The Green Superhero - Olive Oil
Olive oil is believed to have originated from the Mediterranean region, where olive trees were first thought to have been grown in the 8th millennium BC and the production of olive is assumed to have started sometime before 4000 BC.
Today, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Tunisia and Greece are the largest producers of olive oil in the world, where most is consumed in Greece and Italy.
Olive oil has been a part of the Mediterranean diet since the start, where this type of diet has been shown to have positive impacts on our cardiovascular system and our mental wellbeing.
I got interested in olive oil because of all the acclaimed health benefits it can bring so I wanted to look into this subject further.
Hope you find this one useful.
TYPES OF OLIVE OIL
Extra Virgin
This type of olive oil is considered to be the best and of highest quality. It is extracted through cold pressing methods meaning that no heat is used to extract the oil which could otherwise damage the nutrient composition of the oil. Because of this, extra virgin olive oil has a lower acidity content while keeping the best flavor and aroma.
Virgin
This is second best in quality and is a unrefined form of extra virgin olive oil. It is also extracted with a cold pressing method so it also has a high flavor and nutrient profile, while having a slightly milder taste. The difference is that it has slightly more acidity (between 1 - 4 percent) and is also more temperature resistant and is therefore also suitable for low heat cooking.
Refined
Refined olive oil is extracted from black and ripe olives, where it is considered a lower quality of oil that is mostly used for cooking purposes with high temperatures and not for direct medical applications. In terms of nutritional composition, it still contains the same amounts of fat and calories.
Pure
Unlike the name, “Pure” olive oil is actually a mix of extra virgin/ virgin olive oil with a refined form of olive oil. This type of production method is used when the extraction quality of the oil is not as good as planned, so in this way the quality of the oil is improved by mixing it with a better one. In this way, the nutrient profile and taste of the oil is improved.
Pomace oil
This is considered to be the lowest quality of olive oil which is extracted from the residue after the olive fruit is pressed. This oil is also mixed with virgin oil to help improve the quality, making it only suitable for high heat cooking.
COMPOSITION
Based on the website Healthline, a table spoon of extra virgin olive oil contains the following nutrient profile:
Calories: 119
Saturated Fat: 14% of total calories
Monounsaturated Fat: 73% of total calories (mostly oleic acid)
Polyunsaturated Fat : 11% of total calories
Vitamin E: 13% of the Daily Value
Vitamin K: 7% of the Daily Value
Apart from oleic acid, extra virgin olive oil is also plentiful in linoleic acid and palmitic acid all of which are fatty acids that benefit our health.
The main antioxidants and phytonutrients in extra virgin olive oil include “oleocanthal” and "oleuropein” which have been shown to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol, fight inflammation and help with chronic diseases.
THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET
Olive oil is a core component of the Mediterranean diet which is heavily based on whole grains, fish, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, seeds and moderate consumption of meats and dairy.
Olives, wheat and grapes are the most important food crops in the Mediterranean diet, along with daily physical activity and having a good social life.
Eating a Mediterranean diet has been linked with many health benefits such as:
Reducing risk of heart disease
Reduce risk of stoke in women
Preventing cognitive decline
Weight loss
Prevents against type 2 diabetes
5 MAIN HEALTH BENEFITS OF OLIVE OIL
Protects Against Heart Disease In Many Ways
Helps to Reduce Inflammation
Chronic inflammation has been believed to be one of the main causes behind chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
Oleic acid as well as the antioxidants oleacein and oleocanthal found in olive oil have been shown through studies to effective fight inflammation.
Reduces oxidation of LDL cholesterol
Extra virgin olive may prevent the harmful oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol which is usually a crucial part for heart disease.
Improves Strength Of Our Blood Vessels
Based on the website Healthline, “olive oil may improve the function of the endothelium, which is the lining of the blood vessels” helping our blood vessels tolerate blood pressure better.
Lowers blood pressure.
People living in the Mediterranean region eating a balanced diet with olive oil and regular movement, have been linked to having lower blood pressure which over time can help with management of blood pressure.
Lowers Risk Of Developing Type II Diabetes
Eating more extra virgin olive oil has for diabetics shown positive results, where it has beneficial effects on blood sugar management and insulin sensitivity.
Studies have shown that for people who are diabetic, that consuming more olive oil has been linked with a better glycemic response which means that the polyphenols and fatty acids in olive oil can prevent dangerous spikes in our blood sugar.
Additionally, consumption of extra virgin olive oil is also beneficial for long term blood sugar regulation as well as helping over weight people with loosing weight, which again prevents the development of type 2 diabetes.
Good Source Of Vitamins
High quality olive oil contains a modest amount of fatty acids and certain vitamins like vitamin E and K.
Vitamin E is crucially important for our vision and reproductive system, while also helping with out blood, brain and outlook of skin.
Vitamin K on the other hand, is known to be essential for proper blood clotting and the building of strong bones.
Possibly Protects Against Cancer
Some studies suggest that a greater consumption of olive oil can be associated with a lower risk of developing cancers, which could be due to the anti inflammatory substances fund in olive oil.
The growth of cancer cells can be further encouraged through having high levels of oxidative stress in our bodies, but due to olive oils high anti oxidant content, it is believed that extra virgin olive could help against the development of cancers by neutralizing those free radicals that are responsible for creating oxidative stress.
Oleic acid, an antioxidant found in olive oil, has been exclusively studied and certain test tube studies showed that this acid slowed the growth and spread of cancer cells, helping with combating the cancer.
Prevents Cognitive Decline
There is evidence to suggest that a greater consumption of extra virgin olive oil, as is found around the Mediterranean region, is linked with a lower incidence of mental decline and especially the incidence of Alzheimers disease, which is the main cause of dementia.
Alzheimers disease is believed to originate from a build up of proteins known as beta- amyloid plaques, which deposit on certain neurons in our brains. Scientists and researchers suggest that there are certain substances within extra virgin olive oil that prevent the build up of these proteins, protecting us from cognitive impairment.
COOKING WITH OLIVE OIL
Olive oil predominantly contains monounsaturated fatty acids, where unsaturated fatty acids (unlike saturated fatty acids), contain many carbon - carbon double bonds in their structure which are more prone to being oxidized during cooking and heat exposure, causing the oil to become damaged.
This means that certain plant oils such as olive oil that are high in unsaturated fatty acids are used only for low heat cooking or no heat at all, but other plant oils such as canola oil or rapeseed oil are more suitable for higher temperatures.
Overall olive oil is safe to use under low to moderate temperature cooking, but is not advised for frying or high heat exposure. For best used, use extra virgin olive oil without any heat as in salad dressings and final additions to foods.
After writing this post, I now know much more about olive oil than I did before and I hope that you also learned something new from this. Of course, while olive oil is healthy for us, it is still important to keep it in moderation in our diet, as it is quite high in calories and could in the long run lead to weight gain if eaten in too large quantities.
I encourage you to invest in some high quality olive oil and use it for a variety of different dishes and other uses such as applying it on your skin or hair.
Thanks again for reading.
