Olive Oil is pressed from fresh olives and is made mainly in the Mediterranean, mostly in Italy, Spain and Greece. It is available throughout the year, and many factors affect the quality of the oil, including climate, soil and the way they harvest and presse olives.
The flavour, smell and color of olive oil can vary significantly, based on its origin and whether it is Extra-virgin (finest grade) or not. Generally, the hotter the country, the bolder the oil’s flavour and taste will be.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil —- The highest-quality olive oil you can get. It is unrefined and contains more nutrients compared to other processed varieties.
How to Make Olive Oil
The art of making olive oil has been mastered in the Mediterranean region since thousands of years. Each grower have a unique way of tending the trees and producing the oil. The trees mature for several years before they produce olives.
After being picked, the olives are washed and the leaves, twigs and stems are removed. Afterward, the olives are cold processing sometimes and depending on the region, on stone mills, to extract the water and oil, which are then separated by the way in which the mills turn. The olive oil is stored in stainless steel containers at about 15°c to prevent breakdown before bottling and shipping.
Chemical Composition:
90% of this oil is made up of triacylglycerols, also know as triglycerides. Other compounds include fatty acids, such as:
- Palmitic ( C16:O )
- Palmitoleic ( C16:1 )
- Stearic ( C18:O )
- Oleic ( C18:1 )
- Linoleic (C18:2 )
- Linolenic ( C18:3 )
Mono-and diacylglycerols, hydrocarbons, sterols, as well as phenolic and volatile compounds make up olive oil.
Potential Benefits:
If you use properly, olive oil may be one of the healthiest oils you can add to your diet. Research has shown that it may help with a number of functions, such as :
Managing Type 2 diabetes, managing inflammation, boosting antioxidant profile, improving heart health, reducing risk of Alzheimer’s disease, lowering the risk of cancer.
The polyphenols of olive oil are of special attention with respect to their well stablished beneficial effects on human health and metabolism, as well as the popularity of olive oil in many different diets.
Polyphenols are known to reduce morbidity and or slow the progression of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and cancer diseases. The mechanism of action of polyphenols strongly relates to their antioxidant activity. Polyphenols are known to decrease the level of reactive oxygen species in the human body. Other than that, health promoting properties of plant polyphenols comprise anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-atherogenic, anti thrombotic, and anti-mutagenic effects. There is strong evidence and studies presenting their ability to modulate the human immune system by affecting the proliferation and activity of white blood cells, as well as the production of cytokines or other factors that participate in the immunological defense.
A daily intake of polyphenols ranges from 0.1 to 1.0 g per day with the main dietary source being fruits and vegetables, as well as herbs, spices, vegetable oils, mainly olive oil.
The benefits of olive oil come from its biologically active compounds. According to Alternative Medicine Review, the key active compounds found in olive oil include Oleic Acid, Phenolic constituents and Squalene. Furthermore, the main phenolic chemicals found in olive oil include Hydroxytyrosol, Tyrosol and Oleuropein, all of which demonstrate antioxidant properties.
How to use Oils?
Olive Oil may be one of the best foods you can add to your diet, as evidenced by numerous studies. However, remember not to heat it to prevent damaging the beneficial compounds. Also make sure to examine the olive oil in your kitchen regularly. If you think that it has gone rancid or develop an undesirable odor, replace it immediately with another high quality product.
You may use it everywhere, to season any type meat, chicken and fish, on baked or steamed vegetables, on your green juice, on your protein smoothies, on salads, and pretty much everywhere else depending on your cooking style.
Other Practical Uses:
Oils from olives can be flavoured with herbs and spices, which you can steep in the oil for 10 days or so. If you are using chili you need 5 days to flavour, you can then remove the chili and store it on a cold dark place.
However, it’s important to note that olive oil is not recommended for cooking, it should only be used cold to enhance your dishes. Extra virgin olive oil’s chemical structure and its large amount of unsaturated fats make it very susceptible to oxidative damage when used for cooking. If you would like to add oil to your cooking, prefer to use coconut oil or organic unpasteurized butter, because these two have a monounsaturated fatty acid structure and won’t degenerate with heat.
Oils from olives can also be used to moisturize your skin, as well as remove eye make up, as hydration mask to your hair, and to heal burnt wounds.
How to Identify High-Quality Oil
It is important to know what quality of Oil you are getting in order to avoid pro inflammatory oils.
Pay attention to these defects when considering a determined oil :
Rancidity : Remember that rancid oil smells like crayons, tastes like rancid nuts and has a greasy mouth feel. Don’t leave your bottle of oil exposed to light, opening and closing it many time per days. Remember that every time it is exposed to air and light, it oxidizes. The chlorophyll in Extra Virgin olive oil speeds up the oxidation of the unsaturated fats.
Treat your oil as you would other sensitive omega-3 by keeping it in a cool and dark place, purchasing smaller bottles instead of larger ones to ensure freshness.
Fusty Oil : It should not have a fermented smell.
Moldy olives : If your oil tastes dusty or musty, it’s likely made from moody olives, which represents a risk since mycotoxins present in mould can trigger many inflammatory processes.
Follow These Types When Choosing an Olive Oil
Harvest date : Look for the harvest date of the oil. Top-quality indicators include ” early harvest” or “fall harvest”.
Storage and testing : Make sure that the oil you are buying is stored in stainless steel containers before packing. The containers should be topped with an inert gas to impede Oxygen from entering the container.
Color and Flavour : High-quality extra virgin oil typically exhibits a fresh green colour.
Bottle : Prefer dark glass bottles as it prevents light from damaging the product. In terms of amount, prefer 500 ml bottles.
Labelling nomenclature : Aways purchase organic extra-virgin olive oil. Other varieties are all damaged and pro-inflammatory.
Storage and use : Remember to store your oil in a cool, dark place away from sunlight, as well as closing the cap immediately after use.
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