Olive oil has been around for almost as long as the olive, which is at least 6,000 years. It is mentioned several times in the Christian Bible, designated as holy by Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, and the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is celebrated.
Considered as the best of all oils, is the anointing oil traditional kings, bishops, and the temples of western culture.
Olive oil is easy to digest and helps the body absorb vitamins and minerals. Helps the digestive system, stimulating the gallbladder.
Olive oil is cholesterol free and is composed of 70% of monounsaturated fatty acids, which reduce bad cholesterol (LDL). It contains chlorophyll which helps the metabolism, stimulation of cell growth and to accelerate the healing process. And no trans fats.
The olive tree blooms in the Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and cold winters. Spain, with over 300 million olive trees, is the largest producer of olive oil with 44% global market. Much of the Spanish olive oil production is shipped to Italy, both for consumption and to be repackaged for sale abroad as Italian olive oil.
The region of Andalucía represents 75% of Spanish olive oil production.
Choosing the right olive oil can be a daunting task - the terminology used on the labels is sometimes confusing and often misleading, and the differences between oils usually are not clear. Here's all you need to know to choose the right olive oil to your table or kitchen:
The grades - Olive oil from countries that are members of the International Olive Council (of which Spain is, of course, a) adhere to strict rules on labeling and packaging. The categories defined by the IOC are:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes from the first pressing of the olives has an acidity of not more than 0.8%, and was found to have a superior taste. Of extra virgin olive oil may not contain refined oil.
Virgin olive oil has an acidity of less than 2% and was found to have good taste. Virgin olive oil can contain any refined oil.
Pure olive oil is a mixture of olive oil and refined olive oil and has an acidity of no more than 1%.
Ordinary olive oil is a blend of virgin and refined oils of olive, and has an acidity of no more than 3.3%.
Pomace oil is very rarely found in markets, but is sometimes used in the restaurant kitchen. Made from the residue of olive oil production higher quality olive pomace oil is safe to drink, but not very tasty.
It is important to note that these definitions of quality olive oils produced in countries that are members of the IOC apply only, which means that the United States olive oil may or may not meet these criteria.
The USDA does not recognize any of the above words, instead of using terms like "fancy" and "choice" as they have been since 1948, so you can put the words of extra virgin olive oil in a bath of strawberry pudding and remains legal in the United States, as the list of ingredients is correct.
Note that the taste is only one account for the classification of extra virgin and virgin olive oil. These are the only two to be used when the flavor of the oil is important to the outcome of the plate.
Other things you can do in an olive oil label
Olive Oil 100% Pure - This is a bit misleading if you do not know what that means. Pure olive oil is actually the lowest grade available in retail stores, so the pure word might lead some to believe that this is the highest. No doubt, pure olive oil is an excellent choice for some uses, which we'll get to shortly.
Refined oils fact - refined word is often associated with increased purity, but in the case of olive oil, this means that the taste and acidity were modified by artificial means. Refined oils always start with lower-quality olives, and suffer from a lack of true flavor of the olive. Undergo thermal and chemical treatments to reduce acidity, subjected to extremely fine filtration process to remove chemical residues and enriched with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil or virgin to give them a little taste and color. The agricultural equivalent of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Lite olive oil - or light olive oil. All olive oils have 120 calories per tablespoon olive oils Lite included. Lite olive oil olive oils that have not been fortified with virgin or extra virgin olive oil, and therefore lack any semblance of flavor or color are refined. This oil can be used for cooking or other forms of cooking in which not want the oil to flavor food in general. But do not expect you to help you lose weight.
From hand-picked olives - No evidence that olive harvest manually oil produced better quality than the traditional method of stirring shaft. The implication is that no olives harvested on the ground ("exceptional Olives") used in the manufacture of oil, which is a good thing because the exceptional increase in the olive oil acidity and require more olives are washed before pressing, and olives you are handpicked after being inspected by the switch - also a very good thing.
It cold pressed - You see this in many bottles of extra virgin olive oil because AOVE comes from the first cold pressing, by definition. If you do not see, do not worry about it as long as you trust the brand and believe them when they say the oil is extra virgin. First press means that this oil was the first pressing of the olives - some companies use a second press for lower quality oils. Cold means no additional heat is applied during pressing.
Real Estate Grown - All olive oil from the same plantation. This usually means less time for transporting the olives to the mill, which means less time of collection media, leading to increased oil.
Unfiltered - more olive oil filter to remove sediment that occurs naturally during pressing. Some, however, retain sediments in the final product. It is considered by many to strengthen and improve the taste of oil, and some connoisseurs seeking oils with more sediment in the bottle. If nothing else, unfiltered oils undergo one less step in treatment and are one step closer to being a pure product. Sediment can go rancid over time, so use unfiltered oils in three to six months of your purchase and store them in a cool dark place.
