It is a herbal product obtained from the fruits of the European olive.
According to its fatty acid composition, it is a mixture of triglycerides of fatty
acids with the highest content of oleic esters in them
acid. This product has a shade of brownish yellow to greenish yellow.
and taste with a slight bitterness.
This oil is considered one of the national products of Italy, Greece.
and Spain. Since antiquity, this product has been irreplaceable
part of the Mediterranean diet. It has long been used for lighting
mosques and temples, as well as when sending Jewish and Christian
rituals.
The olive is also considered the national tree of the Greeks. According to legend, his
created by Pallas Athena. Athens, according to legend, was named after this
goddess, since the inhabitants of Attica preferred her gift to a salt source,
whom Poseidon wanted to seduce them.
The healing properties of olive oil were recognized by Hippocrates. Also this
the product was rubbed by the athletes of the Hellenistic world.
The raw olive fruit is inedible due to the fact that it is too bitter.
Such bitterness disappears only after soaking in a special brine.
for several weeks. A bitter taste is characteristic even
extra-olive oil due to the presence of oleuropein.
The fruits are first crushed, then the resulting mass is gently mixed,
after which the oil is squeezed out. Spinning was previously carried out on presses
of different designs, but now they mainly use centrifuges.
From the cake oil remaining after pressing, oil can also be obtained,
however, of inferior quality and exclusively by means of chemical
cleaning.
The best oil can be considered unfiltered extra-class or filtered
extra-class. In this product, the acidity should not exceed 0,8.
The “drip” oil of the “first cold pressing” is highly appreciated, although
this concept is conditional – to one degree or another, the oil heats up and
with the so-called “cold pressing”. Also in modern conditions
olive oil is always wrung out only once.
How to choose
First of all, you need to decide what you are buying oil for.
from olive: for preparing hot dishes or a variety of salads.
In the first case, it is better to choose oil with the addition of refined,
and in the second – extra class.
Product color can be bright yellow, green or dark gold
– the shade depends on the variety, the region where the olives were grown, and the degree
their maturity. In this case, the taste of the oil in any case should be fresh.
It also depends on the variety, therefore there are no uniform standards,
however, tastelessness or rancidity indicates that it is
poor quality or improperly stored. This oil is not worth it
acquire and use. If the product is of high quality, then it contains
there is a slight spice aftertaste, and the smell is pleasant. It smells tart
herbs and fruits.
The information on the label says a lot. There you can find out the category
product, acidity index (no more than 3,3%), how long
and in what conditions the oil can be stored. Must be indicated
manufacturer’s address, importer’s data, country name.
This oil is offered today by many manufacturers, but in oil,
made in Italy, the most complete information must be indicated,
even the place of production. Therefore, it is easy to choose oil from an Italian manufacturer.
The product from Tuscany is greenish with a fruity undertone. He is great
suitable for dressing rice,
spaghetti, grilling meat and soups. Oil from Umbria is practically
the same, but its flavor is more subtle.
Oil from Sicily, Puglia and Calabria has a golden yellow or green
shade, and is quite strong, almost sharp, but very
pleasant taste. We can say that this is more of a natural sauce,
rather than butter. It goes well with meat and vegetables.
Ligurian oil is yellow or light green, it accounts for
to the soul of connoisseurs of fine taste. It is advised to make basil sauce with it.
Oil from the Gardesano region is similar to Ligurian oil, but has more
strong taste with a fruity undertone, and is more often used for cooking fish.
How to store
It is advised to store the oil in a dark glass container at room temperature.
away from heat and sunlight, or even in a refrigerator. Qualitative
product of the first cold pressing after a few days of storage
freezes at a temperature of 8-10 degrees. It becomes thick, milky white
and does not flow out of the bottle. The product thaws at room temperature
and again becomes transparent and liquid without loss of quality. If a
after 1-2 days of storage in the refrigerator, the product does not completely turn white
or only separate white flakes are formed, which means that it
thinned, pitted, or cheaper oil
with a flavoring additive.
In cooking
It is advised to use this oil by directly adding it to
salads and fried or steamed vegetables. You can also cook lungs with it
sauces with fresh lemon,
red wine or balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano,
dressings for salads and vegetables.
As an alternative to butter, it can be served with breakfast bread
or as a snack anytime olive oil mixed with lemon,
salt and dried oregano
or other dried or fresh herb. The appetizer is no less interesting
to wine in Greek, when bread, olives and feta with butter are served,
sprinkled with Cretan oregano.
Good quality olive oil is an important ingredient in pesto
with basil, lemon zest, garlic,
cheese and pine nuts.
You can also bake potatoes, vegetables, poultry, meat or fish with this oil.
Rice will be lighter and more Mediterranean-flavored if
cook it in olive oil, not butter. You can also
try adding some lemon juice to the Cretan-style pilaf.
Cretan chefs use olive oil as a condiment for
various dishes, including lentils,
beans, vegetables and herbs such as chard, dandelion,
spinach and other herbs.
When this oil is added to soups and stews, dishes are enriched
smell the same as when using fresh and dried herbs, such as
oregano, thyme and parsley.
It is better to fry in olive oil than butter or other vegetable oil.
At high temperatures, some of the oils begin to oxidize and become
quite dangerous for consumption due to the harmful substances released
by them. Olive product will not oxidize at similar high temperatures
and emit harmful substances, as it contains many unsaturated
fats and antioxidants. The use of oil for frying is considered
the best option for health.
This product has been used for canning for thousands of years.
which is confirmed by archaeological research from the Minoan times
civilization in Crete and in many other Mediterranean cultures.
