Health Angles: Pomace Oil Nutrition In A Nutshell
Pomace olive oil delivers 120 calories per tablespoon (14g serving) with 14g total fat (2g saturated, 10g monounsaturated, 2g polyunsaturated), zero carbs, zero protein, and no cholesterol or sodium. It offers a budget-friendly source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats primarily as oleic acid, though it lacks the antioxidants found in extra virgin olive oil. These facts are standardized by FDA guidelines and confirmed across nutritional databases as of 2026.
Understanding Pomace Olive Oil
Pomace olive oil is produced by extracting residual oil from olive skins, pulp, and pits left after the initial pressing for virgin oils, using solvents like hexane followed by refining. Introduced commercially in the early 2000s, it constitutes about 45% of global olive oil production, per 2025 International Olive Council data. This process yields a neutral-flavored oil ideal for high-heat cooking, unlike premium varieties.
Historically, pomace oil gained traction post-1990s EU regulations standardizing byproducts, reducing waste from Spain's 1.2 million tons of annual pomace. "It's a sustainable choice for everyday use," notes Dr. Elena Rossi, olive oil researcher at the University of Barcelona, in a 2024 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry interview. Refining strips some nutrients but preserves core fatty acids.
Core Nutrition Facts
Per 100g, pomace olive oil provides 884 calories, all from 100g fat: 14g saturated, 77g monounsaturated, and 9g polyunsaturated, with trace squalene and vitamin E. It contains no sugars, fiber, or proteins, making it a pure lipid source. These values align with USDA data updated in 2023.
- Calories: 120 per 1 tbsp (14g) - 6% of a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Total Fat: 14g (18% DV) - primarily oleic acid (70-80%).
- Saturated Fat: 2g (10% DV) - lower than butter's 7g per tbsp.
- Monounsaturated Fat: 10g - supports HDL cholesterol per 2022 EFSA review.
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g - includes omega-6 linoleic acid.
- Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 0mg; Carbs: 0g; Protein: 0g.
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 120 | - |
| Total Fat | 14g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | - |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | - |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | - |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 0mg | 0% |
| Total Carbs | 0g | 0% |
| Protein | 0g | - |
| *Based on 2,000-calorie diet. Data from FDA standards. | ||
Health Benefits
Pomace olive oil's high oleic acid content (up to 80%) helps meet the 20% monounsaturated fat energy recommendation from WHO 2024 guidelines. Studies, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including, including