The problem with Ancient Roots olive oil

Price

For a single 250ml bottle the price currently stands at £49.95 (as of 27/06/24). Working out to an extortionate £19.98 per 100ml.

This number really stands out when we compare it to the very reasonable £3.00 per 100ml when you buy the well-tested 584 mg/Kg polyphenol olive oil ONSURI Arbosana. See the last paragraph for our full recommendation and discount code.

Sales Strategy

We spoke to one person who initially ordered some Ancient Roots olive oil but reconsidered the choice very soon after. They decided to cancel the order. After this, they were then called several times by the team at Ancient Roots, asking them if they wanted to proceed with an order. This is not normal practice in the olive oil industry, and customers should be allowed to change their mind freely.

There was also a report of upselling techniques, where the customer is presented with 'one-time' offer to buy several more bottles for an additional ~£300.

Organic Status

Brewer even mentions in her product video that “pesticides and pollutants all ruin olive growth” but Ancient Roots does not appear to be an organic product. And there is no mention of the production methods used, and whether or not they make use of pesticides or other chemicals themselves.

Even though a study has found that olives are among foods with the lowest level of pesticide residues in Europe—other producers are a lot more open about their production practices. Opus Oléa clearly display the fact that they do not use chemical pesticides or fertilisers.

Other producers like November have gone the extra mile and achieved organic status, which can be expensive to do even if organic practices are already followed.

Lack of scientific testing and transparency

High quality polyphenol olive oil should come with a lab certificate detailing the composition and levels of each of the polyphenols in the oil. Here’s an example of one such lab certificate, for November olive oil - with its current total polyphenol level of 746 mg per Kilogram of oil.

November Polyphenol Certificate of Analysis

There is also no mention of other important metrics like free-fatty acidity—low values indicating a higher quality olive oil. By contrast, our website clearly displays these values on each oil product page so the consumer can make the most informed decision.

Even worse, there is no mention of the variety of olives used in Ancient Roots. Higher quality oils tend to be made with a single variety of olives, or at most a blend of two varieties. It's important that these varieties are advertised to the consumer, as the oil can take on distinctive properties based on the olive it has come from. Usually, oil producers that do not provide this information tend to create their oil by blending together a number of different lower quality varieties to increase yield and save money.

Dubious scientific claims

In Brewer's promo video, she suggests that growing an olive tree under difficult conditions such as drought increases the number of polyphenols grown in the olives. But actually there is evidence to suggest the opposite of this is true.

Brewer raises another point that olives grown for Anicent Roots are from Tuscany, and that the volcanic soil there provides rich nutrition. The video shows an active volcano as she speaks. The issue with this is, the volcano in Tuscany - Monte Amiata, has been inactive for thousands of years.

Conclusion

For the reasons above, in our opinion, there are numerous other oils that have higher standards of testing and transparency, that come at a much lower cost. Consuming high polyphenol olive oil has become a lifestyle choice and forms a healthy long term habit for many, so consumers should take time to find an oil that best suits their budget and requirements. Part of this process is access to information, which unfortunately seems very thin on the ground for Ancient Roots—especially when you consider its price tag.

Our recommendation

We believe the best value high polyphenol olive oil when you are purchasing a single bottle is ONSURI olive oil. Their oil comes packaged in tins with an easy-pour screwcap, since the carbon footprint of these tins are approximately 10 times lower than glass. They offer free delivery and you can get 10% off with code HIGHPOLYPHENOL.

They also offer a glass bottle for their Signature "Edition" which is made by blending two of their popular high polyphenol oils together, the Arbosana (584 mg/Kg) and the Arbequina (470mg/Kg).

If you're looking for health benefits then go for the higher polyphenol Arbosana. If you're newer to high polyphenol oils, or prefer a mellower more easy-going taste then go for the Arbequina.