roasting, frying, and sautéing all work well with coconut oil.
Wilson’s Coconut Flavoured Oil, on the other hand, brings that tropical aroma and subtle sweetness. Use it in Thai curries, stir-fries, coconut rice, or baked goods where you want that coconut note to come through.
Coconut oil is also popular in skincare — it’s gentle, moisturising, and free of additives when you choose a food-grade product.
How to Choose the Right Olive Oil
Here’s a simple framework: use extra virgin olive oil or flavoured oils when you want the oil’s flavour to be part of the dish — dressings, drizzles, finishing touches, gentle sautéing. Use high-heat oils like peanut, grapeseed, or avocado when you’re frying, searing, or cooking at higher temperatures. Use olive oil blends or coconut oil for everyday cooking where you need something neutral, affordable, and reliable.
Start with a bottle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil, then build your pantry with oils suited to specific tasks. Once you understand what each oil does well, choosing becomes second nature.
Ready to stock your pantry? Browse Wilson’s full range of olive oil, coconut oil, flavoured oils, and high-heat cooking oils — all sourced and bottled with care right here in South Africa.