Olive oil is mainly composed of triacylglycerols and secondarily, by free fatty acids (FFA), glycerol, phospholipids, pigments, flavor compounds and sterols. Triacylglycerols are the major energy reserve for plants and animals. Fatty acid composition of olive oil may vary depending on several factors, such as the variety, maturity of the fruit, altitude, climate etc 5,6.

Fatty acids present in olive oil triacylglycerols are:

• Oleic Acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. It makes up 55 to 83% of olive oil.
• Linoleic Acid, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid that makes up about 3.5 to 21% of olive oil.
• Palmitic Acid, a saturated fatty acid that makes up 7.5 to 20% of olive oil.
• Stearic Acid, a saturated fatty acid that makes up 0.5 to 5% of olive oil.
• Linolenic Acid, (specifically alpha-Linolenic Acid), a polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid that makes up 0 to 1.5% of olive oil 6,7.

Fat soluble vitamins, E and K, can be found in olive oil. The aforementioned vitamins are heat resistant; thus, they are not impaired by cooking. Consequently, they can be stored in the human body for prolonged periods of time, rendering their daily intake not mandatory.

Vitamin E (a natural antioxidant): Olives contain 1.6mg, or 2.3 IU (International Units) per tablespoon. One tablespoon provides 8% of RDA for vitamin E. 

Vitamin K: The richest sources of vitamin K are green, leafy vegetables. For example, one serving of spinach or collards, or two servings of broccoli provide four to five times the RDA. Studies have highlighted the fact that, the greener the vegetable, the higher the content, due to the association of vitamin K with the chlorophyll. According to the USDA, vegetable oils such as olive oil are the second-best source of vitamin K.