Mixed Oil - Olives in a particular forest can vary in taste from year to year. To achieve consistent flavor, manufacturers mix different types of oils olives. Sometimes olive oil mixed with canola or vegetable oil for flavor and for marketing purposes.
These oils must be clearly labeled.
Flower Oil - Oil Flower in English. It is a process in which the olives are crushed but not pressed and the oil is separated by gravity alone. Olives twice per liter is needed to produce the oil in this way, which is one reason for this method is used very little.
There is also the issue of the bottle itself.
Certain olive oils come in clear bottles, other bottles or even green boxes. Why is this? One of the reasons a manufacturer may choose not to use clear glass is that it is evidence that it can improve life - the same reason that some beers come in dark bottles. Unfortunately, this prevents you from seeing the oil before buying. The use of green glass also gives the appearance of dark green oil, which many regard as a sign of superior quality.
Which brings us to the color. Green olive oils collected at the beginning of the harvest and have a fruity spiciness, and more mature at the highest levels of antioxidants and polyphenols. Golden oils are later in the harvest and tend to be light and fluffy. Green oils have a shorter lifespan than the golden oil - figure about 8-9 months instead of 12. The color is not an indicator of the quality of the oil, but has its own value.
Therefore, olive oil should you choose? Depends on what you will use to.
Unfiltered oils are perfect for salad dressings, dipping or drizzling over soups or pasta. Never use for cooking, because the sediment reduces the smoke point to a very low level and is likely to end up with a burnt flavor to your food.
The use of olive oil or extra virgin for dipping, garlic bread to finish sauces and anywhere you can taste the oil.
While the rule of thumb is to use only expensive virgin or extra virgin olive oils in cold or just at the end of cooking dishes, you can also use them to pop. They cost more, but many of us have a bottle of olive oil in the house at a time. Note that these oils have a relatively low smoke point, so keep an eye on them.
Refined olive oil or light are ideal for cooking. His lack of taste is really an advantage in baked goods, and a lot of health benefits of oils obtained raw.
And using frying oil pure olive - its high smoke point (410 degrees) and a less intense flavor that is perfect for this type of cooking.
Save the olive oil in a cool, dark and pay attention to the date of the bottle instead. Olive oil is a fresh food and can and will go rancid over time, especially if not stored properly.
Considered as the best of all oils, is the anointing oil traditional kings, bishops, and the temples of western culture.
Olive oil is easy to digest and helps the body absorb vitamins and minerals. Helps the digestive system, stimulating the gallbladder.
Olive oil is cholesterol free and is composed of 70% of monounsaturated fatty acids, which reduce bad cholesterol (LDL). It contains chlorophyll which helps the metabolism, stimulation of cell growth and to accelerate the healing process. And no trans fats.
The olive tree blooms in the Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and cold winters. Spain, with over 300 million olive trees, is the largest producer of olive oil with 44% global market. Much of the Spanish olive oil production is shipped to Italy, both for consumption and to be repackaged for sale abroad as Italian olive oil.
The region of Andalucía represents 75% of Spanish olive oil production.
Choosing the right olive oil can be a daunting task - the terminology used on the labels is sometimes confusing and often misleading, and the differences between oils usually are not clear. Here's all you need to know to choose the right olive oil to your table or kitchen:
The grades - Olive oil from countries that are members of the International Olive Council (of which Spain is, of course, a) adhere to strict rules on labeling and packaging. The categories defined by the IOC are:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes from the first pressing of the olives has an acidity of not more than 0.8%, and was found to have a superior taste. Of extra virgin olive oil may not contain refined oil.
Virgin olive oil has an acidity of less than 2% and was found to have good taste. Virgin olive oil can contain any refined oil.
Pure olive oil is a mixture of olive oil and refined olive oil and has an acidity of no more than 1%.
Ordinary olive oil is a blend of virgin and refined oils of olive, and has an acidity of no more than 3.3%.
Pomace oil is very rarely found in markets, but is sometimes used in the restaurant kitchen. Made from the residue of olive oil production higher quality olive pomace oil is safe to drink, but not very tasty.
It is important to note that these definitions of quality olive oils produced in countries that are members of the IOC apply only, which means that the United States olive oil may or may not meet these criteria.
The USDA does not recognize any of the above words, instead of using terms like "fancy" and "choice" as they have been since 1948, so you can put the words of extra virgin olive oil in a bath of strawberry pudding and remains legal in the United States, as the list of ingredients is correct.
Note that the taste is only one account for the classification of extra virgin and virgin olive oil. These are the only two to be used when the flavor of the oil is important to the outcome of the plate.
