Health Benefits: Olive Oils

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is the first pressing of the olives
  • There are many grades of olive oil
  • Olive oils are a mono-unsaturated fat (the healthy kind) and contain Vitamins A, E and K
  • There is no Cholesterol in olive oil, no sodium, no trans-fats and no carbohydrates
  • Extra Virgin olive oil is rich in polyphenols which is known to be anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-coagulant. Further studies find a lower incidence of cancer and coronary heart disease in cultures that use olive oils.
  • Polyphenols give the extra virgin olive oil its unique taste and it improves shelf life. The time of harvest, the variety, the method of extraction and the management of the grove will affect the phenol count.
  • Refined oils like “pure olive oil”, “lite olive oil” and “pomace olive oil” have little or no polyphenols. Therefore do not have the benefits of an unrefined oil.
  • The use of extra virgin olive oil in your diet can help protect against viruses, helpful in fighting cancer, heart disease and helps decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
  • In Greece consumption rate is 13 liters of olive oil per person, per year. In Italy, consumption rate of olive oil is 12 liters per person, per year. These areas report the least heart disease, strokes, Alzheimer’s and obesity among others. The U.S.A. consumption is .5 liters per person, per year.
  • The enemies of olive oil are heat, light and oxygen. Keep your oil in a dark bottle, covered top and away from heat.