Easy Wellness Plan Wins With The Mediterranean Diet
When it comes to perfecting your own Wellness Plan, incorporating the principles of The Mediterranean Diet is a great way to start. And a quality extra virgin olive oil is a core part of The Mediterranean Diet. But what are some of the most important things to remember to get the most from extra virgin olive oil on The Mediterranean Diet?
- Be careful with how much you use. According to an excellent rundown of top tips for using olive oil in the Mediterranean Diet from Dummies.com, keeping an eye on quantity is essential. Although the oils typically associated with the Mediterranean diet are healthier than other oils, they can turn your healthy strategy into an unhealthy one quickly if you aren’t careful. As with any fat, you don’t want to consume large amounts.
- Pick Your Type Of Olive Oil Carefully. At Morocco Gold, we never get bored of answering this question as we passionately believe in the power of making the best olive oil choice you can. Olive oil is a healthy, delicious option to cook with, but not all olive oils are created equal. It’s important to choose the right type of olive oil for your needs. According to the International Olive Council, there are five different grades of olive oil, each with clearly defined standards. This at-a-glance guide from Morocco Gold takes you through the key types and what you need to know about each.
- Keep your oils in a cool, dark cabinet away from sunlight and heat. So, you have gone to all the effort of researching and buying the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can find. Now you just need to look after it well! You can also store your main cooking oils, such as basic olive oil or canola oil, in the refrigerator but please don’t keep a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil in the refrigerator, If you store your olive oil in the fridge, it will eventually solidify, and condensation will promote oxidation. And oxidation is not good for extra virgin olive oil! So keep it away from the fridge to improve the olive oil use by date.
- You can use olive oil instead of butter. If you’re a keen baker or just fancy replacing butter with olive oil, you need to use about only three-fourths the amount of fat that the recipe calls for. For example, if the recipe calls for 2 tablespoons butter, use 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil; if it requires 1 cup butter, use 3/4 cup olive oil, and so on.
- Don’t Stress About Smoke Points When Using Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Concerns over the smoke point of extra virgin olive oil is something you read a lot online. But fear not! According to The Mediterranean Dish, Extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point of between 374 and 405 degrees F (190 to 207 degrees C). While this is a bit lower than other oils, it is still safe to cook and even bake with quality EVOO. Good quality EVOO will also have a higher smoke point than its lower-quality counterparts. And we agree. Morocco Gold is a great choice for many cooking methods as its smoke point is somewhere around 374 – 405 °F (190–207°C). As explained by the Olive Wellness Institute, Extra Virgin Olive Oil contains high levels of natural antioxidants. These antioxidants protect the naturally stable oil when heated, making Extra Virgin Olive Oil a very health option to cook with (including deep frying, pan frying, sauteing and oven baking).