Other things you can do in an olive oil label
Olive Oil 100% Pure - This is a bit misleading if you do not know what that means. Pure olive oil is actually the lowest grade available in retail stores, so the pure word might lead some to believe that this is the highest. No doubt, pure olive oil is an excellent choice for some uses, which we'll get to shortly.
Refined oils fact - refined word is often associated with increased purity, but in the case of olive oil, this means that the taste and acidity were modified by artificial means. Refined oils always start with lower-quality olives, and suffer from a lack of true flavor of the olive. Undergo thermal and chemical treatments to reduce acidity, subjected to extremely fine filtration process to remove chemical residues and enriched with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil or virgin to give them a little taste and color. The agricultural equivalent of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Lite olive oil - or light olive oil. All olive oils have 120 calories per tablespoon olive oils Lite included. Lite olive oil olive oils that have not been fortified with virgin or extra virgin olive oil, and therefore lack any semblance of flavor or color are refined. This oil can be used for cooking or other forms of cooking in which not want the oil to flavor food in general. But do not expect you to help you lose weight.
From hand-picked olives - No evidence that olive harvest manually oil produced better quality than the traditional method of stirring shaft. The implication is that no olives harvested on the ground ("exceptional Olives") used in the manufacture of oil, which is a good thing because the exceptional increase in the olive oil acidity and require more olives are washed before pressing, and olives you are handpicked after being inspected by the switch - also a very good thing.
It cold pressed - You see this in many bottles of extra virgin olive oil because AOVE comes from the first cold pressing, by definition. If you do not see, do not worry about it as long as you trust the brand and believe them when they say the oil is extra virgin. First press means that this oil was the first pressing of the olives - some companies use a second press for lower quality oils. Cold means no additional heat is applied during pressing.
Real Estate Grown - All olive oil from the same plantation. This usually means less time for transporting the olives to the mill, which means less time of collection media, leading to increased oil.
Unfiltered - more olive oil filter to remove sediment that occurs naturally during pressing. Some, however, retain sediments in the final product. It is considered by many to strengthen and improve the taste of oil, and some connoisseurs seeking oils with more sediment in the bottle. If nothing else, unfiltered oils undergo one less step in treatment and are one step closer to being a pure product. Sediment can go rancid over time, so use unfiltered oils in three to six months of your purchase and store them in a cool dark place.
Mixed Oil - Olives in a particular forest can vary in taste from year to year. To achieve consistent flavor, manufacturers mix different types of oils olives. Sometimes olive oil mixed with canola or vegetable oil for flavor and for marketing purposes.
These oils must be clearly labeled.
Flower Oil - Oil Flower in English. It is a process in which the olives are crushed but not pressed and the oil is separated by gravity alone. Olives twice per liter is needed to produce the oil in this way, which is one reason for this method is used very little.
There is also the issue of the bottle itself.
Certain olive oils come in clear bottles, other bottles or even green boxes. Why is this? One of the reasons a manufacturer may choose not to use clear glass is that it is evidence that it can improve life - the same reason that some beers come in dark bottles. Unfortunately, this prevents you from seeing the oil before buying. The use of green glass also gives the appearance of dark green oil, which many regard as a sign of superior quality.
Which brings us to the color. Green olive oils collected at the beginning of the harvest and have a fruity spiciness, and more mature at the highest levels of antioxidants and polyphenols. Golden oils are later in the harvest and tend to be light and fluffy. Green oils have a shorter lifespan than the golden oil - figure about 8-9 months instead of 12. The color is not an indicator of the quality of the oil, but has its own value.
Therefore, olive oil should you choose? Depends on what you will use to.
Unfiltered oils are perfect for salad dressings, dipping or drizzling over soups or pasta. Never use for cooking, because the sediment reduces the smoke point to a very low level and is likely to end up with a burnt flavor to your food.
The use of olive oil or extra virgin for dipping, garlic bread to finish sauces and anywhere you can taste the oil.
While the rule of thumb is to use only expensive virgin or extra virgin olive oils in cold or just at the end of cooking dishes, you can also use them to pop. They cost more, but many of us have a bottle of olive oil in the house at a time. Note that these oils have a relatively low smoke point, so keep an eye on them.
Refined olive oil or light are ideal for cooking. His lack of taste is really an advantage in baked goods, and a lot of health benefits of oils obtained raw.
And using frying oil pure olive - its high smoke point (410 degrees) and a less intense flavor that is perfect for this type of cooking.
Save the olive oil in a cool, dark and pay attention to the date of the bottle instead. Olive oil is a fresh food and can and will go rancid over time, especially if not stored properly.
