Olive oil contains two vitamins: vitamin E and vitamin K. That’s it. Despite its reputation as a health food, olive oil isn’t a broad source of vitamins. Its nutritional value comes from healthy fats, a meaningful dose of vitamin E, a solid amount of vitamin K, and a range of non-vitamin antioxidants called polyphenols.
Vitamin E in Olive Oil
Olive oil’s primary vitamin is vitamin E, specifically in the form called alpha-tocopherol. One tablespoon of olive oil delivers about 1.9 mg of vitamin E. That’s roughly 13% of the recommended daily intake for adults (15 mg per day). If you use two or three tablespoons across a day of cooking and salad dressings, you’re covering a quarter to nearly 40% of your daily needs from olive oil alone.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant, meaning it dissolves in and travels with fats in your body. Its main job is protecting your cells from oxidative damage. One well-studied role involves LDL cholesterol (the kind linked to heart disease). When LDL particles get damaged by oxidation, they become more likely to build up in artery walls. Vitamin E sits inside LDL particles and slows that process down, acting as a built-in shield. Research published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology found that higher alpha-tocopherol levels in the blood significantly extended the time it took for LDL to start oxidizing, while also reducing the speed of oxidation once it began.
Because vitamin E is fat-soluble, consuming it alongside dietary fat dramatically improves absorption. Olive oil delivers both the vitamin and the fat your body needs to absorb it, making it one of the more efficient food sources.
Vitamin K in Olive Oil
The second vitamin in olive oil is vitamin K1, also called phylloquinone. Per 100 grams, olive oil contains about 60 micrograms. In practical terms, a tablespoon (about 14 grams) provides roughly 8.4 micrograms. The adequate daily intake for adults ranges from 90 to 120 micrograms depending on sex, so a tablespoon covers around 7 to 9% of your daily needs.
Vitamin K1 is essential for blood clotting. Without enough of it, your body can’t produce several of the proteins required to stop bleeding. It also plays a role in bone metabolism, helping direct calcium into bones rather than soft tissues. Like vitamin E, vitamin K is fat-soluble, so olive oil again serves as both a source and a delivery vehicle.
One practical note: if you take blood-thinning medications like warfarin, the vitamin K in olive oil is worth being aware of. It doesn’t mean you need to avoid olive oil, but keeping your intake consistent from day to day helps your medication work predictably.
What Olive Oil Doesn’t Contain
USDA data lists no other vitamins in olive oil. There’s no vitamin A, no vitamin C, no B vitamins, no vitamin D. People sometimes assume olive oil is rich in a wide range of micronutrients because of its health halo, but its vitamin profile is narrow. The broader health benefits attributed to olive oil, particularly extra virgin, come largely from polyphenols and other plant compounds that aren’t classified as vitamins. These include oleocanthal (which has anti-inflammatory properties) and hydroxytyrosol (a potent antioxidant). These compounds are part of what makes extra virgin olive oil nutritionally distinct from refined olive oil, which retains most of the vitamin E but loses a significant share of polyphenols during processing.
How Cooking Affects These Vitamins
Heat degrades vitamin E in olive oil, and it happens faster than many people expect. Research from the American Chemical Society found that when extra virgin olive oil was heated to 180°C (356°F, a standard frying temperature), alpha-tocopherol levels dropped considerably. The vitamin E essentially sacrifices itself to protect the oil from oxidative damage during cooking, which is why heated oil deteriorates less quickly than you might expect but loses nutritional value in the process.
The rate of loss depends on the specific olive oil. Varieties naturally lower in protective polyphenols saw their vitamin E decline faster, because the tocopherol had to do more of the antioxidant work alone. Oils higher in polyphenols retained vitamin E somewhat longer because those compounds shared the protective burden. In practical terms, if you’re using olive oil primarily for its vitamin content, drizzling it on finished dishes or using it in dressings preserves more of its nutritional value than cooking at high heat for extended periods. Short sautés at moderate temperatures are a reasonable middle ground.
Extra Virgin vs. Refined Olive Oil
Both extra virgin and refined olive oil contain similar levels of vitamin E, since alpha-tocopherol is relatively stable through the refining process. Vitamin K content is also comparable. The real nutritional gap between the two lies outside the vitamin category: extra virgin olive oil retains far more polyphenols because it’s mechanically pressed without chemical processing or high heat. If your goal is maximizing the total antioxidant package (vitamins plus polyphenols), extra virgin is the better choice. If you’re focused strictly on vitamins E and K, the difference between grades is modest.