An Italian says: Why you need extra virgin olive oil in the kitchen

I know that non-Italian Tribers use a lot of butter, margarine, or various seed oils in cooking. This is why I would like to talk about the importance of extra virgin olive oil, its characteristics and properties. I would like to make this oil known to as many people as possible, because it is really a cure-all for health.

Extra virgin

First of all, the denomination: olive oil and extra virgin olive oil are not the same thing. The extra virgin is much more valuable, it is obtained exclusively through mechanical procedures, which allow maintaining all the properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil, instead, is obtained from a blend of refined olive oils and virgin olive oils. Even if it costs a little more, it is absolutely worth buying extra virgin olive oil. On the bottles, it can be called "Olio Evo" (extra virgin olive).

View gallery image

Some properties

HEALTHY FOR THE HEART: Extra virgin olive oil is good for the heart and because it is rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids, it reduces the risk of thrombosis, strokes, heart attacks, neoplasms.

COSMETIC PROPERTIES: The benefits of this food also extend to aesthetics. Olive oil is, indeed, famous for its anti-frizz properties on the hair and emollients on the skin. Wraps of pure olive oil or in addition to other essential oils give benefits to the whole body.

IT IS GOOD FOR THE DIET: It is the dressing with the best balance of fats and is a concentrate of vitamins and minerals. You don't have to abuse it, but it's much better than butter or any margarine.

HELPS THE INTESTINE: It is a highly digestible food and helps the well-being of the stomach and intestines thanks to its mildly laxative properties.

IT HAS ANTI-AGING PROPERTIES ON THE SKIN: Extra virgin olive oil is a natural source of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that protects our cell membranes from aging processes.

View gallery image

Packaging

No plastic, it seems almost superfluous to say it. Metal cans? Yes, but only if you are sure of how they were welded because there is the risk of corrosion and the release of iron in ionic form, which catalyzes the oxidative degradation process of the oil when opening the packaging. By avoiding welds between different metals, this problem is averted.

Glass bottles are ideal — dark glass which reduces light absorption by 30%. The ideal (but be careful, here we go up in price!) Is a bottle covered with a metal film, which allows maximum shielding.

The Green Gold

The taste of an extra virgin olive oil must be similar to the essence of its fruit because it is a real "juice". A slightly bitter or spicy flavour is a positive feature and not the other way around.

To be considered a good quality oil, extra virgin olive oil must leave at least a bitter, almost spicy note in the mouth.

This green gold is composed for the most part of lipids, which are rich in fatty acids, in particular monounsaturated oleic acid which makes it a suitable food for frying and for the preservation of products in oil, as well as being good for health.

If you use extra virgin olive oil for your salads, sautées and condiments, your body will thank you.

View gallery image