The Benefits and Uses of Olive Oil

First of all I want to thanks to Laura Ng and Anne Ahira for this article. I hope you enjoy this, and I hope it is useful too.

Why use olive oil?

Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids (mainly oleic acid), which, unlike saturated fat, do not adversely affect the levels of blood cholesterol and may even help reduce a bit. For those who suffer from constipation, take more frequently as olive oil that helps lubricate the intestine and eliminate waste from our body, and its cure constipation.

Olive oil also provides natural antioxidants (called polyphenols), which helps reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Why olive oil catergorises in different types?

The flavor of olive oil varies, depending on the source, the variety of olive, soil conditions, climate, etc. Some of the major sources are from Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, and California. Some olive oils are of a single variety of oils, but others, like most Italian oils are blends of oils from different types of olives in different countries.

What is the difference between "Virgin", "extra virgin", "fine" and "refined" olive oil?

The oil produced from the first pressing of olives mature is often the purest form, which is called virgin. Extra virgin olive oil simply means the first pressing is particularly low in acid - less than 1%. Virgin olive oil can be as much as 4% of acid. Fine or olive oil is a mixture of extra virgin and virgin olive oil, with an acidity of no more than 3%.

To squeeze more oil from the olives mature, modern methods of extraction pressure, heat and chemical solvents are applied. These refined oils can be mixed with virgin oil to replace some of the flavors lost in processing, and sold as pure olive oil or olive oil.

In some countries, they both may also face the light of olive oil, which is lower in calories, but that has been so thinly as filtered to eliminate most of its color and fragrance (and flavor). He has a point higher than the smoke of other types of olive oil, although it is well suited for frying at high temperatures.

For the best qualities, we must go to the "virgin" or "extra virgin", since olive oil has a fruity taste and rich, not turn rancid as quickly and are more easily digestible for petroleum refining.

For nutritional values, which are the same. However, the extra virgin oil, which is low in the level of acidity contains more antioxidants.

Where is the olive oil used?

Compared with other vegetable oils, olive oil only has enough flavor to replace butter and margarine for a healthier choice. Due to its pure state, the extra virgin oil is often used as a garnish in salads or as a dip for bread.

Kitchen light or olive oil is suitable for deep frying. It may seem expensive to use for frying foods, but the fact that oil is four to five times more resistant to heat the vegetable oil mean that can be recycled for frying foods many more times before the oil starts to break.

Does Olive oil loses its nutritional value when heated?

Olive oil, when heated to high temperatures, will make their alcohols and esters to evaporate. Esters are forming olive oil delicate flavor and fragrance. So the heat only change the flavor of olive oil, but not their nutritional content. We recommend using a cheaper, such as olive oil and refined oil for frying light, and then add one more flavorful olive oil after cooking.

Will the food be any lower in nutrition if cooked in olive oil?

Heating food decompose its nutritional value. High heat, as frying is worse than moderate heat and steam, which is worse than eating raw vegetables. It is not the cooking oil itself, but the high heat of frying.

Most nutritionists recommend lightly steamed vegetables or eating them raw. A touch of a tasty olive oil added to the table added flavor and healthy antioxidants. This is what "Mediterranean diet" is about, which has been shown to help prevent heart disease and have other health benefits.

Storing olive oil?

Keep away from heat, ie the stove, to prevent ageing of the oil. Best keep a large container in a dark, cool cupboard and pour a small amount into a dispenser for everyday use. The container can be made of plastic, stainless steel or glass tinted.

Alternatively, you can store the oil in the refrigerator or freezer, which will greatly extend their useful life. Do not worry about the wax crystallized in the oil when cold. All you have to do is heat the oil back to room temperature to which it is based.