The key difference lies in the polyphenol content, purpose, and processing standards. While both types come from olives, medical-grade olive oil is crafted for functional health benefits — not just flavor. It’s rich in bioactive compounds like oleocanthal and hydroxytyrosol, and each batch is tested for potency.

Unlike standard olive oil found on store shelves, medical-grade olive oil meets stricter criteria for phenolic content and therapeutic efficacy. These differences aren’t just marketing claims — they are backed by clinical studies and growing consumer demand for food-based medicine.

• Polyphenol Content: Medical-grade oils contain ≥250 mg/kg polyphenols (some exceed 1000+ mg/kg); regular EVOO often has less than 150 mg/kg.
• Purpose: Medical oils are formulated for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and therapeutic effects — not culinary use alone.
• Testing: Every batch is third-party lab tested for polyphenol concentration and oxidative stability.
• Harvest & Extraction: Medical-grade oil is produced from early-harvest olives and cold-pressed under strict temperature control to preserve actives.
• Bioactivity: These oils are used in functional nutrition protocols, often under professional guidance.

👉 Explore our high-phenolic olive oil — developed specifically as a functional food for inflammation, cognition, and longevity.

• High-polyphenol olive oil shows measurable benefits in lowering inflammation, improving cardiovascular markers, and supporting cognitive function ¹.
• Standard EVOO varies widely in phenolic content and may lose potency during storage or heat exposure.
• Therapeutic-grade olive oils are often used in clinical studies on hypertension, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s prevention.

More than just culinary, medical-grade olive oil is now recognized as a legitimate part of food-as-medicine approaches, especially in Mediterranean and functional nutrition protocols.

Regular olive oil supports basic health, but medical-grade olive oil takes it further. With significantly higher concentrations of healing compounds, medical oils offer a true functional food approach to inflammation, brain health, and chronic disease prevention.

⚠️ Always check the polyphenol level and ensure the oil is cold-extracted and lab-certified for therapeutic use.