Olive oil unrefined first cold pressed Greece. Olive oil is a unique product for a healthy diet

Sometimes, in pursuit of ideal forms, we forget that our body is a complex mechanism that needs both proteins, carbohydrates and, of course, fats for its normal operation. All types of vegetable oils are an excellent source of natural fats that are well absorbed and bring many benefits to a person.

Perhaps the most popular variety of this product in our latitudes can be considered sunflower or rapeseed oil. In addition, despite the higher price, the olive product is also popular, which we will discuss in more detail in this material.

So what are the benefits and harms of olive oil? What is it made from? And what is more useful olive or sunflower oil for our health? This is just a small list of questions that we will try to answer further. And we will start with general points that relate to this topic.

The composition and useful properties of olive oil

Vegetable fats are a product of processing:

• oil plants, or rather their fruits or seeds (mustard, rapeseed, hemp, sunflower, soybean, linseed, poppy, sesame, olive or palm oil);
• nuts (coconut, almond, pistachio, cedar, walnut oil);
• cake (processing waste) of vegetable raw materials (corn, rice, grape, apricot, tomato, sea buckthorn, pumpkin oil).

The benefits and harms of vegetable oil

In the chemical composition of vegetable oils, in addition to fatty (triglycerin)acids present sterols , phospholipids , wax, phytosterols , as well as a complex of indispensable for health .

Fats are a complete source of energy necessary for an active and fulfilling life. It is due to them that our body is charged like a battery and works using fats as fuel until the next “recharge”.

In addition, it is from fatty acids that the body receives vitamins and essential polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega 3 (alpha linolenic acid ) And Omega 6 (linoleic acid ). Fatty acids are involved in the synthesis of membranes at the cellular level, in cholesterol metabolism, strengthen vascular walls, reducing their permeability and increasing elasticity.

Look carefully at the product label. If it's marked "Extra virgin", this means that the oil was obtained naturally and does not contain harmful additives. The acidity of such a product does not exceed 0.8%. The oil was obtained by cold pressing and only mechanically. The product has a dark yellow-green color and a pronounced smell of olive. Oils labeled "Extra Virgin" are supplied by La Marée. For production, only high-quality raw materials are used, and the pressing process itself is carried out using modern, high-tech equipment, so this olive oil has a 100% natural composition with high taste characteristics.

In addition to "Extra Virgin" in stores there are products with other labels, for example:

• "Fine virgin olive oil" - the product was obtained using cold pressing, but its acidity is from 0.8% to 1.5%
• "Refined olive oil" - a product that has passed the purification stage - refining;
• "Semi-fine virgin olive oil" - oil obtained by cold pressing, but with an acidity of 1.5 to 3%;
• "Olio di sansa di oliva" - the product is obtained from the remnants of raw materials, then a product labeled "Vergine" is added to it.

Choose labeling should be based on culinary preferences. For salads, Fine virgin olive oil is chosen, for frying and cooking hot dishes, Refined olive oil is suitable.

Attention!

The lower the acidity index of the oil, the higher its quality. Products with an acidity of less than 0.5% have exceptional beneficial properties.

By the bottle

After the label, pay attention to the container. There are several options here. Real olive oil can be packaged in:

• bottle with dark glass. Such containers are most often found on the shelves, they look beautiful, but are not suitable for long-term transportation. Glass may break;
• tin can. Such a product has a slightly lower cost, but its manufacturability is higher. You should not worry about the fact that the metal will oxidize, because it is treated with special means;
• big bag with faucet. The packaging can be designed for a capacity of 3 or 5 liters, but if you take the price per liter, then buying a large volume is more profitable than a small one. The packaging provides protection against oxidation, so even with long-term storage, the product does not deteriorate.

If you just want to try olive oil, buy a small glass bottle. When you are sure about the manufacturer and the quality of the product, it makes sense to buy a large volume, for example, a whole canister.

