Ode to Olive Oil
I’ve never been comfortable with self-denial, especially when it comes to food. I want to fully relish the experience of cooking and eating, but often, health concerns do make me question my culinary choices, especially with fats and oils. Luckily, healthy cooking does not mean cutting all oil out of your diet. Olive oil is wonderfully healthy and full of rich flavor, making it a prime candidate for a proper profile at Recipe4Living.com
Knock. Knock.
Who's there?
Olive.
Olive who?
Olive you. J
Olives are picked beginning in September, when still somewhat under-ripe and green. These olives produce the strongest flavor of olive oils (deep green colored Tuscan oils) with the longest shelf life, but yield smaller amounts of oil. Most olive harvests happen in November and December, with different stages of ripeness resulting in different tasting oils. The best oils result from hand-picking which does not bruise the fruit.
Olives produce the best oil when pressed within a day of picking, since the longer they sit, the more the acidity rises. An olive paste is obtained through milling with granite millstones or other implements. The paste is , or slowly churned, to allow the oil droplets to combine, and the oil is then extracted through a press or by centrifugation (a more modern method). The remaining solid substance of the paste is called the pomace and still contains some oil.
Extra-virgin vs. Virgin
Virgin and extra-virgin olive oils are produced without chemical treatment, as opposed to refined oils. Refined olive oils are chemically treated to neutralize any acidity and reduce stronger tastes. Refined olive oils are considered lower quality than virgin olive oils and thus cannot carry the retail labels of extra-virgin olive oil or virgin olive oil.
Extra-virgin olive oil is considered to have the best taste. It comes from the first pressing of the olives and has less than .08% acidity.
Virgin olive oil has a higher acidity, up to 2% but is judged to have a good taste.
Olive oil generally contains a mix of virgin oil and refined virgin oil with an acidity of up to 1%. This variety of olive oil has a milder taste than virgin varieties.
Olive-pomace oil refers to oil extracted from the pomace by chemical means, usually hexane, and heat.
Fun Olive Oil Myths
Imported from Italy does not necessarily mean all olive oil comes from Italy. In fact, 40% of the world’s production comes from Spain, especially the province of Jaen, which often exports to Italy for bottling and/or repacking for worldwide sale. Italy produces 20% of the world’s olive oil and Greece, 13%. Turkey and Syria follow closely behind.
The label 100% Pure Olive Oil is often the lowest quality olive oil in the grocery store.
“Lighter” olive oil is only lighter in color and not in fat content. All olive oil has roughly 120 calories per tablespoon. As you can see below, olive oil is a very healthy form of fat in your diet.
To Your Health
In the 1960s, researchers began to notice longer lifespans and lower incidents of heart disease, stroke, and certain kinds of cancer in the population of Greece and surrounding areas. The “Mediterranean Diet,” which is especially high in olive oil, was found to be the cause. While studies are still being conducted on how exactly olive oil impacts the body, olive oil has certainly been linked to health in a variety of ways.
Because olive oil is so flavorful, less oil can be used in cooking, reducing the amount of calories.
More than any other naturally produced oil, olive oil is especially rich in monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid. Monounsaturated fats in olive oil are healthier than the polyunsaturated fats in corn oil and much healthier than the saturated fats in butter. Monounsaturated fats help to reduce bad cholesterol in the blood (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL), thus reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.
The olive oil in the Mediterranean Diet was found to be chiefly responsible for lower blood pressure.
Olive oil is especially good for the stomach and digestive track. It promotes the healthy production of bile for digestion and has a beneficial impact on ulcers and gastritis. It also lowers the incidence of gallstones.
Extra-virgin olive oil is especially rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin E and phenols. Studies have shown that olive oil helps the body absorb lycopene, the prominent antioxidant in tomatoes and another major factor of the Mediterranean diet. Antioxidants help prevent cell damage, speed healing, and protect against cancer.
Olive oil has been show to help lower the risk ofbreast, colon, and skin cancer. Spanish researchers found a lower incidence of tumors and precancerous tissue in rats fed olive oil compared to those fed other oils. In one two-year study, female participants consuming the most olive oil (a little more than ½ Tbs. per day) had a 73% lower risk of breast cancer than those consuming the least.
Olive oil may help diabetics control their blood sugar levels. In one study, meals that contained some olive oil were shown to have a better effect on blood sugar levels, even than meals with a lower percentage of fat.
Because the body uses monounsaturated fats to produce anti-inflammatory substances, olive oil can help reduce the severity of asthma and arthritis, both caused by inflammation.
The abundance of phenols in olive oil helps prevent bone loss. The effect is so dramatic that olive phenols are commonly used in supplements and herbal medicines for the prevention of osteoporosis.
- Olive is good for your cat too! If your feline is plagued by hairballs, add 1/8-1/4 tsp. olive oil to the cat food to help prevent them.
Some Great Recipes with Olive Oil:
Artichokes in a Garlic and Olive Oil Sauce
Baked Tilapia with Tomatoes and Olives
Zucchini with Tomatoes and Fresh Basil
Summer Squash, Tomato, and Basil Risotto
Rosemary Tomato Foccacia Bread
Olive oil is wonderful for dry skin and hair, and has not been shown to cause acne. Mix it with a little sugar to create a moisturizing exfoliant, add to your bath, or smooth a little on frizzy hair. It’s also a gentle way to remove eye makeup. Olive oil can provide a closer shave than most shaving creams!
Rosemary-Honey Hair Conditioner
