7 varieties of olive oil: how they taste and how to use them

What distinguishes olive oil from any other vegetable oil?

Virgin olive oil is, without a doubt, an exceptional product, one could say that it is unique, compared to any other vegetable oil: olive oil is truly a fruit juicesuch as orange juice, because it is extracted by squeezing Fruit, the olive, by exclusively mechanical means that maintain unalterable their natural properties of aroma and flavor, and on health.

The rest of the vegetable oils are obtained from seeds and to do it normally chemical solvents are used, because pressing is not enough. This modifies the characteristics of the product obtained. And there is more.

The oil contained in the seeds is protected from water, air and light, which could degrade it, by a hard shell. That allows you to be more unsaturated and, therefore, more unstable and easily alterable.

in the olivethe oil is in the flesh of the fruit, directly exposed to these aggressive factors and therefore, naturally, It has had to be a more stable oil, with a major fatty acid, oleic, which resists deterioration better.

Besides, is protected by a veritable army of pigments, polyphenols and other substances that prevent oxidationa change in its chemical structure that would take away its health benefits.

And in addition, all these substances, many of them volatile, give us their unrepeatable organoleptic qualities of color, aroma and flavor, making it possible for the same product to be delicious for the senses and very healthy for the body.

When its clear and luminous thread spills over our plates, Turns everything it touches to gold. It transforms and enhances it, adorns it with aromas and palatesalready engraved in the depths of our genes.

Its taste makes us feel at home, impregnates us with culture and history, and delights the senses.

But also, now that it is difficult to trust the goodness of what we eat, with a future full of nutraceutical foods, full of strange substances whose name is hard to swallow, we can discover virgin olive oil as a true talisman, a delicious doctor at home that still keeps valuable secrets, treasured with patience.

When we take it, we know that it will work true wonders within us, that will preserve the health of our body, although we still do not know exactly how, and will delight us with its intense aroma and its warm texture. No wonder it was considered a divine gift.

olive oil, an ally of health backed by science

So that, its benefits for health are being verified more and more solidly, supported by science and due to its special composition, even devoting scientific conferences exclusively to this issue; As the International Congress on Olive Oil and Healthwhich was attended by more than 300 scientists from all over the world, and which was held in Jaén in October 2004.

Virgin olive oil actually protects against cardiovascular disorderssuch as heart attack, angina, arterioclerosis, high cholesterol or hypertension.

Within the family of healthy fats there are monounsaturated (oleic) and polyunsaturated (omega-6, omega-3…) fatty acids.

One difference between them is that the polyunsaturated go rancid quickly, losing their health properties and the monounsaturated ones preserve them intact.

Olive oil is the best source of monounsaturated fatty acids.specifically oleic, capable of reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) and increasing good cholesterol (HDL).

Also has antioxidant vitamins, plant pigments and polyphenols that prevent both his deterioration like that of those who take it.

As for the cancerits power lies in this antioxidant and toning capacity of the immune system.

It seems that there are indications of its positive effect in specific cases such as breast and colonand his protective effect at the beginning of tumor activity.

For him digestive system It is also an extraordinary ally. Taken on an empty stomach reduces inflammation of the stomach, improves constipation, decreases acidity and helps in cases of gastritis and gastroduodenal ulcers, stimulates the work of the stomach, pancreas, gallbladder, liver and intestine, facilitates digestion and prevents the formation of gallstones.

It also favors the bone health, stimulating the absorption of calcium and facilitating its mineralization. It can be beneficial for prevent rheumatoid arthritis.

is equally good for the skin, which it nourishes and protects with its antioxidants. Relieves burns, prevents stretch marks, protecting tissues from deterioration, and has been shown to be effective in combating psoriasis.

in the elderly counteracts lack of appetite and a possible mineral deficiency. In addition, its monounsaturated fatty acids are a good protector against degenerative diseaseslike Alzheimer’s. In addition, certain types of diabetes may benefit from decreased blood glucose that promotes olive oil.

This especially suitable for caring for the health of childrenespecially in their first years of life. The reason is that it has a composition of essential fatty acids similar to that of breast milk and contributes to skeletal formation and brain activity of the child.