About the country of origin

The world leadership in the production of olive oil was divided by 4 countries. These are Greece, Tunisia, Italy and Spain. Almost the entire economy of Greece is built on the cultivation of olives. The favorable climate of the country, the experience that has been accumulated for hundreds of years, ensure the high quality of the products manufactured by the factories. Greece is the leader in the production of the product labeled "Extra Virgin". Here it is obtained about 80% of the total production.

The Spaniards prefer to mix oils, so their products have an interesting taste that is multifaceted. The taste can be felt as mature olives and young green olives. Rigid Spanish standards prohibit producers from mixing olive oil with herbal ingredients, so the quality is beyond doubt.

Italy and Tunisia use high quality components to produce products. The products of the countries are on the market somewhat lower than those of Greece or Spain, but the taste, structure and appearance of the product are in no way inferior to competitors.

Best before date

When buying olive products, look at the expiration date. It is stored in glass for the longest time - up to 2 years. In this case, the bottle should be in an unlit, dark place. Unrefined and refined oils in tin and plastic containers are stored for no longer than one year. Goods in open packaging should be stored at a temperature of 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. You can not put butter in the refrigerator, it loses its taste and useful properties.

After you open a bottle or jar, the shelf life is reduced to 3-6 months. Try to close the container tightly with a lid so that there is no contact with the environment. Put the oil in a dark cabinet in the kitchen, but keep it away from radiators, microwaves, and kettles.

Attention!

If you bought too much oil, then for ease of use, pour a small amount of it into a small dark glass bottle with a cork.

Price

Too low price for a large volume should alert you. Products that are produced in a natural way without the addition of flavors and stabilizers cannot be cheap. If we add the cost of transportation from another continent, then the price for a quality product, namely per liter, should be about 800-1000 rubles. The price may be higher if the oil has a low acidity.

Products cheaper than 500 rubles per liter should not be taken: most likely, other plant components were added to it, so the quality will be much worse. If you want to save money, then take a large amount of oil, for example, a box of 3 or 5 liters. Then a liter will cost about 600-700 rubles.

Certification

To be able to sell oil, it must be declared on the territory of the Customs Union, including in the Russian Federation. Based on the results of the declaration, a certificate of conformity of the products is issued. The supplier-manufacturer draws up a declaration when importing products into the country, so if you buy oil in a large supermarket, then it probably has a certificate of confirmed quality. You can take an interest and ask the seller about the certification of goods, he will show you the necessary documentation.

How to avoid fake

Going to the store, remember the above tips and know how to apply them. Do not rush to buy, carefully look at the product. If the packaging is credible, the expiration date is good, and the label contains a mark about the manufacturer and information about the manufacture, then such a product can be taken. At home, when you have already opened the oil, evaluate its qualities for the presence of the following indicators:

• color. It should be yellow-green. Sometimes the color may be light gold;
• there should be no flakes or visible sediment in the oil;
• smell. It should be pleasant, appetizing with a clear aroma of olives;
• structure. A not too liquid, viscous structure is a sign of getting the oil naturally.

Remember that only from a quality product your body will benefit to the maximum extent. Try to use olive oil without heat treatment, as it is of particular value to the body. The product is best absorbed with fresh vegetables, fish, poultry.

Many people read the phrase "extra virgin olive oil" and wonder:

• And what exactly does this mean?
• How to properly use it in food?
• What other ways are there to use this olive oil, besides using it as an additional ingredient in dishes?

Below are the facts that tell you what "extra virgin olive oil" is.

Extra virgin olive oil means that olive oil is made from olives that are pressed (pressed) and not other olive oil extraction equipment.

Also the term " first spin” means that the olive oil fruit was crushed only once. In order to end up with extra virgin olive oil, the olive fruit is crushed at a temperature no higher than 80°F (27°C) so that more nutrients are retained and the oil undergoes the least deterioration.

In Greece, during the olive pressing process, producers are very careful not to heat the olive fruit, as this greatly affects the quality of the resulting olive oil. This is mainly due to the fact that Greece itself is a hot southern country, and if, in addition to the natural natural heat, the olives are exposed to even more heat, then they will simply be spoiled.

