Extra virgin olive oil is a well-known component of the Mediterranean diet and, like the fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood that are typically associated with this kind of diet, the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil are wide and varied.
Why Is Olive Oil Good For You?
Extra virgin olive oil is a well-known component of the Mediterranean diet and, like the fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood that are typically associated with this kind of diet, extra virgin olive oil also has a number of health benefits.
Many people are now aware that extra virgin olive oil is the healthy choice when it comes to fats that you use in the kitchen, but do you know why?
An article for Healthline recently highlighted some of the main benefits of using cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil in your cooking. The first thing to explain is that all varieties of extra virgin olive oil are cold pressed. The same goes for virgin olive oil. It’s one of the things that sets these products apart from lower grades of olive oil.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is A Healthy Fat
One of the significant benefits to extra virgin olive oil is that it’s packed with healthy fats. We know by now that our diets need to include fat, but the key is to make sure that you’re consuming the right kind of fat.
The main type of fat contained in cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is unsaturated fat. This is the kind of fat that you want to include in your diet. According to the news provider, diets that are high in unsaturated fat are associated with reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and various other chronic illnesses.
Polyphenols And Extra Virgin Olive Oil
But it’s not just the unsaturated fat content of extra virgin olive oil that makes it healthy. It’s the other nutrients , including polyphenols, that are contained in it that bring it to the next level.
For instance, extra virgin olive oil is packed with antioxidants and other potent plant compounds. These compounds are well-known for protecting the body against damaging free radicals. The reason that cold-pressed olive oil contains more antioxidants than its lower-grade counterparts is the lack of heat used to process it.
According to European food standards, for an oil to be cold-pressed the heat used in the process can’t exceed 27 degrees C.
Extra virgin olive oil may also protect against heart disease, fight inflammation, promote brain health and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The Really Good News? Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is Delicious Too!
But we think that one of the best things about Moroccan extra virgin olive oil is how easy it is to introduce to your diet. You can use it in your cooking, whether you’re roasting or baking. Because our extra virgin olive oil has such a wonderful flavour, it’s also perfect in salad dressings or simply for drizzling over your pasta to bring the flavour to life.
Check out our fantastic range of recipes which show off the potential flavour of extra virgin olive oil right here.
If you’re curious to learn more about the different grades of olive oil and why it’s worth paying a little more for a premium product, check out our blog that explains exactly why extra virgin olive oil is superior to the rest.
To be marketed as extra virgin olive oil, products have to meet exacting standards. But this means you’ll be taking home a bottle that contains all the goodness of the olives from which it was pressed, and it’ll be packed full of more flavour too.