The benefits of the Mediterranean diet are talked about a lot these days. The people of the region live longer, healthier lives than lots of us & doctors put it down to their food. Their diet is rich in seafood, vegetables and olive oil all of which contain healthy fats and fatty acids which prevent heart disease and protect the brain. Unfortunately all oils are not created equal and it is worth the money to buy the more expensive small batch extra virgin olive oil.
The best olive oil is the first press of carefully selected, decent fruit which should be left in its natural state. This is what you get when buying extra virgin from small batches. The producers take great care to make an artisan product which retains its flavor and health giving properties.
Small batch varieties are usually made from hand picked olives which are carefully sorted. The best ones are carefully pressed to extract the purest form of oil. It is left unfiltered and unrefined retaining all the vitamins, minerals and aromatic polyphenols. Larger scale production is mechanized and often destroys the natural characteristics of the fruit. Factories also use solvents to extract every droplet from the fruit and residues of these chemicals can be found in the oil.
Small batch producers are the ones who take the most care over making this oil. They typically hand pick the fruit and select the best ones for the extra virgin oil. They are then pressed to extract the pure juices. Large producers use a mechanized process which is not nearly so gentle and harvesting with machines means rotten fruit can be mixed in producing rancid oils.
Small producers who care about their product and image are much less likely to do this. Many enter their oils into competitions so checking out the winners is a good way to find quality oil. The down side to this is that once a producer has achieved an excellent reputation their produce is worth more. Learning to identify pure oils for yourself can be a good way to get decent ones while spending less.
The taste of high quality extra virgin should be slightly or even very bitter. To check this take some into your mouth and swirl it around a little, like in wine tasting. After swallowing there should be bitter flavors in your throat. Anything sweet is not pure.
The fatty acids in olive oil are what provide the benefits to health. They protect the heart and are thought to lower blood pressure. The polyphenols are a great antioxidant and are associated with lower rates of cancer in the Mediterranean.
Quality olive oil is a fantastic ingredient to have on hand to make tasty meals. Added to dips, salads and even just poured over bread it is a complex and delicious food. It is worth paying more for proper oil with all its health giving nutrients and wonderful aromas.
The best olive oil is the first press of carefully selected, decent fruit which should be left in its natural state. This is what you get when buying extra virgin from small batches. The producers take great care to make an artisan product which retains its flavor and health giving properties.
Small batch varieties are usually made from hand picked olives which are carefully sorted. The best ones are carefully pressed to extract the purest form of oil. It is left unfiltered and unrefined retaining all the vitamins, minerals and aromatic polyphenols. Larger scale production is mechanized and often destroys the natural characteristics of the fruit. Factories also use solvents to extract every droplet from the fruit and residues of these chemicals can be found in the oil.
Small batch producers are the ones who take the most care over making this oil. They typically hand pick the fruit and select the best ones for the extra virgin oil. They are then pressed to extract the pure juices. Large producers use a mechanized process which is not nearly so gentle and harvesting with machines means rotten fruit can be mixed in producing rancid oils.
Small producers who care about their product and image are much less likely to do this. Many enter their oils into competitions so checking out the winners is a good way to find quality oil. The down side to this is that once a producer has achieved an excellent reputation their produce is worth more. Learning to identify pure oils for yourself can be a good way to get decent ones while spending less.
The taste of high quality extra virgin should be slightly or even very bitter. To check this take some into your mouth and swirl it around a little, like in wine tasting. After swallowing there should be bitter flavors in your throat. Anything sweet is not pure.
The fatty acids in olive oil are what provide the benefits to health. They protect the heart and are thought to lower blood pressure. The polyphenols are a great antioxidant and are associated with lower rates of cancer in the Mediterranean.
Quality olive oil is a fantastic ingredient to have on hand to make tasty meals. Added to dips, salads and even just poured over bread it is a complex and delicious food. It is worth paying more for proper oil with all its health giving nutrients and wonderful aromas.
No comments:
Post a Comment