How to use extra virgin olive oil

Let's move on to the next question: What is the best and most correct use of extra virgin olive oil?

The best use of this type of olive oil is to use it cold, without heat treatment. Use it as a dressing for your salads, because in this case, in addition to rich taste, you will also get all the useful vitamins and minerals that are so necessary for the health of any person.

If you do need to use it during cooking and heat it, then it is best to use olive oil for cooking foods that do not require very high temperatures.

But still, it is better to limit the use of extra virgin olive oil to only using it as a dressing in salads. This will help preserve its unsurpassed aroma and unique taste.

Many people, when comparing extra virgin olive oil to other types of olive oils, place it far above others that can be easily found and bought on the market. If you're looking for extra virgin olive oil that has an amazing taste and aroma, look no further than extra virgin olive oil, which is unmatched by any of the cheaper oils. Remember that farmers and growers put in a huge amount of effort and expense to produce quality olive oil. Among other things, such oil must be certified by the International Olive Council, and as a result, superior olive oil cannot be cheap, unlike inferior olive oils, which are usually crushed several times and at higher temperatures in order to to eventually extract more oil from the olive fruit.

How to cook with olive oil

Alas, you will not be full of salads alone. We have to cook and hot food. How to properly use olive oil in heat treatment?

Let's start with boiling or stewing. With these types of heat treatment, the temperature of the prepared product does not exceed 100 degrees Celsius. Olive oil tolerates such temperatures easily and does not emit harmful carcinogens.

Another thing is when we bake a product or fry it. By the way, when baking in a number of cases, the temperature also does not exceed the permissible limits. But what about hot?

Various studies have shown that olive oil resists high temperatures for 10-15 minutes. Because of this, experts recommend frying, for example, meat as quickly as possible over high heat and then cooking it at more moderate temperatures.

There is also an original way. The meat is fried over high heat for several minutes and acquires a delicious golden crust. After that, it is placed in a cauldron (or other similar dish) in layers. Vegetables are laid between the layers of meat. After that, all this puff “pie” is stewed over low or medium heat. The juice secreted from the vegetables prevents the meat and olive oil from getting too hot, and the meat soaks the vegetables with its flavor and aroma.

If you still like well-done pieces, then you can use extra virgin olive oil. It is purified from natural impurities, which burn at high temperatures. This oil is also called refined. By the way, it costs less than EVOO.

My friends, hello everyone!

Let's talk with you today about one of the MOST valuable vegetable oils for our body - olive oil and how to choose the most delicious and healthy olive oil.

Olive oil is truly unique.

It is mega healthy! And they call it nothing but "liquid gold"!

And the point here is not at all in its “golden” price, but in its USEFUL properties. Why is it so useful?

From this article you will learn:

What is the benefit of olive oil?

Hippocrates spoke about the wonderful properties of olive oil for our body, Aristotle was the first to use it to treat his patients.

And the beautiful queen Cleopatra took a spoonful of this nectar on an empty stomach all her life for health and youth! And famous for its timeless beauty! ☺

• First of all, it is rich in useful fatty acids, the most important of which is oleic.
• It lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood and is necessary to improve the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract: for the health of the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, and intestines.

For those who have a sick heart, ONLY this oil should be on the table and in dishes! It is not without reason that among the inhabitants of the Mediterranean, where its consumption is the largest in the world, cases of heart attacks, strokes and other diseases of the heart and blood vessels are very rare.

• Very important! It is absorbed by the body at 100%!!! For example: sunflower - only 80!
• Also, it is great for healing and clearing the skin.

We can talk about the benefits for a very long time. And this is a topic for a separate and larger post.

In this article, the question is different: how to choose the “right” olive oil? How not to buy a fake instead of real "liquid gold"? The price, after all, is not small now ...

The right question ☺ It's worth it to deal with it thoroughly.

What is the healthiest olive oil?

The most useful class is Extra Virgin (or Extra Vergine) - this is the first cold pressing.