Pouring olive oil into food forms a protective layer that
delays oxidation and deterioration of the product.
Olive oil is ideal as a marinade for poultry,
meat, fish or vegetables and is recommended for barbecue. After all, when cooking
barbecue meat can form carcinogens, and
olive oil is able to neutralize them due to its high level
antioxidants.
For a better result, it is advised to use oil flavored
onions, garlic, lemon, oregano, thyme or rosemary.
Caloric value
Of course, the calorie content of the product is quite high, like others.
oils, namely 884 kcal. But if you use olive oil in
measure, then you can not be afraid to get better.
Nutritional value per 100 grams:
Proteins, g Fats, g Carbohydrates, g Ash, g Water, g Calorie content, kcal – 99,8 – – 0,2 884
Useful properties of olive oil
Composition and presence of nutrients
The olive oil formula is ideal: unsaturated, easily split
There is a lot of fat in it, and very little saturated, solid.
The vitamins here are exactly those that are necessary for the skin – A, E and D,
but a special role belongs to various accompanying substances.
The most phosphorus-containing compounds in this oil are phosphatides.
and phospholipids. The former contain a lot of sugars and help to retain
water in oil; the latter are needed to build cell membranes
and participation in metabolic processes.
Carotenoids, sterols and tocopherols are the basis of the fraction
unsaponifiable substances that have soothing, softening
and skin regenerating properties. For aging skin, they are truly
are irreplaceable because they start the regeneration processes and help
collagen production.
The fatty acid composition of this oil is varied and rich: it contains
up to 80% oleic acid, there is also linoleic, stearic and
palmitic acid – 3-15%, and recent studies have allowed
discover many other unique acids. Fatty acid composition
the product may vary, while it is quite strong, which depends
from the climate where olive trees grow.
Useful and healing properties
The ingredients in olive oil have a beneficial effect
on the body. Antioxidant ability to cope with cancer,
reducing the risk of their development by 45%.
The olive product helps with vascular and heart diseases.
Its use will regulate blood pressure and can prevent
the occurrence of atherosclerosis.
Olive oil can restore acidity in the stomach and avoid
the appearance of an ulcer, gastritis, restoring the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
This product also helps the kidneys. And in the old days they used it to treat
“Mental” diseases and problems with male potency.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system can also be cured with
using olive oil. It can repair cartilage as well
excellently maintains muscle tone. Feeling back pain
you can mix olive oil and wax, and then rub this mixture
every day to the place where it hurts.
Include oil in the diet of those suffering from diabetes,
after all, it increases insulin sensitivity.
For constipation and fecal stones, you can mix 3-4 teaspoons of this
product with raw yolk and dilute with a glass of heated water.
Also, olive oil is considered an excellent natural laxative.
means. To do this, you need to drink 1 spoonful of oil in the morning on an empty stomach and
drink it with a glass of warm water, squeezing a few drops into it
lemon juice. After that, you must definitely lie down for a while.
Olive oil also helps with a cold. So, for 100 g of oil
you need to take a tablespoon of chopped wild rosemary with a top,
insist 3 weeks in a dark place, shaking every day. Later
the mixture must be filtered, squeezed out and dripped. The first time you need
drip three drops into each nostril. Then drip 1 drop
three times a day. Such procedures can be done for no more than a week.
This herbal product also helps with pain in the ears. Need to drip
just two drops of slightly warmed oil and immediately plug
ears with cotton swabs soaked in oil.
Use in cosmetology
Today, cosmetics are very popular,
produced on the basis of extra-class oils. It is added to creams
masks, shampoos, shower gels, soaps and balms. This oil is great
suitable for the care of sensitive and dry skin. It is good
softens the skin and prevents the cells from losing moisture. What matters is that the olive
the oil will not clog the pores of the skin.
Also, this oil has an excellent anti-aging effect.
With continued use, it prevents the appearance of wrinkles
and smoothes those that are already there. Olive cream
oils contain many antioxidants and vitamin E.
It is he who helps to better assimilate vitamins and prevents cell fading.
Olive oil has a very high concentration of oleic acid,
which helps to normalize lipid metabolism in the skin. therefore
it is advised to use it in the prevention of cellulite.
Applying olive oil to skin and hair provides good cleansing
from toxins and dead cells. Skin breathing becomes more active,
which causes an improvement in the secretion of the sebaceous glands. Also this product
has a beneficial effect on the scalp, prevents
dandruff and hair loss. The oil is useful for the hair itself,
as it moisturizes them and makes them less brittle.
Olive oil is also excellent for massage. It can be
apply, both in pure form and in combination with any essential
oil. According to experts, such a massage is able to provide
complex impact. It not only moisturizes and nourishes the skin,
but also helps with salt deposits and osteochondrosis. Also massage
with olive oil improves blood circulation and soothes the nervous
system.
To strengthen nails, you can hold your hands in the bath before going to bed.
with a mixture of warm oil and lemon juice. An even greater effect will be given
gloves put on at night so that the hands can be soaked in oil.
Brittle or cracking nails can be held for about 10 minutes
in heated oil, and then treat with iodized alcohol.
Alternatively, you can periodically rub a mixture of oil and salt into your skin.
And if you keep your hands warm for half an hour at least once a week
olive oil, you will forget about dry skin.
Dangerous properties of olive oil
This oil should be treated with caution in case of cholecystitis,
because it has a choleretic effect.
It is not advised to eat more than a tablespoon of this product per day.
and those who have problems with weight due to its high calorie content.
