What's the Best Olive Oil?

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What's the Best Olive Oil? JoAnn Guest Jul 20, 2003 13:17 PDT

 

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.

 

http://www.drweil.com

 

 

 

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Ask About Health Professional Support Series: AIM Barleygreen

 

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