Olive oil has been a popular cooking ingredient since ancient
times and in fact it had many other uses too. Spartans and other Greeks used olive
oil to rub themselves when exercising in the gymnasia. Olive oil has been
prized for its deep penetrating moisturizing qualities. A natural moisturizer,
olive oil regenerates skin cells and is widely used in cosmetic products.
Olive Oil Production
Olive oil production is dominated by three countries the leader
being Spain, which is responsible for 30% of the world’s production. Next is
Italy (Tuscany, Puglia) and Egypt has the third highest production percentage followed
by Greece. Other countries, which are not that well known for olive oil
production include Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia and more. In the states Arizona,
California and Texas have become known as domestic olive oil producers as marketing
has been stepped up.
(click on the picture to enlarge, a "melange" of olives)
Good olive oil production is not a complex science. First olives
are churned into a paste and then pressed with weight or put into a centrifuge that
extracts the oil. Quality producers make sure that the oil does not reach a
temperature higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the extraction step to
preserve valuable nutrients. Pomace is the leftover pulp-product after the
pressing. Be on the look-out for pomace on olive oil labels which indicates an
inferior product as it is treated with solvents and heat to squeeze out the
last bit of flavor and oil and is often mixed with other oils such as canola.
Another word you may find on olive oil bottles is “refined” which means the
olives are treated with chemicals to neutralize strong tastes and acidity. The
top quality of olive oil is extra and/or virgin olive oil. The difference
between the two oils it the free fatty acid content (EVOO 0.8% and VOO 2%). In
the US grading is voluntary - it is fee based
and performed by the USDA.
(Which olive oil should I buy?)
Healthy Oil
“Virgin” olive oil has been linked to better health because of the
high polyphenol content, which contain a wide variety of antioxidants . Also, that
high phenolic content gives olive oil a tart, green-grassy and pungent taste.
Extra virgin/virgin olive oils have more monounsaturated fatty
acid, most notably oleic acid which may be beneficial to heart health when
compared to other oils. Olive oil controls the bad levels of LDL cholesterol
and raises the level of good HDL cholesterol that lowers blood sugar levels and
blood pressure.
The USDA allows the
following claim on olive oil bottle labels:
“Limited and not conclusive
scientific guidance suggests that eating about 2 tablespoon (0.8 oz, 23 g, 240
calories) of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease”.
Quality
Quality production and overall standards of olive oil is overseen
by the International Olive Oil Council (IOC). In the US the California Olive
Oil Council (COOC) is in charge of standardizations and strict quality control.
Although the USDA does not legally recognize the classification of the IOC, the
US is not a member of the IOC, hence you can find on supermarket shelves in the
US olive oil as “Italian” when in fact it came from other countries most likely
with a lesser quality. “Light” olive oil in a sense of low calories does not
exist. If it is called light it’s
because it was cut with a lesser oil.
Interesting Olive Oil Data:
- Greece has the highest per
capita consumption of olive oil with an average of 50 lb per year, Spain is 30,
and the US laughable with a 1.5 lb consumption.
- There are about 700
different olive oils traded in the world
- Olive oil is every bit as varied
as wine varietals
- Very fresh extra virgin
olive oil is fragrant and may have to be aged to soften its “greenness” similar
to red wine tannins (astringent/pucker taste which dries the roof/sides of your
mouth) and can give a mildly gritty texture / feel in between your teeth. Tannins make oil or wine more flavorful and provides
body and substance.
- Olive oil is effective when
applied when shaving adding smoothness and softness to the skin.
- Extra Virgin olive oil is
not suitable to fry food since its smoking point is at about 400 degrees Fahrenheit - use refined olive oil which is more heat stable.
- Less ripe olives make a
spicy and bitter flavor versus ripe olives oils which makes a sweet tasting oil
Lastly a few tips
- Keep two olive oils on hand - one for cold applications (EVO)
and another for cooking (non-EVO). Also, I have been using our house olive oil
to polish my leather shoes and it works perfectly. I doubt that any toxic
smelling shoe polish can even compete with olive oil.
- I like to support domestic olive oil producers such as Katz or Lucero
– very good products. Others are Olivina ranch and Pasolivivio, well know for
its organic growing practices.
-Who says that butter is everything in baking! Try a recipe that
uses olive oil in baking -- you’ll be surprised by its lightness in the cake
texture and fragrant, fruity flavor.