It is unrefined, of the highest quality. It is obtained by cold pressing and does not use any chemicals.

In fact, it turns out pure juice from olives.

Therefore, the entire spectrum of useful substances remains safe and sound.

Its color is green, the taste is tart, with bitterness.

It is used exclusively in cold dishes, salads, sauces that do not require heat treatment.

What other types of oils are there?

Pure olive oil is a fairly high quality oil. This is a mixture of refined olive (85%) and Extra Virgin (15%).

Just perfect for frying. It is believed that with this ratio in the composition when heated, no carcinogens are released.

So, let's look at the main points on how to choose olive oil:

• Bottle

I think it's superfluous to say that the bottle should never be plastic ☺Of course, it should only be made of glass and only dark!

• Label

First of all, you need to study the composition on the label.

• 1. Determine the composition of fatty acids, and, first of all, of course, the most important - oleic.

See how much is in there. It must be at least 55%. Great if it is 83%!

• 2. Determine the acid number.

The acid number tells about the presence of free fatty acids. The higher this number, the worse for quality.

For Extra Virgin, this is no more than 1.5. Ideally, if 0.5!

• 3. Determine the peroxide value.

For Extra Virgin - no more than 20 mmol / kg.

What does it say? On the oxidation of fats when exposed to oxygen from the air.

Why is this oxidation harmful? Simply put, air-oxidized oil is pure poison.

And the higher the peroxide value, the more there is a susceptibility to oxidation.

The lower the peroxide value, the higher the quality.

• 4. Determine the mass fraction of moisture.

This is a very important indicator! The lower the proportion of moisture in the product, the greater the concentration of nutrients.

A good indicator is 0.1%. Ideal - 0.06%.

• 5.Pay attention to the expiration date.

Buy the freshest oil.

After 6 months of storage, the process of loss of useful properties begins!

Do not buy oil that is more than a year old!

• 6. Another check you can do at home.

Put the purchased bottle in the refrigerator. If you see that white flakes have formed at the bottom of the bottle, then you have in your hands the “original” of the best quality. Congratulations! ☺

This is the “olive information” for today, friends ☺

Write, information on how to choose olive oil will be useful to you.

I really hope that this information will be useful to you in order to easily choose a really high-quality product!

Alena Yasneva was with you, Bye, see you soon! We have a lot of exciting things ahead of us!

photo@stevepb

Olive oil is the juice squeezed from the fruit of the olive.

Real olive oil is a healthy and tasty product with a unique composition. Although oil appeared on our market relatively recently, due to its popularity, a lot of fakes have appeared. In the store, we often come across a large selection of bottles, with different names and prices, and we don’t know which one to choose. A variety of packages and brands introduces into a stupor, eyes run wide. But different types of olive oil have different properties and price. Let's figure out how to choose olive oil so that it turns out to be real: tasty and healthy.

Content:

Despite the variety of names on the labels, there are 2 types of olive oils on the market:

Extra Virgin –first cold pressed oil. Olives for the production of this oil are harvested by hand. It is not subjected to any thermal and chemical treatment and retains all useful substances. The acidity index does not exceed 0.8%. It has a bright smell and taste. Suitable for dressing fresh vegetables, salads and ready meals, as well as for frying at a temperature not exceeding 180 degrees. Gives new notes of taste to dishes and is very useful for health. It is also used as a cosmetic product.

Pomas (Pomace)- refined oil. It is obtained from the pressing of olives using physico-chemical processes under the influence of temperature. Without taste, color and smell. To give color, 5% to 15% Extra Virgin is added to it. Well suited for frying - can withstand temperatures up to 260 degrees.

He always the inscription Extra Virgin guarantees quality. To eliminate the flaws in the taste that appears as a result of the mechanical harvesting of olives, Extra Virgin oil is sometimes refined (cleaned by physical and chemical processes). It falls under the classification of Extra Virgin, but loses its bright and fruity smell and taste and loses its beneficial properties.

