Olive oil is part of the Mediterranean diet. For thousands of years, people used it as a part of their daily diet. It has numerous health benefits for the human heart due to the high amounts of monosaturated fatty acids
According to the medical experts, you can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by having a regular Mediterranean diet plan, which is rich in olive oil, known for its benefits for weight loss, bone health and wellness, and improving the brain function.
Moreover, olive oil has the ability to minimize the anxiety and soothe irregular bowel movements.
Olive oil contains high amounts of phenolic — the acidic compound which gives the oil an acidic and bitter taste and which is also extremely beneficial for the health of your heart.
Also, it is packed with monosaturated fatty acids, which have the ability to give less fatty tissue load to the human body. Moreover, it has vitamin E and vitamin K, which are very beneficial for the skin. Olive oil doesn’t contain carbohydrates or protein.
What is extra virgin olive oil?
The term “virgin olive oil” does not explain the quality of the oil, and it doesn’t mean that it is added pure. The process of manufacturing is the difference.
There are 4 grades of virgin olive oil. The lowest quality is not good for consumption and it is used in soap making.
The additional virgin oil has the highest grade of olive oil. It is superior in taste and fragrance, and it is cold pressed. This type of olive oil is warmed on 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
When it comes to extra virgin oil, there are many olive oil brands on the market which are fake. The researchers at The University of California made some tests about the brand names in the United States which on their packaging have the tag “extra virgin oil”. The results showed that 70% of the offered extra virgin oil on the market in the United States is fake!
The next time you see the tag “extra virgin olive oil” you need to be very careful. So, here comes the question how to know if the olive oil is original or fake? The tastes between the fake and genuine oil are similar, so you need to find another way to differ them.
What’s fake olive oil?
The fake olive oil consists a part of a pure olive oil and a part of sunflower oil. Also, it can be a mixture of many olive oils from different countries around the world. It can be a combo of soybean and some sunflower oil – non-Italian oil.
Also, some olive oil can be identified as an extra virgin oil which contains some additives of chlorophyll and beta carotene. So, you need to be very careful when checking the tags of an extra and pure virgin.
Even though there are many commercials which claim that they sell the healthiest olive oil, the truth is that actually, they sell fake olive oil. According to a recent research many popular brands such as Filippo Berio, Mezzetta, Bertolli, Mazzola, Whole meals, Colavita, Newman’s own and Star are selling fake olive oil.
How to know if it is a fake olive oil?
When you buy “extra virgin olive oil” you need to cool it. If the olive oil strengthens it means that it has more mono-saturated fats in it, but still it can contain other oils including canola or sunflower oil. But, you will know that the oil is not extra virgin oil if it doesn’t strengthen at all.
The extra virgin is oil expected to keep the oil lamp flammable – this is another test which can be of great help, even though it is not 100% accurate. You will know that the oil is not an extra virgin olive oil if it doesn’t light the lamp for a longer time.
However, you can’t find the truth about your olive oil by these methods, so we recommend you to buy olive oil from neighborhood farmers. This is your best option as the olive oil from Italy is considered to be standard, in comparison to the olive oil from other countries.
Look for Certification
When you buy extra virgin oil in the supermarkets, it is very important to always look for 3rdparty qualification on the packaging. The Australian Olive Association and The California Olive Oil Council make their seals trustworthy. Also, when you are buying olive oil which is made in Italy, you should search for PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) or PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) seals.
We need to mention again the brand names that sell fake olive oil:
- Pompeian
- Bertolli
- Carapelli
- Foods
- Colavita
- Star
- Berio
- Mazzola
- Newman’s Own
- Mezzetta
- Safeway
- Whole foods
You should buy extra virgin olive oil from these brands:
- Lucini
- California Olive Ranch
- Lucero (Ascolano)
- McEvoy Ranch Organic
- Kirkland Organic
- Cobram Estate
Source / References: recipesfornaturalremedies.com
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