How to select the best Olive Oil to buy?

In order to find real olive oil, look for the following specifications: (1) Extra virgin olive oil should have a free oleic acid acidity of no more than 1%, whereas ordinary virgin olive oil can have an acidity of up to 3.3%. (2) Extra virgin olive oil is supposed to be cold pressed. (3) The oil should be packaged in dark glass bottles to protect it from the damaging effects of light. Avoid buying oil that is stored in plastic containers because the oil can absorb some of the compounds used in the plastic, such as PVC (polyvinyl chlorides) which cause cancer.

When you buy your Extra Virgin Olive Oil, it should be stored in a cool place away from sunlight and heat. You may refrigerate olive oil to extend its shelf life, though this may make it cloudy. The cloudiness will disappear when the oil returns to room temperature.

Which cooking oil to choose?

Olive oil is much healthier for the body when compared to other cooking oils like vegetable oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, nut oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, just to name a few. According to scientists, olive oil can help prevent cancer (even breast cancer), heart disease, rhumatoid arthritis, blood clotting (after eating a fatty meal) and help lower high blood pressure.

Olive oil to fry?

You should know that olive oil is ideal for frying things like potatoes, vegetables, meat or even fish.

Fry some potatoes in olive oil and at the same time fry some more in the oil you used so far and taste the difference... The difference in taste becomes even greater if you try it with small fish like red mullet. You will see such a vast difference that you will think that you have fried ... a different kind of fish!

It is also healthier! Olive oil, unlike seed oils, remains stable in its chemical structure at relatively high temperatures because of its antioxidant and high oleic acid content. A number of researches have shown that most pure olive oils have "smoking points" (when the chemical structure of fats and oils changes if heated beyond the smoking point) ranging from 406 to 468 degrees Fahrenheit. Extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoking point of approximately 250 degrees. But in order to have better results, it is advisable not to use it more than three (3) times.

Always buy olive oil in dark glass bottles Why?

How many times have you wondered why some olive oils come in clear bottles where you can see their color while some others come in dark glass bottles? Italian research scientists who have studied the components of olive oil have concluded that some contribute to its organoleptic qualities and enduring storage capacity that can be lost if subjected to light. This makes proper storage of olive oil an important issue to consider

"Many experts believe that olive oil that is sold in clear bottles on the top shelves of supermarkets under strong exposure to light, loses some of its profound health benefits and flavor after a period of time."

This is why you should always purchase olive oil in dark glass bottles store your olive oil away from light and high temperatures