What's the different between regular olive oil and extra virgin olive oil?

I've just recently gotten into cooking, but I'm having a hard time deciding when to use olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, etc. When do I use which oil and what are their differences in nutrition?What's the different between regular olive oil and extra virgin olive oil?
I used to think the different olive oils were just a scam to get more money out of you but then I went to an olive oil tasting at my local overpriced grocery store and discovered there truly is a difference. EVOO tastes awesome all by itself on some good quality bread and you don't want to ruin it by heating it. However, I rarely use vegetable oil and mostly use the cheaper olive oil for cooking. Sometimes I use coconut oil to fry stuff, especially if it's something Thai or Carribean.What's the different between regular olive oil and extra virgin olive oil?
Extra virgin olive oil is more carefully treated during processing. Usually it is extracted from the first pressing of the olives in a process that uses pressure only, not heat. This protects delicate flavor compounds that would be destroyed otherwise, but also produces less oil, which is why extra virgin is more expensive. Also, in order to be called extra virgin, olive oil has to meet strict standards set by the federal government. Extra virgin olive oil should not be used in cooking because it has a low smoke-point (burns easily) and because they went through a lot of work to avoid exposing it to heat. If you heat it, you send your money literally up the chimney.
Extra virgin olive oil is only cold-pressed and does not use any damaging heat, and comes only from the first press of the olive, where just regular olive oil does not have these requirements.


Olive oil is different to regular vegetable oil because it has a different composition of fats which is beneficial to health, it has a lower smoke point which means it burns more easily and should not be used for cooking on high heat, and of course has an olivey taste that will be noted in your food.
There are more than just two (2) but you asked about Virgin Oil and Extra Virgin.


Basically EVO, as it is commonly known, has a lower amount of the free acid known as Oleic Acid . 0.8 Mgm per 100 oz versus 3.3 in VO.


What the difference may or may not concern those who are really into the taste of food. VO is fine for cooking, EVO better and the taste much better in salads and other dishes where flavor really matters.


All Olive Oils come from the olive tree. Some are from the first pressing, others from second and third pressings of the same olive.


Some countries have less than 10% of their oil certified as EVO by the folks who do that.


Best bet for everyday cooking is the same as for chef's: EVO excels in every category.


There are some differences that really matter to chef's: EVO's smoke point - the temp at which oil smokes - is higher, VO lower by a bit. Butter is the lowest and that's why so many pro's use a bit of EVO along with butter; just to allow a pan to get very hot without smoking up the kitchen.


Stick your finger in VO and taste it. Do the same with EVO. If it is truly 'good' EVO you'll be sold.
extra virgin olive oil is from the first press of the olives and the lightest cleanest oil..Its great on salads and for cooking. Regular olive oil is from the second or third pressing and is usually heavier...still good for cooking though
Some oils are best added to foods and some are best to cook with.


As a rule I use extra virgin olive oil in everything - to cook and to put in salads.... it's good for u.
well one hasn't been ******, one is normal, and the third is a vegetarian. You decide which one's which.
EVOO has more of the good stuff in it.