2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14
Olive oil is getting more and more popular. It is used in medicine, cosmetology and cooking. It has a specific smell and taste with a slight, barely noticeable bitterness. Understanding the variety of this product is not at all easy. Especially when you consider that for some it is exotic. Extra virgin - olive oil, which is considered the best. How to choose and use it, we will tell in this article.
Origin of oil
The history of this product is not so short. Olive trees began to grow about 6000 years ago. They were considered sacred. Only 2500 years ago people began to produce oil, which is considered one of the most useful. It was called liquid gold and was used as a currency. The possession of this healing product increased the status of a person and was considered a luxury. Olive trees began to spread around the world. However, this oilolive Extra virgin, which is produced in its historical homeland, cannot be found anywhere else. Even today, the best product comes from the Mediterranean region.
Oil properties
The healing properties of olive oil are due to its unique composition. First, it is palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids. There is no need to talk about their benefits for the body. Omega 7, 9 and 6 are valuable nutrients.
Secondly, the composition includes vitamins of all known groups. Such a set defines all the useful properties of this product. Just one small spoonful of oil a day can lower cholesterol, improve blood circulation, boost immunity, strengthen bones and muscles, stabilize the liver and stomach, and prevent cancer. That's why Extra virgin olive oil is so useful.
Oil varieties
Olive oil, like any other product, is divided into types that depend on the production technology. Extra virgin - olive oil, which is considered the best. It is obtained by cold pressing. It is produced from selected raw materials. The first pressing means that this product has absorbed all the useful properties of olives. The acidity of this oil does not exceed 0.8 percent.
Get Extra virgin - olive oil - mechanically. It does not use biological and chemical additives. The quality of the product, which is the highest, depends on this. The oil has a perfect taste and aroma.
Next comes Virgin Olive Oil. It is also produced by cold pressing, but this oil is of lower quality. And finally, the lowest grade - Pure Olive Oil - it is most often found on store shelves. It consists of one part of premium oil and two parts of a product that has been chemically clarified. In the homeland of olive oil production in Greece, this variety is generally prohibited.
How to choose oil
Of course, it is best to choose Extra virgin olive oil, the reviews of which speak for themselves. The quality of this product is noted by both users and specialists. But it is difficult to find real Extra virgin extra virgin olive oil on store shelves. Therefore, you need to know some subtleties in order to choose a truly useful product.
First, you should study the label very carefully. High-quality oil should be bottled in the same place where it is produced. In this case, the letters DOP will be indicated on the label. If there is an abbreviation IGP, then there are doubts about the naturalness of olive oil. This means that the olives were harvested in one country, but the production took place elsewhere and was not controlled by the supplier of the raw material. The label must contain information about both the manufacturer and the bottling company. The date of manufacture must be indicated. These requirements are met, for example, by Borges Extra virgin olive oil. This manufacturerproved itself only from the best side. If the word MIX is indicated on the label, then the quality of the product remains a big question. Most likely, this is just a semblance of olive oil. It is necessary to choose a product where "Naturel" is indicated. Olive oil is bottled only in glass, dark bottles.
Refined or unrefined
Olive oil is divided into refined and unrefined. The first variety is of lower quality. In its production, additional chemical purification was used. This product is odorless and tasteless. It is usually used for frying. There are few benefits in this product, but it will not bring harm to the body in any quantities. Extra virgin olive oil, unrefined, is considered a more valuable product. It has a pleasant aroma and a pronounced taste. This oil is more suitable for use raw. When heated, it begins to burn and smoke. There are also mixed varieties that are somewhere between these two types.
Oil storage
When buying Extra virgin oil, you need to take care of its proper storage. Pay attention to the expiration date. The oil retains its beneficial properties for 18 months. It is believed that the younger the product, the better it is. Store olive oil in a dark place. You can not put it next to the refrigerator or stove. Storage temperature is 10-15 degrees.
Light does not like oil. No wonder high-quality varieties are bottled only in dark glass bottles. Strongand strong odors also harm this product. The bottle cap must be tightly closed. There is no need to put oil in the refrigerator. Do not buy this product for future use. The best olive oil is young, with a short shelf life.
Recommended:
Vegetable oil: ranking by quality. Vegetable oil producers in Russia
Many housewives are interested in what is the best vegetable oil. The rating of this product is somewhat conditional, because there are many types of vegetable oil, each of which has unique properties. However, it is possible to make a rating if we consider any one segment, for example, refined sunflower oil. We offer you to get acquainted with the types of vegetable oils and with the best brands in each segment
Olive oil is bitter. Why olive oil is bitter and what to do?
Imagine that you have brought from Spain, Greece or Italy olive oil. Friends said that this is a product of the first pressing, made by mechanical means. You kept the gift unopened for several months until you finally uncorked the bottle. And then you suffered a huge disappointment: olive oil is bitter! Why this happened and what to do about it - read this article
ITLV olive oil: types of extraction, quality and useful properties
It makes no sense to talk about the beneficial properties of olive oil - they are already well known. It remains only to choose the manufacturer. In Russia, olive trees are not harvested. But there is an opportunity to buy oil from Greece, Spain, Italy. These are the three largest countries supplying the product to the markets of Europe and Asia
Olive oil: composition, properties and application. Olive oil for frying and salads
Olive oil has been nicknamed "liquid gold" for its valuable properties. It is extracted from the olive tree, which, according to legend, was given to the Hellenes by the goddess Athena. She presented it as a symbol of wisdom and prosperity. Although the Mediterranean is considered the birthplace of olive oil, many European countries are engaged in its production. At the same time, it should be noted that depending on the place where trees are grown, the taste and smell of the oil may change, since it is very sensitive to natural and climatic conditions
Fish oil or krill oil? Krill oil: useful properties, methods of application, features and reviews
Krill oil: what are its beneficial properties, how it differs from fish oil, what is included in the composition and what are the features of use