Olive Oil - Its Benefits And Uses
Why do we use olive oil?
Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids (mainly
oleic acid), which, unlike saturated fats, do not adversely
affect blood cholestrol levels and may even help to lower them
slightly. For those suffering from constipation, take more olive
oil often as it helps to lubricate the intestines and eliminate
waste from our bodies, thereby curing your constipation.
Olive oil also provides natural antioxidants (called polyphenols)
which help to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Why is olive oil catergorises into different types ?
The flavor of olive oil varies, depending on the source, the
variety of olive, the soil conditions, weather, etc. Some of the
primary sources come from Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Turkey
Portugal, Tunisia, Morocco, and California. Some olive oils are
from a single variety of oils, but others, like most Italian
oils, are blends of oils from different types of olives and from
different countries.
What is the difference among "Virgin", "Extra virgin", "Fine"
and "refined" olive oil?
The oil produced from the first pressing of ripe olives is often
the purest form, thus is called virgin. Extra virgin simply
means an oil from the first pressing that is particularly low in
acid - less than 1%. Virgin olive oil may have as much as 4%
acid. Fino or fine olive oil is a blend of extra virgin and
virgin olive oils, with an acid content not above 3%.
To squeeze more oil from the ripe olives, modern extraction
methods of pressure, heat and chemical solvents are applied.
These refined oils may be blended with virgin oil to replace
some of the flavor lost in the processing, and are sold as pure
olive oil or just olive oil.
In some countries, you may also stumble upon light olive oil,
which is not lower in calories, but which has been so finely
filtered as to remove most of its color and fragrance (and
flavor). It has a higher smoke point than the other types of
olive oil, though, so it is well suited to high-temperature
frying.
For the best qualities, we should go for the "Virgin" or "Extra
virgin" olive oil because they have a fruity and rich flavour,
wouldn't turn rancid so fast and are more easily digestible than
refined oil.
For nutritional values, they are the same. But, extra virgin oil
which is low in acidity level contains more antioxidants.
Where is olive oil used?
Compared with other vegetable oils, only olive oil has enough
flavour to replace butter and margarine for a healthier choice.
Because of its pure state, extra virgin oil is often used as a
dressing in salads or as a dip for breads.
Refined or light olive oil is suitable for deep frying. It may
seem pricey to use it to fry food but the fact that such oil is
four to five times more heat resistant than vegetable oil would
mean you can reuse it to fry foods many more times before the
oil begins to break down.
Will olive oil loses its nutritional value when heated ?
Olive oil, when heated at high temperature, will cause its
alcohols and esters to evaporate. The esters are what make up
the olive oil delicate taste and fragrance. So heat will only
change the flavor of olive oil but not its nutritional contents.
We recommend you use a cheaper olive oil like refined/light oil
for frying and then add a more flavorful olive oil after
cooking.
Will the food be any lesser in nutritions if cooked in olive oil
?
Heating food will break down its nutritional value. High heat
such as frying is worse than moderate heat such as steaming,
which is worse than eating vegetables raw. It is not the cooking
oil per se, but the high heat of frying.
Most nutritionists recommend lightly steaming vegetables or
eating them raw. A touch of a flavorsome olive oil added at the
table will add taste and healthful anti-oxidants. This is what
"Mediterranean diet" is about, which has been shown to help
prevent coronary disease and have other health benefits.
How to store Olive oil ?
Keep away from heat, ie the stove, to prevent ageing of the oil.
Better to 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 or tinted glass.
Alternatively, you can store oil in the refrigerator or freezer,
which will greatly extend its shelf life. Do not worry about the
crystallized waxes in the oil when chilled. All you have to do
is to warm the oil back to room temperature to melt it.
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