What's the Best Olive Oil?

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What's the Best Olive Oil?

 

" What's the difference between extra virgin, virgin, and cold press olive oil?

"

 

-- Anonymous

 

(Published 09/29/2000)

 

For many years now, I've recommended people substitute olive oil (a

monounsaturated fat) for butter, margarine, and other oils. Aside from being a

satisfying fat alternative, olive oil offers unique health benefits -- it

appears to protect against both cancer and heart disease (by increasing blood

levels of HDL, the " good " cholesterol), and it has antioxidant activity. Buying

olive oil, however, can be a confusing proposition. Unlike vegetable oils, there

are many different types to choose from.

The best olive oil is made of a mixture of olives which are " cold pressed. " (The

oil is extracted from an application of pressure -- no chemicals are involved.)

Olive oil made by the cold-pressing method is lower in acidity, probably the

most important measure of olive oil quality. Of course, the color, flavor, and

aroma are important, too. Here's an explanation of the various types of olive

oil:

Extra virgin: This comes from the first pressing of olives. Extra virgin oil

is lowest in acidity (one percent) and is considered the finest, fruitiest type

of olive oil. Not surprisingly, it is also the most costly. The color of extra

virgin oil ranges from a pale yellow to bright green. Usually, the deeper the

color, the more intense is the flavor. Use extra virgin oil for salad dressings

or instead of butter for dipping bread at the table. Of course, you can use it

for everything else, too.

Virgin: This is a first press oil, but the acidity is slightly higher than

extra virgin (about 3 percent).

Fino (Italian for " fine " ): A blend of extra virgin and virgin oils.

Light: The lightest in color of any kind of olive oil, light oil has no

distinctive taste and is recommended for baking or cooking when you don't want

an olive oil flavor. Although it is tasteless, it has the same amount of

beneficial monounsaturated fats as other types of olive oil, But as a result of

the refining process, loses some of the healthful qualities of unrefined types.

As far as prices are concerned, in very general terms, expensive olive oils tend

to be more flavorful. I'd advise against buying large bottles (or cans) of olive

oil -- once open, you should only keep olive oil for about six months. Store it

in an airtight container.

Incidentally, recent research suggests that in addition to protection against

heart disease and cancer, using olive oil regularly as part of a low-fat diet

can help control blood pressure. A study published in the November 1999 issue of

the " American Journal of Clinical Nutrition " found that people in southern

Greece -- who consume the highest quantities of olive oil -- are less likely

than others to develop rheumatoid arthritis.

 

 

 

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