Olive oil has also been hailed as a superfood by Harvard Medical School, acclaimed by the Mayo Clinic, lauded by the Yale School of Public Health, and recommended by scores of leading MDs for its numerous health benefits.
Scientific studies have confirmed what many of us in the health and wellness space have known for years…
- Olive oil lowers bad cholesterol and cuts your risk of heart disease and stroke.
- It may help protect you against cancer, especially cancer of the breast, prostate, and colon.
- Olive oil also lowers blood pressure and reduces your risk of diabetes.
- It can be a godsend for arthritis sufferers because it can reduce inflammation and ease joint pain without side effects.
- If you want to avoid osteoporosis, olive oil should be a must in your diet because it enables the calcium in your food to be better absorbed into your bones.
- It is also loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols that help regulate your immune system, protect your body against disease, give you more energy, balance your hormones, improve your skin, and lower inflammation throughout your body.
If you want to enjoy olive oil at its peak flavour and nutritional potency, remember: The fresher, the better. Olive oil, unlike wine, does not get better with age. Olives, after all, are fruit. Just like orange juice, olive oil tastes so much better fresh-squeezed –Locally produced is better in general and to use when fresher (longer Use by Date). In Australia we are lucky to have so many quality brands such as Every Bit Organic, Cobram Estate, Mount Zero and more.
Mistake #2: Unknowingly Buying Fake Olive Oil
The Wall Street Journal has reported, “American grocery stores are awash in cheap, fake ‘extra virgins.’” In an explosive exposé, 60 Minutes has cautioned that you face a “sea of fakes” when you shop for olive oil in stores. And you know what we likely to be no different here in Australia. And with fake Olive Oil there will be chemical derivatives and other inferior ingredients that do nothing for our health.
Mistake #3: Thinking That All Olive Oils Taste Alike
If you’ve always bought your olive oil in a supermarket, odds are you’ve not quite experienced the extraordinary diversity of flavours that await you among the finest artisanal olive oils. You see, ordinary mass-market olive oils sell in such huge volume that likely they combine inferior olives from many large “factory farms” and different growing regions, with little regard for flavour compatibility. This typically results in a dull, lifeless flavour profile.
Mistake #4: All Olive Oils are the same (not talking about brands)
Premium extra virgin olive oil – is the finest with the lowest acidity and best used in uncooked dishes to appreciate flavour, colour and aroma
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – can vary in colour from pale yellow to green, low acidity is best to used uncooked
- Virgin Olive Oil – slightly higher acidity generally though good to cook with
- Pure Olive Oil – lower quality and is processed and refined using heat, chemicals or filtration (so I used butter, avocado oil or coconut oil instead) so are best for cooking
- Light Olive Oil – not light in calories it is lighter in colour and flavour – can be used in baking because doesn’t have much flavour – again I’d just use butter!
- So, where can you find such oils? Well you know us, I check every label because whilst I’ll buy Australian & Organic at my local Organic Store, I always like to check plus we only buy EVOO as I’d rather cook with other oils/fats like Avocado, Coconut or Butter/Ghee.
Sources: From Ben Greenfield Blog 20/7/21 & Liver Better Life by Dr Paul Gow