Why Olive Oil As A Substitute For Butter Makes Health Sense
Butter is mostly a saturated fat. Olive oil contains unsaturated fats (the healthy kind) which is why dipping some freshly made crusty bread into to a quality olive oil is not just one of life’s simple taste pleasures. By increasing the amount of unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, in your diet you can reduce your risk of heart disease, ldl cholesterol, some cancers and obesity. Not a bad outcome from simply dipping olive oil in your daily bread, we thought.
So, Is Olive Oil Good For You?
To answer that question fully, we need to consider the quality of the olive oil you are choosing to buy and cook with. Olive oil health benefits can vary significantly depending on the type or ‘grade’ of olive oil you buy. Here are some key principles to remember when selecting an olive oil as part of your Mediterranean Diet – or simply as a treat.
The Best Olive Oil Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil
It really is that simple. Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality, best extra virgin olive oil you can get. Genuine extra virgin olive oil is rare and as a result is slightly more expensive.
The chemical characteristics of extra virgin olive oil (as with all vegetable oils) give an indication of the care with which it was made and stored: how the fruit was grown, transported and harvested, how it was pressed into oil, and how the oil was packaged and bottled. Stringent chemical analysis also helps to determine if the oil is adulterated in any way. The chemical standards for extra virgin olive oil are the highest of all the grades and, as such, offer a guarantee of quality.
This means it is an olive oil of less than 0.8% acidity and has no taste defects.
Best Olive Oil Is Single Estate
This means that it is from one source and is not mixed or blended with other olive oils, (even if they are extra virgin olive oil).
The best extra virgin olive oils are produced when the olives are young and green. They are hand-picked and handled with care and attention throughout the harvesting process. The olives are pressed within 24 hours of picking at temperature of below 28 º C.
Best Olive Oil For Taste :
The taste characteristics of best extra virgin olive oils are:
Fruity : having pleasant fruit flavours characteristic of fresh ripe or green olives
Bitter : with a mostly pleasant acrid flavour sensation on the tongue
Pungent : giving a distinctive peppery sensation in the mouth and throat. This is a sign of abundant nutrients in good, fresh extra virgin olive oil.
Olive Oil Is High In Heath Enhancing Polyphenols
Thanks to the recent spotlight on the Mediterranean Diet, extensive research has been done on the phytonutrient composition of extra virgin olive oil. What has been discovered is an extensive list of phytonutrients; one of the most praised is its polyphenols. The amount of polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oil is truly amazing!
Polyphenols are a potent antioxidant – one that can decommission a nasty molecule in your body called a free radical. Free radicals can ricochet around inside your body and harm good cells. Antioxidants, such as the polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oil, work to neutralize free radicals; protecting the body from their harmful effects.
The European Food Safety Agency has now approved health claims for extra virgin olive oils with a polyphenol content of more than 250mg / kg. The polyphenol content in Morocco Gold is well above this level.
Olive Oil Reduces Risk Of Cardiovascular Diseases
Fats in the diet are highly controversial. You will see people arguing about animal fats, seed oils and almost everything in between. But one of the few fats that most people agree is healthy is extra virgin olive oil. This oil, part of the Mediterranean diet, is a traditional fat that has been a dietary staple for some of the world’s healthiest populations. There is now considerable scientific research behind the health effects of olive oil. These studies show that the fatty acids and antioxidants in it have some powerful health benefits.
- Cardiovascular diseases are the top cause of death in the industrialised world. A host of studies have documented that arteriosclerosis is closely linked to eating habits, lifestyle and some aspects of economic development.
“… The lowest rates of death from coronary heart disease are currently recorded in the countries where olive oil is virtually the only fat consumed.” – Professor Francisco Grande Covian
- One in every four adults is hypertensive. This increases the risk of early death because of the damage to the body’s arteries, especially the arteries that supply blood to the heart, kidneys, brain and eyes. Addition of extra virgin olive oil to a diet has a clear lowering effect on blood pressure. Regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil decreases both systolic (maximum) and diastolic (minimum) blood pressure.
- Cholesterol is a fatty substance contained in foods of animal origin. Diets containing a large amount of animal fats raise blood cholesterol level, which is one of the chief risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Extra virgin olive oil lowers the levels of total blood cholesterol. LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. At the same time it does not alter the levels of HbL-cholesterol (and may even raise them), which plays a protective role and prevents the formation of fatty patches and recurrent heart disease.
Olive Oil Eases Or Prevents Diabetes
- An extra virgin olive oil rich diet is not only a good alternative in the treatment of diabetes, it may also help to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. How it does so is by preventing insulin resistance lowering triglycerides and ensuring better blood sugar level control and lower blood pressure.Genuine extra virgin olive oil is extremely rare. Most olive oils, (even some that are badged as extra virgin), have been mixed, blended or processed in some way.
Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil satisfies all of the above criteria and is available to purchase online here.
ENJOY!!