I love Extra Virgin Olive Oil not because I’m Greek, but because it is a truly distinguished product.
Niko Karagiorgos, Owner of Uncle Gussy’s
Nowadays, food has become so abundant and accessible that many do not even bother to think about how healthy they eat. There are always many food options around us – whole fruit, convenience food, regular oil, virgin oil. Who would care to learn the difference?
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a top-of-the-line type of oil.
However, there is an entire International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) which sets the industrial standards. Its members produce 98% of all olive oil products in the world. IOOC determined that Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the best and most expensive among other types. When looking for a bottle of such oil, keep in mind that it should be clearly indicated on its label that this is indeed ‘Extra Virgin Olive Oil’. Also, depending on the manufacturer, you will see the brand name as well.
In the context of a healthy diet, quality is important. The quality of the oil is determined by its acidity. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the only oil the acidity of which does not exceed 1%. In fact, this is a 100% dehydrated olive juice. And we are talking about not just any olives. For this type of Olive Oil, they are gathered by hand and processed within 72 hours, without any additives or preservatives added. Now, it’s up to you to decide whether such eating is healthy enough.
Olive Oil labeled as Extra Virgin has a pleasant taste and amber-green color. This is the perfect dressing for any meal for those who support a healthy diet. This oil is especially recommended for baby food, as the highest quality olive oil is 100% digestible. If you want your child to eat healthy food, feel free to use some of this vegetable oil when cooking.
Other types
Virgin Olive Oil, like Extra Virgin, undergoing physical processing. But the requirements for it are less strict: acidity above 1% is acceptable, and the taste can slightly differ from extra-class oil. As a rule, the Virgin category includes oil obtained from olives that were accidentally damaged during transportation. Therefore, the proportion of Virgin Olive Oil is far less than Extra Virgin. You can season salads with this oil; it fits perfectly a healthy and well-balanced diet.
Olive oil can be refined. It is labeled as Refined Olive Oil, Light Olive Oil, as well as Pure Olive Oil or Olive Oil. To obtain it, refined oil is mixed with a small amount of high-quality cold-pressed oil. This oil is suitable for cooking hot dishes.
The cheapest type is second-press Pomace Olive Oil. The raw material for it is oilcake, which remained after pressing the olive mass in the press, and olive stones. You can use this oil for frying, as well as for baking bread. If you want to maintain a healthy diet but cannot afford to buy expensive products, you can stick to this type of oil. It costs less and will not corrupt your healthy eating. When buying some olive oil, experts advise paying attention not only to its class indicated on the label but also to the expiration date. Contrary to the opinion of ordinary people, this product not only does not improve its quality over time but, on the contrary, loses its taste.