I often do not press olives immediately after picking, but after several days, when they have already begun to oxidize and, if necessary, are refined. The oil receives the Virgin, Virgin Extra, or Pure category. The acidity of such an oil will be more than 2 and there will be little benefit in it.

Which olive oil is best? Refined or unrefined? Both types are good for different purposes. Refined oil is better for frying food due to the fact that it can withstand higher temperatures and does not decompose. Extra Virgin is suitable for salads and dressings due to its rich taste. The price of refined oil is lower, and this is also an important aspect. In terms of health benefits, aroma and taste, extra virgin olive oil is second to none. So if you want to buy oil just to fry potatoes in it, then refined oil is a great choice, but if you want to enjoy the taste and aroma and get benefits for the body, then your choice is Extra Virgin.

How to choose a quality extra virgin olive oil

Many olive oils have "Extra Virgin" on the label and an acidity value of "0.2", but they don't actually meet the standards of real Extra Virgin. To choose a quality and useful product, you need to carefully approach the choice!

We look at harvest dates or expiration dates

Only fresh olive oil is beneficial. A product stored for more than one and a half years becomes less useful and does not fully betray the taste and nutritional characteristics. Conscientious manufacturers list their products with a shelf life of no more than 2 years, although with proper storage, olive oil can retain its taste and not become rancid for up to 5 years! But it is better to choose a product with harvest dates from the last season.

If there is no harvest date on the label, you run the risk of buying old, possibly rancid butter.

An open bottle should not be stored for more than a month, as the oil will oxidize, lose its taste and useful qualities. Buy the amount that you can use in a month.

Choosing the right packaging

Light, oxygen and heat are the three main enemies of olive oil. They contribute to the oxidation of the product and change its taste and nutritional characteristics.

To maintain the quality of the product for a long time, choose dark glass or opaque tin packaging. They help protect the product from light. Avoid plastic packaging.

If you don't have a dark corner in your kitchen where you can store a bottle, just buy the oil in a tin and don't worry about the light. But you shouldn't leave the bottle in the sun!

We read the label. Signs and awards

The label tells a lot about olive oil. If the label contains the DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) or PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) marks, this means that the oil is produced according to the standards of the European Union. Forgery of these signs is strictly punished.

The note "Country of production" must be clearly visible. The name of the variety and awards from international competitions are two more indicators of high quality.

The Italian text on the packaging does not always say that the olive oil is made in Italy, and the Greek name does not always guarantee Greek quality.

Moreover, the label to raise the price often says “Packed in Spain, Italy or Greece”, but olives for oil were not always grown in this country. It just spills over there.

To be sure of the quality of the oil and where it was produced, always buy PDO, PGI or Organic oil with the certificate number below the sign.

The acidity of olive oil should not exceed 0,8% , but according to European standards, this value is not indicated on the label, since it may change over time due to storage conditions. The indications of acidity on the label are just marketing. To know the acidity of an oil, look for the above signs.
The signs mean that the acidity during production did not exceed 0.2-0.3%. More about

Pressing method

Extra Virgin Olive Oil must be mechanically pressed using a cold press, without the use of chemical or thermal treatments. During cold pressing, the temperature at all stages of processing does not exceed 27 degrees Celsius. This helps to maintain nutritional characteristics, taste and aroma.

"Extra Virgin" is the first cold pressing.

How much does a good olive oil cost

The price of extra virgin olive oil, due to the method of production, cannot be low.

For example, the “Koroneiki” olive, from which olive oil is most often produced in Greece, weighs only 1.5 grams. In a day, a person by hand can collect a maximum 150 kg olives. From 100 kg of olives, depending on maturity, you can get from 12 to 20 liters oils. One tree produces 30 - 40 kg of olives, and olives are harvested only for 4 months a year from October to January.

The higher the oil extraction temperature, the more oil is obtained at the output. But at high temperatures, acidity increases. To obtain extra virgin olive oil, the temperature during extraction does not exceed 27 degrees Celsius. Oil is squeezed out much less than at higher temperatures, which means the price increases.

