What pomace olive oil is, how it is made, what the research says about its health effects, and when it makes sense to use it.
Pomace olive oil is the cheapest olive-derived oil on the shelf. It is made from olive pomace, the solid residue left after olive oil has been extracted, by treating it with solvents or other physical processes (1). The oil is then refined, and the version sold for cooking is a blend of refined pomace oil and virgin olive oil (1).
Because it is refined, pomace olive oil is not the same as extra virgin olive oil, and it cannot legally be sold simply as “olive oil” (1). Here is what it contains, whether pomace olive oil is healthy, how it performs in the kitchen, and the drawbacks worth knowing.
Key Takeaways
- Pomace olive oil is extracted from olive pulp, skins, and pits left after pressing, then refined and blended with virgin olive oil (1).
- It is rich in oleic acid and keeps compounds like triterpenes, squalene, and sterols, but refining removes most phenolic antioxidants (2).
- Human trials of pomace oil itself are few and mixed: one found lower LDL cholesterol, another found no change in blood lipids (3, 4).
- It holds up well to frying, breaking down more slowly than regular sunflower oil (6).
- Contaminants such as PAHs have been a concern, which is why cleanup steps and legal limits exist (7, 9).
What Is Pomace Olive Oil?
When olives are pressed, the first oil to be extracted is virgin olive oil. What remains, called olive pomace, is a paste of skins, pulp, pits, and water that still contains some oil. The International Olive Council defines olive pomace oil as oil obtained by treating this pomace with solvents or other physical treatments, and it recognizes three categories (1):
| Type | How it is made | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Extra virgin / virgin olive oil | Pressed from olives by mechanical means only | Dressings, drizzling, everyday cooking |
| Crude olive pomace oil | Extracted from leftover olive pomace with solvents or other physical treatments | Not for eating; must be refined |
| Refined olive pomace oil | Crude pomace oil refined without altering its basic fat structure | Mainly used in blends |
| Olive pomace oil (sold in stores) | Refined pomace oil blended with virgin olive oil | Frying and high-heat cooking |
Crude pomace oil is not intended for direct consumption. The product you buy, labeled “olive pomace oil,” is refined pomace oil blended with virgin olive oils fit for consumption (1).
Pomace Olive Oil Nutrition
Like other olive oils, pomace oil is almost pure fat and very calorie-dense. The label of one U.S. brand lists about 800 kcal and 93 g of fat per 100 ml, including roughly 67 g monounsaturated, 13 g polyunsaturated, and 13 g saturated fat (12). For comparison, regular olive oil provides 884 kcal per 100 g, with 73 g monounsaturated fat (13).
Beyond its fatty acids, pomace oil contains minor components such as triterpenic acids and dialcohols, squalene, tocopherols (vitamin E), sterols, and fatty alcohols. The refining process significantly reduces its phenolic compounds, the antioxidants extra virgin olive oil is known for, while many of these other components remain (2).
Is Pomace Olive Oil Healthy? What the Research Shows
Cholesterol and heart health
Direct human evidence on pomace oil is limited and mixed:
- In a randomized, blinded crossover trial, healthy and high-cholesterol adults who consumed 45 g of olive pomace oil a day for four weeks had lower LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B than when they used high-oleic sunflower oil. Blood pressure, endothelial function, and inflammation did not change. The trial was funded by the Spanish olive pomace oil industry association (3).
- A similar four-week trial by the same research group, comparing pomace oil with regular sunflower oil in 68 adults, found no significant effect on blood lipids, blood pressure, or endothelial function, although visceral fat decreased after pomace oil (4).
What about olive oil in general? In two large U.S. cohorts of 60,582 women and 31,801 men followed for 28 years, people who ate more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day had a 19% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who rarely ate it. Replacing butter, margarine, mayonnaise, or dairy fat with olive oil was linked to lower mortality, but there was no significant difference when olive oil was compared with other vegetable oils combined — a result that matters for the wider argument, since the case against seed oils does not hold up when it is tested directly (5). This study looked at olive oil broadly, so it cannot tell us whether pomace oil has the same effect.
Other compounds
Pomace oil’s triterpenic acids, such as oleanolic and maslinic acid, are being studied. In one study, obese mice fed a pomace oil specially concentrated in these compounds had less weight gain, insulin resistance, and vascular dysfunction (10), but this was an animal study with an enriched oil, not the pomace oil sold in stores.
