Light Olive Oil

Light olive oil does not mean lower fat or fewer calories. The term "light" refers to flavor and color, not nutritional content. Light olive oil is typically refined olive oil that has had most of the olive flavor removed, sometimes blended with a small amount of virgin olive oil to restore some aroma.

Because it is refined, light olive oil has a relatively high smoke point (typically around 465°F / 240°C) and a neutral flavor. This makes it useful for sautéing, frying, roasting, and for emulsions such as mayonnaise where the strong flavor of extra‑virgin olive oil would be undesirable.

While extra‑virgin olive oil is valued for its flavor and is often used for finishing dishes or salads, light olive oil functions more as a general‑purpose cooking oil.