Olive oil is directly cold-pressed from the fresh olive fruit. It retains natural nutrients without heating and chemical treatment. Olive oil is considered the most suitable oil for human nutrition among the oils found so far. Edible olive oil is rich in trace elements and many mineral elements. Cooking with olive oil can help supplement the necessary nutrients in the body, regulate the body, maintain beauty, and effectively prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Classification of edible olive oil
According to the quality difference, the International Olive Oil Association divides (edible) olive oil into virgin olive oil and refined olive oil.
Virgin olive oil
The oil is extracted directly from the ripe fresh olive fruit by mechanical cold pressing, and the foreign matter is removed by filtration. There is no chemical treatment in the processing process, and there are no preservatives and additives.
According to the processing technology and the acidity in the liquid, virgin olive oil is divided into three levels: Super virgin olive oil, high-quality virgin olive oil, and ordinary virgin olive oil. Among them, super virgin olive oil is the best and most expensive.
Features virgin olive oil
With unique flavor, virgin olive oil is suitable for direct consumption or cold dishes. However, it highly retains its original flavor and nutritional value, and the price is high.
Refined olive oil
Olive oil that extracted from oil residue by chemical solvent leaching method and refined, called “secondary oil” or refined olive oil.
After the extraction process of decolorization of general edible oil, you can see its acidity value reduced to 0.3 or below. But the quality is not as good as virgin oil. Still, its quality is not as good as the first pressed oil.
Features refined olive oil
The color is also turbid, the taste is also light, and the price is relatively low. You can not eat refined olive oil directly, you can use it for cooking, and the price is affordable.
Efficacy and function of edible olive oil
Promotes blood circulation
Olive oil can prevent arteriosclerosis complications, hypertension, heart disease, heart failure, renal failure, and intracerebral hemorrhage.
Improves digestive system function
Olive oil contains more unsaturated fatty acids than any vegetable oil, rich in fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, F, K, and carotene, antioxidants, and other components. In addition, it does not contain cholesterol.
Also, it can reduce gastric acid and prevent gastritis and duodenal ulcer. It can also stimulate bile secretion degradation and absorb oil to reduce the occurrence of cholecystitis and gallstones.
Protects skin
Olive oil is rich in squalene with excellent affinity with the skin and essential fatty acids for the human body, which can be absorbed quickly and effectively maintain skin elasticity and moisture.
It is also rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins E, K, A, D, and phenolic antioxidants. It can remove facial wrinkles and prevent skin aging. It has effects on skincare, hair care, and prevention of hand and foot chapping.
Smearing the skin with olive oil can resist ultraviolet rays and prevent skin cancer.
Improves the function of the endocrine system
Olive oil can improve the metabolic function of organisms. As a result, olive oil has become the best edible oil for preventing and controlling diabetes.
Beneficial to the skeletal system
Natural antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids in olive oil help the human body to absorb minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, and zinc and promote bone growth.
In addition, omega-3 fatty acids help maintain bone mineral density and reduce bone loosening caused by free radicals (highly active molecules).
Has an anti-cancer effect
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 fatty acids. So it can reduce the amount of linoleic acid extracted from the blood of cancer, and it will help to get rid of the occurrence of cancer.
May have a radiation protection
Olive oil contains polyphenols, lipopolysaccharide, as well as radiation protection. Therefore, olive oil is often used to make astronaut food. In addition, those who often use computers regard it as a good product for health care and skin care.
Good for making baby food
According to its composition and digestibility, olive oil is the most suitable oil for infants. It can promote the growth and development of infant nerves and bones. It is an excellent nutrient and fetal growth agent for pregnant women, and it is a good tonic for postpartum and lactation.
Has an anti-aging effect
Carotene and chlorophyll in olive oil play a metabolic role, promote cell growth and accelerate wound healing. It also helps to beautify people’s appearance and reduce wrinkles. In addition, the antioxidant contained in olive oil can eliminate free radicals in the body, restore the health of human organs, prevent brain aging, and prolong life.
Can eating olive oil protect skin?
Many people try to save trouble by directly smearing olive oil in the kitchen on their faces for skincare, which is wrong. Strictly speaking, only extra virgin olive oil has the dual functions of eating and skincare. You cannot use other quality edible olive oil for skin care.
The reason:
- Edible oil uses olive fruit, including peel, pulp, and core. The beauty of oil is extracted from the essence of the pulp. In the refining process, the beauty oil has been refined many times to remove the ingredients unfavorable to the skin, so it is more gentle.