Is Pomace Olive Oil Good for Cooking and Frying?
This is where pomace oil performs best. In frying experiments simulating home and restaurant use, olive pomace oils formed harmful polar compounds and polymers more slowly than regular sunflower oil and performed at least as well as high-oleic sunflower oil. The researchers linked this to its high ratio of monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fat and to minor compounds such as beta-sitosterol and squalene (6).
Its neutral taste also makes it suitable for frying and baking where you do not want an olive flavor. Whatever oil goes in, the pan matters too: an empty non-stick pan left on high heat is the one documented risk with that cookware. For salads and finishing dishes, extra virgin olive oil gives more flavor and more phenolic compounds. If you are choosing between cooking fats, our comparison of olive oil vs vegetable oil covers the wider picture.
SaveDisadvantages and Safety Concerns
- Fewer antioxidants. Refining removes most of the phenolic compounds found in extra virgin olive oil (2).
- Processing contaminants. An analysis of olive pomace oils found high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including some carcinogenic ones, in four of five samples, and concluded that manufacturers needed proper cleanup steps (7). EU law now sets maximum levels in food for processing contaminants, including benzo(a)pyrene and other PAHs (9). Choose products from reputable brands that follow food safety standards.
- Mineral oil hydrocarbons. A 2023 analysis of commercial pomace oils found mineral oil hydrocarbons at levels depending on the extraction process; the aromatic fraction consisted mainly of 1- and 2-ring compounds and was virtually free of the carcinogenic 3- to 7-ring types (8).
- Calories. At around 800 to 880 kcal per 100 g, any oil adds up quickly (12, 13). Measure it rather than pouring freely.
- Weak evidence for skin and hair uses. Olive oils are traditionally applied to skin, but a review of topical olive products found no reliable evidence yet for these uses (11).
For more on olive oil safety, see our guide to the side effects of olive oil.
Pomace Olive Oil vs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is extracted by mechanical means without refining, so it keeps its flavor and phenolic antioxidants. Pomace oil is solvent-extracted, refined, and blended, making it cheaper and more neutral, with fewer phenolics but good stability for frying (1, 2, 6). A practical approach is to use extra virgin olive oil for salads and lower-heat cooking, and pomace oil for high-heat frying, as part of a balanced diet or a plant-based eating plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pomace olive oil made of?
It is made from olive pomace, the solid residue of skins, pulp, and pits left after olive oil is extracted. The remaining oil is extracted with solvents or other physical treatments and refined, and the pomace oil sold for cooking is a blend of refined pomace oil and virgin olive oil.
Is pomace olive oil healthy?
It is mostly monounsaturated fat, like other olive oils, and contains compounds such as triterpenes, squalene, and sterols. However, refining removes most of the phenolic antioxidants found in extra virgin olive oil, and human studies of pomace oil itself are few and mixed.
Is pomace olive oil bad for you?
Not when it comes from a reputable producer and is used in normal amounts. The main historical concern has been contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which is why refining should include cleanup steps and why EU law sets maximum levels for these contaminants in food. Like any oil, it is also calorie-dense.
Is pomace olive oil good for frying?
Yes. In frying tests, olive pomace oils broke down more slowly than regular sunflower oil and at least as well as high-oleic sunflower oil, likely because of their high monounsaturated fat content and compounds like beta-sitosterol and squalene.
Can you call pomace oil olive oil?
No. International standards treat olive pomace oil as a separate category from olive oil, and it must be labeled as olive pomace oil.
Is pomace olive oil good for skin and hair?
Olive oils are traditionally used on dry skin and hair, but reviews have found no reliable evidence for topical benefits, and there is no good evidence that pomace oil prevents hair fall.
The Bottom Line
Pomace olive oil is refined oil extracted from the pulp and pits left after olive pressing, blended with virgin olive oil. It shares olive oil’s high monounsaturated fat content and holds up well to frying, but refining removes most of its phenolic antioxidants, and human research on its health effects is limited and mixed. It can be a practical, affordable choice for high-heat cooking if you buy from reputable brands, while extra virgin olive oil remains the better choice for flavor and antioxidants.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, especially if you have an existing health condition.
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