Olive oil is the juice that comes out of the crushing of the olives. Its color is green with no evidence of participation in its quality. One olive oil can be greener than the other and taste is the most important factor.
Negative effects on the olive oil’s quality are the light and heat. It should be stored in dark, cool places.
A pungent, bitter taste left in the throat is an indication of high quality extra virgin olive oil. If you bite into an olive picked right from the tree, you’ll experience a sharp bitter taste. That taste is the distinction of the fresh olive.
Olive oil made from green olives, not fully ripped, tastes more bitter from the oil made from fully ripped olives and has less bitterness and rarely no bitterness at all.
The pungent, bitter, fruity, buttery, robust taste of olive oil comes to life when you taste it with food and especially with artisan breads.
Extra virgin olive oil and bread are the greatest pair and bring perfection to new heights.
Olive oil helps to fight disease. Two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil daily is very beneficial to human health and well being. It boosts the immune system and fights against cancer by limiting inflammation with its oleocanthal, which acts like ibuprofen.
In the Western world, the most common cancer is the breast cancer. Studies have proven that saturated fats are attracted to cancer and tumor development. Extra virgin olive oil, rich in mono-unsaturated fats, such as oleic acid and antioxidants such as vitamin E, play a very important protective role against breast cancer.
Research has also proven that extra virgin olive oil suppresses some protein activity, that is very vital for the survival of the cells and the slowing of the tumor growth.
Dr. Niva Shapira conducted a study at the University of Tel Aviv in Israel and she found that extra virgin olive oil, rich in antioxidants and the Mediterranean diet, help prevent malignant melanoma, which is the worst type of skin cancer. Olive oil protects the skin from the harmful effects of UV rays. Bob Kuklinski found the same results in a study he did at the University of Rockstock in Germany.
Dr. Shapira also commented that “Going Greek” and she only meant consuming olive oil, protects against skin cancer. Statistics support her comment. Three out of 100,000 Mediterraneans develop skin cancer, taking under consideration the super hot sun of the region.
Olive oil helps in the fight of osteoporosis, which is a disease in the bone tissue and results in bone fragility. This disease mostly is appearing to postmenopausal women whose estrogen production decreases and weakens the bone structure. Scientists proved that the use of olive oil could help women with this disease. The results showed a significant increase of calcium in the blood and possitive effects in the bone thickness. It helps calcium absorption and prevention of osteoporosis.
Maintaining good healthy bones, a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is required.