Olive oil -- Health benefits

Olive oil is an essential part of Mediterranean diet, and Hippocrates, the father of medicine, has used it thousands of years ago. Consuming monosaturated fatty acids is known to strengthen the heart.

Researchers have revealed that Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes when compared to other low-fat diet regimens.

Olive oil is essential for strong bones, wellness, healthy weight loss and proper brain function. It aids in the treatment of Irregular bowel movement and oxidative anxiety.

Why should you consume olive oil?

It is rich in monosaturated fatty acids which do not burden your body with fat. It is packed with phenolics, an acidic constituent which provides its acidic and bitter taste.

Olive oil has zero carbohydrates, zero protein and traces of hydrogenated fat. It is rich in vitamins E and K, which make it amazing for your skin. Phenolic acids protect the heart.

How much do you know about extra virgin oil?

“Virgin olive oil” does not refer to the quality, and the term does not mean it is pure. The difference is in the process of production. Experts recognize 4 types of virgin olive oil. Low quality olive oil is used in the production of soap and it is not edible.

High quality virgin oil is cold-pressed, and it has the best taste and fragrance. It is not exposed to temperatures higher than 86°F.

People go crazy for extra virgin olive oil, which is why stores are flooded with fake oil. The University of California tested many brands of extra virgin olive oil sold in the US. The results showed that 69% of the oil sold in the US markets is fake!

Pay more attention to products marked as “extra virgin olive oil!”

How can you know which oil is fake? Fake and original olive oil sure taste different, but you cannot just open all the bottles and find the real one.

What does “fake olive oil” actually mean? How prevalent is its circulation?

Fake olive oil is usually a combination of two oils -- sunflower oil and a portion of pure olive oil. It can be also a mixture of different olive oils. It may be non-Italian, usually a combination of soybean and sunflower oil.

Producers often add chlorophyll and beta-carotene. Pay special attention to tags like “extra pure” and “extra virgin.”

Fake olive oil is commonly sold, and unfortunately many famous producers claim to offer “the healthiest olive oil,” which in fact the oil is fake. Renowned brands like Bertolli, Filippo Berio, Mazzola, Mezzetta, Newman’s own, Star, Safe way, Colavita, and Whole meals sell fake olive oil.

How to recognize fake olive oil?

This is the most important question. Here are some simple tips and advice to help guide you in your purchase.

Cooling your extra virgin olive oil is an easy way to bust fake products. Thickening implies that your oil has more monosaturated fat in it, but this does not eliminate the possibility of it containing safflower or canola oil. However, if it does not thicken, it is not even close to extra virgin olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil keeps oil lamps flammable. Again, this is not a precise method. If it does not light the lamp, it is most certainly not extra virgin olive oil.

Taste, refrigerating methods or lamp tests are not precise. Always buy olive oil from your neighborhood farmers. Italian olive oil is considered standard when compared to oils from other countries.

Here are the brands that fell short to fulfill the standards for extra virgin olive oil

• Pompeian
• Whole Foods
• Bertolli
• Colavita
• Carapelli
• Star

Eat Local Grown listed the following brands:

• Fillippo
• Berio
• Mazzola
• Mezzetta
• Newman’s Own
• Safeway

This information is from a 2010 research study which involved many popular brands.

Lucini, Lucero (Ascolano), California Olive Ranch, Kirkland Organic, McEvoy Ranch Organic, and Cobram Estate were additionally noted by Eat Local Grown.

Look for certification

Finding a 3rd party qualification is the best assurance that you are buying high quality olive oil. Both California Olive Oil Council and Australian Olive Association have stringent accreditation programs which make their seals trustworthy.

If you are looking for an Italian olive oil, search for Protect Designation of Origin (PDO) or Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) seals.

Be extremely careful when buying olive oil, especially the extra virgin brands.

Source: www.healthyfoodteam.com

Other included sources linked in Healthy Food Team’s article: www.dietoflife.com – Original Article Source