To preserve the unique aroma and flavor of the olive oil, the olives are pressed within 10 hours after harvest. The result is a thick and shiny oil. The resulting oil is only 10% from the volume that could be obtained using other methods of extraction, with the addition of chemistry and an increase in temperature.

Choose a color

Ignore the color, as it comes in many different hues, from bright green to golden to pale straw. It all depends on the ratio of ripe and green olives in the production process. Official tasters use colored glasses to avoid favoring green. The main thing is that there is no sediment in the oil. Moreover, when buying oil, you will not see the color, since a good oil will have dark packaging made of glass or tin!

Remember - olives are pitted fruits like cherries and plums. Olive oil is freshly squeezed fruit juice. Unlike wine, which improves with age, oil is perishable and does not improve with age. The younger the olive oil, the more benefits it has!

Choosing the right flavor

A good olive oil should have three taste characteristics: fruitiness (a bouquet of flavors and aromas), pungency and bitterness.

There are over 700 varieties of olives and 1000 varieties olive oils. Each variety of olives has its own taste characteristics, which artisan producers have comprehended for many generations. Aroma, smell and color can change drastically depending on the country and even the region, the variety of olives, the method and time of harvest. It has been observed that the hotter the country, the stronger and brighter the aroma and taste of the oil. Sometimes varieties are mixed to create even more taste profiles.

Simple example. If you squeeze the juice of different apples, sour and sweet, then the taste of the juice will also be different. So it is with olives. Depending on the variety, microclimate and degree of maturity, they have a different taste, which means that the taste of the oil squeezed out of them will be different.

As with wine, choose the oil that best suits your taste preferences and the dishes you're cooking.

A quality product will always have a description of taste and aroma. Extra Virgin Olive Oils described as "early harvest", "rich" or "pepper" are suitable for full-bodied dishes, descriptions as "mild flavor" or "mild fruitiness" indicate good pairing with gourmet dishes.

You can flavor the oil with herbs and spices by soaking them in the oil for ten days.

Hot Potato Quality Test

First you need to bake in their skins or boil potatoes.While the potatoes are hot, you need to put it on a plate, make an incision on top and pour a little oil into the resulting space.

If the olive oil is truly Extra Virgin, then there will be a strong smell of freshly cut grass, berries or olive greens, or any other fresh smells. Well, if the smell is heavy and unpleasant, then the oil is of low quality.

So, in order to choose the right high quality olive oil, you should pay attention to:

• First and foremost. Extra Virgin marking, that is, the first cold pressing
• Unrefined (the word "refined" should not be present in any form)
• There are signs
• Acidity does not exceed 0.8%
• Packaging made of dark glass or tin. No plastic!
• No sediment
• The country of origin, addresses of the manufacturer and distributor are indicated
• The expiration date has not passed half

Myths and truths about olive oil

“Olive oil is not suitable for frying.”
In fact, this is a popular myth. Due to the many antioxidant compounds it contains, such as phenol and tocopherol, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is more stable than other edible oils.

For example, it has been proven that the quality of vegetables or meat improves when fried in olive oil, because it is enriched with phenols. (It should be noted that oil that does not withstand high temperatures breaks down into substances that are harmful to our health.)

Extra virgin olive oil remains stable under 180°C. Although this is not a very high temperature, it enough for cooking.

“Light oils have fewer calories.” You can find many different oils in stores with the names Pure or Light.Remember! There is no such thing as "light olive oil". A light color with yellow-green hues is no lower in calories and no easier in taste than dark green. All fats and oils, including olive oil, contain 9 calories per gram.

“All olive oils are equally healthy.” Not really, it all depends on the class of oil. As mentioned earlier, refined olive oils are not beneficial. Extra Virgin oils are considered the best. And among them, oils that have lower acidity, richer aroma, are more beneficial, due to the higher content of nutrients and antioxidants. High-quality Extra Virgin oil always has an outstanding aroma and rich taste, and is sure to be bitter.