What are polyphenols and why do they matter?

Polyphenols are the antioxidant compounds in real olive oil responsible for its bitterness and pepper. They help protect blood lipids from oxidative stress, an effect authorised by the European Food Safety Authority, and are a major reason the Mediterranean diet supports heart and brain health.

How much polyphenol does WOW Longevity olive oil contain?

WOW Longevity delivers 190 mg of polyphenols per 15 ml serving, far above typical supermarket olive oils, which are often largely stripped of them.

How do you take high-polyphenol olive oil?

One 15 ml spoonful a day, taken neat or poured raw over food just before serving. Avoid cooking with it, as heat destroys the polyphenols.

How to actually use high-polyphenol olive oil

The kitchen · 4 min read · 2026-07-03

Keep it raw, protect it from light, heat and air, and trust the taste. Drizzle it over food at the table or take a spoonful neat, and use a cheaper oil for the pan.

Key points

Finish, do not fry. Add it after the heat, never during.
Store it sealed, cool and dark, and use it within about two months of opening.
Green, bitter and peppery is what a working oil tastes like.
Bread with oil and salt, tomatoes, eggs, soup, greens: all raw, all ideal.

A high-polyphenol oil is an ingredient, not a garnish, and it is easy to use well once you know what protects it and what destroys it. Three rules cover almost everything.

1. Keep it raw

Finish, do not fry. Drizzle it over food at the table, just before serving: warm bread with a pinch of salt, ripe tomatoes, greens, eggs, soup, roasted vegetables, grilled fish. If you want the full benefit, a spoonful taken neat in the morning is the most direct route, as described in the one-spoonful morning ritual. Save a plain, cheaper oil for the pan.

2. Protect it from light, heat and air

Polyphenols fade with exposure. Keep the bottle sealed, cool and out of direct light, which is why serious oils come in dark glass. Once opened, use it within roughly two months. The full storage guide is in how to store olive oil. Buy in a rhythm that matches how fast you actually pour, rather than stockpiling bottles that quietly lose their value on the shelf.

3. Trust the taste

Green, bitter and peppery is what you want. If a new bottle tastes flat and buttery, it is past its best or was never high-phenolic to begin with. A good oil should make its presence known. Ours is dated by harvest and lab-tested, so you know what is in the bottle before you open it.

Common questions

How do you use high-polyphenol olive oil?

Raw. Drizzle it over food just before serving, or take a 15 ml spoonful neat. Use a plain, cheaper oil for frying and roasting.

What do you eat high-polyphenol olive oil with?

Bread with a pinch of salt, ripe tomatoes, greens and salads, eggs, soup, roasted vegetables and grilled fish. Anything where the oil is added after the heat.

How long does an opened bottle last?

About two months. It stays safe longer, but the polyphenols fade steadily once air and light get to it.

Keep reading

WOW Longevity high-polyphenol olive oil