Most of us are aware that extra virgin olive oil has loads of health benefits, is full of delicious flavour and is made from pressed olives. But here are 5 facts about olive oil that you might not be aware of.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil Fights Cancer
Olive oil is believed to have a protective effect against a variety of cancers, including breast, prostate, endometrium and digestive tract. Many recent studies have shown the effect of olive oil on cancer cells, either depleteing or killing them completely.
- Low Acidity Equals High Quality
When choosing an olive oil you want to make sure it has a low acidity. A low acidity is associated with a higher quality and high quality olive oil has a more pleasant taste. Furthermore, a low acidity usually means the producer pressed the olives shortly after picking, which is vital for high quality olive oil.
- Not All Good Quality Olive Oil Is From Italy
We generally think of Italy and Greece when we think of olive oil and while they do produce some really good quality olive oil, there are many other counties that can match up to their standards. Some of these include South Africa, California, Turkey, Greece, Portugal and Morocco.
- You Can’t Judge By The Label If It’s Good Olive Oil
Labels can often be misleading when it comes to extra virgin olive oil. Look for the harvest date as this is a good indicator of quality. The quicker the olives were pressed after being picked, the better. If a label lists numerous countries, there’s a good chance the olives were picked somewhere other than where they were packaged, meaning a lower quality.
- You Can Fry With Olive Oil
Most people are under the impression that you can’t cook on high heat with olive oil, but experts say that you can – you can even deep fry with it. Because of its high polyphenolic content, extra-virgin is very stable, even more so than many other oils: extra-virgin remains stable up to about 410F degrees or a bit higher depending on how filtered it is. Which is a good 50 or 60F degrees above the ideal temperature for deep frying.
Sources: http://epicureandculture.com/olive-oil-myths-and-facts/
http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/8-things-you-know-about-olive-oil-are-likely-wrong.html
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