The terms below focus on olives, providing insight into their remarkable health benefits and unique qualities.

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High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (HPEVOO)

HP EVOO is a special category of olive oil known for its exceptionally high concentration of natural polyphenols, which are powerful plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These polyphenols are what give the oil its distinct peppery taste, slight bitterness, and strong health benefits.

What Makes It “High Phenolic”?

Phenolic compounds are natural antioxidants found in olives.

Standard extra virgin olive oils contain phenols, but a “High Phenolic” Extra Virgin Olive Oil has significantly higher levels, often measured by laboratory testing.

In short:

High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is like the "supercharged" version of olive oil—packed with natural compounds that make it one of the healthiest oils you can consume, especially when used regularly as part of your diet.

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Oleocanthal:

Oleocanthal is a natural phenolic compound found only in extra virgin olive oil. It was discovered relatively recently (early 2000s). The name comes from: “oleo” (olive), “canth” (sting/burn), “al” (aldehyde group in its chemical structure). 

It’s responsible for the peppery burn in the throat you feel when tasting fresh, strong Extra Virgin Olive Oil. That slight cough reflex is actually a sign of a healthy oil.

In short:

Oleocanthal is the natural “medicine” inside olive oil—a strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that contributes heavily to the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet.

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Oleuropein

Oleuropein is a polyphenol naturally found in olives, olive leaves, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

It’s what gives fresh, unripe olives their bitter taste. (That’s why raw olives need curing before they’re edible!)

When broken down, it produces hydroxytyrosol, another powerful antioxidant.

In short:

Oleuropein is the “bitter protector” of the olive tree—a polyphenol that supports  overall longevity. It works together with compounds like oleocanthal and hydroxytyrosol to make High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil such a powerful health food.

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Hydroxytyrosol

Hydroxytyrosol is a phenolic compound found in olives, olive leaves, and  Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

It’s created when oleuropein (the bitter compound in unripe olives) breaks down, either during ripening, oil extraction, or inside the human body after digestion.

It’s one of the most potent antioxidants in nature, with an oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) much higher than vitamin C or green tea catechins.

In short:

Hydroxytyrosol is the “super antioxidant” of olive oil—extremely bioavailable, protective for the heart, brain, and cells, and one of the main reasons High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is considered a functional health food.

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Verbascoside

Verbascoside (also known as Acteoside) is a phenylpropanoid glycoside, a type of polyphenol.

It’s found in olive leaves, unripe olives, and sometimes in High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Chemically, it’s more complex than oleuropein or hydroxytyrosol, but it contributes to the antioxidant “team” in olives.

In short:

Verbascoside is a multifunctional phenol—antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective. While it’s not as famous as oleocanthal or hydroxytyrosol, it adds to the broad spectrum of health benefits in olives and olive oil.

Key Points:

Oleuropein → Parent bitter compound (breaks down into hydroxytyrosol).

Hydroxytyrosol → Potent, bioavailable antioxidant (heart + brain protection).

Tyrosol → Antioxidant with longer activity in the body.

Oleocanthal → Separate phenol; gives the peppery throat burn, acts like ibuprofen.

Verbascoside → Found mostly in olive leaves and some Extra Virgin Olive Oil; antioxidant + antimicrobial + neuroprotective.

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Squalane

Squalane is a stable, hydrogenated form of squalene, a natural lipid (oil) found in olives, shark liver oil, rice bran, and produced by our own skin cells (in sebum).

Olive oil is one of the richest plant sources of squalene, and it’s typically extracted and converted into squalane for stability.

Unlike phenolic compounds (like oleuropein or hydroxytyrosol), squalane is a fatty molecule, not a polyphenol.

Non-comedogenic - refers to products designed not to block pores.

Other Health Roles - Inside the body, squalene (the precursor) supports cholesterol and hormone synthesis.

In short:

Main benefit: powerful skin moisturizer & antioxidant, widely used in clean beauty products, but also part of olive oil’s natural health arsenal.