Olive Oil

Health benefits of olive oil:

Fat is a necessary part of our diet. We need it to help absorb the ‘fat soluble vitamins’  A, D, E & K. It is a rich source of energy & helps promote healthy skin.

All oils are fats (lipids) the the difference between fat & oil is that fat is solid at room temperature but oil is liquid. Fats fall into four categories. Monounsaturated, polyunsaturated,   saturated & trans fats. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats have been associated with good health. People who live in the Mediterranean countries have a lower rate of heart disease. This has been linked to the high consumption of olive oil in the region. It is believed that monounsaturated fats help lower blood cholesterol. They do this by increasing good HDL's cholesterol & help to reduce total LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). 

Some data also suggests that women who have a diet rich in monounsaturated fats have a lower rate of breast cancer than women who consume other types of fat.

Other sources of monounsaturated fats include; rapeseed (canola), sunflower & peanut oil, avocado, nuts & seeds.

Polyunsaturated fats:

Saturated fats are most commonly found in animal foods such as meat & dairy but are also found in foods such as cakes, pastries & chips. It is also found in some plant oils such as coconut & palm oil. These  fats are solid at room temperature.

Saturated fats raise blood cholesterol, putting you at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. 

Trans fats are liquid oils which have been hydrogenated in a process called 'partial hydrogenation'. It occurs when the oil is heated up to a high temperature under pressure. Hydrogen is then bubbled through the oil & is absorbed into the fat molecules.  This in turn gives the foods it's used in (cakes, pastries, most margarines & many other processed foods) a more solid consistency & prolongs shelf life. Trans fats are also found in small quantities in some meats.

Trans fats raise LDL's (bad cholesterol) & increase the risk of heart disease.

Olive oil also contains phenolics which are powerful antioxidants which are are believed to slow down or prevent damage to cells within the body caused by free radicals & therefore protect the body against several types of cancer.

Olive oil is cholesterol free.

Grading:

Based in Madrid, The International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) is an organisation with 23 member states. The IOOC grades olive oil according to defects, acidity, flavour & odour.  Higher quality oils have lower acidity than lower quality oils.

Different types of olive oil compliment different dishes. Knowing which type of oil to use will greatly compliment your meals.

Virgin olive oils:

Virgin olive oils are the oils obtained from the fruit of the olive tree solely by mechanical or other physical means under conditions, particularly thermal conditions, that do not lead to alterations in the oil, and which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation & filtration.

Virgin olive oils can not contain refined olive oil.

Refined olive oils:

Virgin olive oil which has poor flavour, an acidity of over 3.3% or an unpleasant aroma it is is refined. This refining may be by heat, chemicals or filtration.

Olive Pomace oil:

Olive oil is made by crushing the olives & pips into a paste & extracting the oil (by various methods). The residue is known as pomace & still contains residual oil. Olive-pomace oil is the oil obtained by treating olive pomace  with solvents or other physical treatments, to extract the remaining portion of oil.

You may notice that some brands of olive oil also state they are 'light'. Light refers to  flavour & not the calorie value. All types of olive oil have a similar amount of calories.

Light oils have a paler colour & are mild flavoured. They have undergone filtration.

You may notice that there are great variations in the colour of olive oils. The colour variation is due to several factors including the type of olive & how ripe it was when. Unripe olives produce a greener oil due to having higherconcentrations of chlorophyll while oil from ripe olives is a golden colour.

Buying olive oil:

Each olive oil will have it's own distinctive flavour depending on the type of olive grown, the location, how ripe the olives were when harvested.

Olives harvested early have a stronger, fuller flavour. This may be fruity or peppery in taste.  Olives harvested later in the season have a milder taste.

It is a good idea to have different types of oil so that you can use the appropriate one for your cooking needs. Oils with a strong flavour suit strongly flavoured dishes, delicate dishes are better suited to milder oils.

Light, heat & air all contribute to the oxidation of olive oil so choose a dark coloured bottle. Buy in small quantities more frequently. Olive oil will stay fresh for 12 months, so check the bottle for a harvest date.

Storage:

Olive oil should be kept in a cool, dark place. It is generally good to use for a year.

Early harvest olives also have higher levels of polyphenols, which give it a longer shelf life.

If you do buy olive oil in a large container, decant small quantities into a dark bottle for everyday use.

You can store olive oil in the fridge however the oil will become waxy. This should not affect the quality of the oil. It will become liquid again once it has reached room temperature.

Cooking with olive oil:

It is commonly believed that olive oil is unsuitable to cook with but this is not the case.  Extra virgin & virgin olive oils lose their flavours when heated so it is better to keep these oils for salads, drizzling on foods such as cooked pasta & vegetables, flavouring stews & dipping with & use ordinary olive oil to cook with.