International recognition of olive oil

Every year clinical studies discover new evidence of its positive effects for the maintenance of good health, and of its help to recover it when it has been lost. In 2003, the team of Dr. Walter Willettdirector of the Nutrition Department of the School of Public Health of the Harvard Universitypublished his own version of the food pyramid, based on research that began in 1976 and in which more than 120,000 women have been studied.

His proposal, presented in his book Eat, Drink and be Healthyestablishes a historical change in the official proposals: For the first time, it establishes a distinction between foods from the same group, based on their nutritional quality and their effect on health..

That is, it is not enough to indicate a certain amount of fat or protein in the diet, but also a quality. In the section on fats, he advocates the recovery of good fats, specifying that it is about the monounsaturatedpredominant in olive oil, and polyunsaturated, which show better effects on general health and, specifically, on various disorders, such as cardiovascular disorders.

In fact, the results of a meta-analysis have shown that even replace a portion of carbohydrates in the diet with another of healthy fats of equivalent caloric value, can have beneficial effects of up to 30% in case of coronary ailments.

Likewise, switching from a less healthy fat (trans, hydrogenated vegetable, butter, animal) for another healthylike olive oil can reduce coronary risk by up to 45%.

The most positive thing about the news is that the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), an organization with a lot of weight in the nutritional trends, has assumed part of these tips in its recommendationsas far as the industry has allowed.

The olive tree at the center of Mediterranean culture

All ancient cultures have had their sacred foodsFor ours, olive oil was and is a divine gift.

In the Mediterranean, the olive tree was one of the seven revered plant species as such.

with the oil The lamps that illuminated the temples were fed, the people were anointedrites were celebrated, offerings were madehealed his body, toned the muscles of athletes and soldiers, gave beauty to the skin and hair, and of course They cooked recipes for the holidays.

The wood of the tree was reserved to be burned on altars or the manufacture of objects dedicated to worship, and often an olive tree presided over the entrance to temples or important buildings. Thus, its symbolisms were abundant: divine light, joy, peace, purity, fertility, strength, reward, victory or protection.

Profane and mundane use was punished in various cultures. There are also innumerable traces and references that have come down to us, in texts such as the Bible and the Koran, in frescoes in Egyptian tombs and Cretan palaces, in capitals, friezes and Greek and Roman texts, or Arabic treatises. All of them testify to the close relationship between man and this unique product that has always been with us.

Its cultivation probably began in the Near East, from where it spread north to Anatolia and south to Egypt and Crete. Greece grew rich and prospered from its trade, but It was mainly the Phoenicians who, in their commercial journeys through the Mare Nostrum, took it and introduced it to all its shores.including those of the Iberian Peninsula.

The Romans encouraged its development in Hispania, but without a doubt we owe to the Arabs of Al-Andalus the improvement of the techniques and their consolidation as a large-scale cropcreating a whole rich culture around it that, to a large extent, lasts today and that, in part, has made our country the largest producer in the world.

The presence of this culture in our lives becomes daily when we live in the areas where it is producedbut surprises when you temporarily go through them.

The landscape, the languagewith their sayings, proverbs and songbooks, customs, rites, popular festivals and beliefs, the calendar, the economy and the daily rhythm are determined or influenced by the olive tree, the olive and the oil.

Is there a lack of olive oil culture?

Outside the area of ​​influence of this culturedue to the lack of knowledge and the similar appearance of the different vegetable oils, we have tended to consider them similar also in its properties.

In addition, the commercial interests of foreign multinationals launched very aggressive campaigns against him in the 70s, supporting others, such as sunflower or soywhich seduced us above all for its low cost in the market.

Fortunately, clinical studies put reality back in place, proving what history already knew, and today olive oil is once again recognized and appreciated worldwide as the healthiest source of fatty acids and a unique food.

In addition, the effort of professionals to achieve better qualities in each campaign is recovering the taste for good virgin olive oil.

The name “pure olive oil” has also disappeared, which avoids confusion when purchasing it.

In recent years household consumption of sunflower oil has fallen, olive oil has remained stable, and Extra virgin olive oil has skyrocketed, with a growth of almost 65%, and those of organic productionwhich since its appearance have not stopped growing.

How are the best olive oils made?

The commitment to quality is evident. Taking a new step forward the olive sector is beginning to apply the methods and philosophy used in winemakingsince both products have similarities and it is already applied knowledge…