- Edible oil contains polyphenols and other substances, which easily cause skin allergy. In addition, some olives have high oleic acid and color values, which easily destroy the weak acidic protective film of the skin and cause skin phenomena such as acne.
Therefore, it is more reliable to choose primary extra virgin olive oil or buy olive oil dedicated to beauty.
How to eat olive oil
For cold dishes, salads, bread dipping, hot pot dipping, direct drinking, soup making, or direct sprinkling after dishes are cooked, you should select virgin olive oil to show its light aroma better.
If you do not adapt to the taste of olive oil, you can mix an appropriate proportion of vinegar to improve the taste and the concentration of diluted oil.
If you use Chinese-style frying, you can choose refined olive oil because although its taste and quality are not as good as the first pressed oil, it has good nutritional value and a much lower price.
Moreover, the food cooked with olive oil has a unique flavor and will not feel greasy after cooking with ordinary oils.
In addition, olive oil is also a good choice for pickling and baking. Marinating with olive oil can easily penetrate food and bring the taste of marinade into it.
The smell of baking olive oil on bread or dessert is far more than that of cream. You can also pour a spoonful of olive oil when cooking rice, which can make the rice more fragrant and full.
Who should not eat edible olive oil
Although olive oil is beneficial to gastrointestinal health, it is not suitable for patients with acute enteritis. It will aggravate their condition and likely lead to decreased appetite and other complications.
In addition, patients with bacillary dysentery, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal disorders can not eat olive oil. They can replace olive oil with other edible oil. It is recommended to choose some light food.
In addition, olive oil is suitable for all ages; about 40g per day is the best.
Identification and purchase of edible olive oil
Characteristics of high-quality olive oil
Appearance
The oil is bright and thick, light yellow, yellow-green, blue-green, blue, until blue-black. Dark-colored olives have high oleic acid value and poor quality. The pigment and other nutrients in the refined oil are destroyed.
Smell
Different olive tree species have different fruit flavors. The oil taster can even distinguish 32 different olive fruit flavors, such as licorice flavor, cream flavor, fruit flavor, chocolate flavor, etc.
Taste
The olive oil taste is smooth, with a slightly bitter taste and spicy taste. There is an obvious feeling at the back of the throat, and the spicy feeling fades.
How to buy olive oil
Check acidity value and fatty acid content.
Generally, regular products will be marked with acid value. The acid value of the best olive oil shall not exceed 1%, and the acid value of edible olive oil shall not exceed 3.3%. The acidity of extra virgin olive oil should be less than 0.8%, and the content of trans fatty acid should be less than 0.05%. The higher the content of unsaturated fatty acid, the better the quality of olive oil.
Look at the product name.
Recognize the words “Extra virgin olive oil.” The one with this word is the best olive oil, and then consider the fine virgin olive oil (Fine Virgin).
See how it was produced.
If it is virgin olive oil, one method is cold pressing (label marked cold-pressed or cold extracted). The olive oil extracted by this method is natural and pure without damaging nutrition. However, the refined method is a chemical leaching method, which is not as good as cold pressing.
Look at the origin of the oil.
The place of origin is one of the important factors determining the price. The main producers of olive oil in the world are concentrated along the Mediterranean coast. Therefore, the olive oil imported from Spain, Italy, and Greece has better quality and higher prices.
Look at the packaging.
It is recommended to buy dark glass bottle packaging or container packaging that is not easy to penetrate light. In addition, in addition to small packaging, the international standard packaging of olive oil is 250ml, 500ml, 750ml, 1L, 3l, 5L, etc.
Look at the certificate.
In addition, imported goods must have a series of official certificates of the exporting country, quality certificates, and state official certificates and quality certificates. The quality certification of foreign manufacturers is also fundamental. Dealers should ask for a series of certificates. If conditions permit, consumers can check them online.
Closely look at the bottle.
The vast majority of olive oil sold in the market of most countries depends on imports. Imported olive oil mainly includes original packaging and sub packaging. The original bottle of olive oil, which is canned by the manufacturer of the exporting country, and the safety is very high.
Choose a recognized brand.
Olive oil is gradually becoming an ideal edible oil in the new century because of its unique physical and chemical indexes and health care functions. The brand is an essential index for purchasing olive oil, which affects the quality of olive oil.
