Why Buy Small Batch Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
Olives are a unique food. One of only a few which contain all the macro nutrients and lots of micro nutrients. This is why we hear so much about the health benefits of olives and their oil. The oil has been highly valued for thousands of years and is now an important commodity all over the world. This inevitably leads to vast differences in quality and sometimes fraud. Buying small batch extra virgin olive oil ensures higher quality, better taste and a healthier product.
There are several types of olive oil on the market. Extra virgin is probably the most famous & the best for you as it is the least processed. Then there is virgin which is similar but not held to such rigorous standards. Olive oil and the light version are refined and have had most of the nutrients taken out. They can be useful for cooking as they have a higher smoke point.
Large scale production is a different matter. Harvesting is done by machines which often group the fruit together and fail to remove rotten ones. Once in the factory the oil is extracted by crushing using steel blades instead of stones. Solvents are often used to take out more oil from the olives and residues of these end up in the finished product.
Small batch producers are the ones who take the most care over making this oil. They typically hand pick the fruit and select the best ones for the extra virgin oil. They are then pressed to extract the pure juices. Large producers use a mechanized process which is not nearly so gentle and harvesting with machines means rotten fruit can be mixed in producing rancid oils.
There are several ways to check whether an oil you have purchased is pure. Firstly, you can check the smell. Pour a couple of tablespoons of oil into a glass and swirl it around with your hand over the top. Then take your hand away and inhale the aromas. They should be grassy, like olives and fruit. Any scents of vinegar or cardboard indicate adulterated oil.
Smell is the first indicator of purity. It should be grassy, fruity and smell like olives. If there are aromas of vinegar or cardboard this indicates a rancid oil which is most likely adulterated. Many sellers will let customers have a taste. When doing this think of wine tasting. Roll it around your mouth and then swallow. A pure oil will give a bitter taste in the back of the throat. This is from the polyphenols which are super healthy and add complexity to the flavor.
The benefits of the Mediterranean diet are now widely promoted, particularly in relation to heart health. Olives and their delicious oil are an intrinsic part of that lifestyle. The olive tree has a mythic status in the region and for good reason. The people know that it gives them life and helps them stay healthy through to old age. Cheap, adulterated oils will not give these advantages, in fact they are probably harmful.
Buying cheap olive oil is tempting but seeking out small batch products is more beneficial for your health and taste buds. They cost more because they are more pure and better quality. Extra virgin is not only delicious it is a health food so it is worth the extra dollars to be sure you get the right product.
There are several types of olive oil on the market. Extra virgin is probably the most famous & the best for you as it is the least processed. Then there is virgin which is similar but not held to such rigorous standards. Olive oil and the light version are refined and have had most of the nutrients taken out. They can be useful for cooking as they have a higher smoke point.
Large scale production is a different matter. Harvesting is done by machines which often group the fruit together and fail to remove rotten ones. Once in the factory the oil is extracted by crushing using steel blades instead of stones. Solvents are often used to take out more oil from the olives and residues of these end up in the finished product.
Small batch producers are the ones who take the most care over making this oil. They typically hand pick the fruit and select the best ones for the extra virgin oil. They are then pressed to extract the pure juices. Large producers use a mechanized process which is not nearly so gentle and harvesting with machines means rotten fruit can be mixed in producing rancid oils.
There are several ways to check whether an oil you have purchased is pure. Firstly, you can check the smell. Pour a couple of tablespoons of oil into a glass and swirl it around with your hand over the top. Then take your hand away and inhale the aromas. They should be grassy, like olives and fruit. Any scents of vinegar or cardboard indicate adulterated oil.
Smell is the first indicator of purity. It should be grassy, fruity and smell like olives. If there are aromas of vinegar or cardboard this indicates a rancid oil which is most likely adulterated. Many sellers will let customers have a taste. When doing this think of wine tasting. Roll it around your mouth and then swallow. A pure oil will give a bitter taste in the back of the throat. This is from the polyphenols which are super healthy and add complexity to the flavor.
The benefits of the Mediterranean diet are now widely promoted, particularly in relation to heart health. Olives and their delicious oil are an intrinsic part of that lifestyle. The olive tree has a mythic status in the region and for good reason. The people know that it gives them life and helps them stay healthy through to old age. Cheap, adulterated oils will not give these advantages, in fact they are probably harmful.
Buying cheap olive oil is tempting but seeking out small batch products is more beneficial for your health and taste buds. They cost more because they are more pure and better quality. Extra virgin is not only delicious it is a health food so it is worth the extra dollars to be sure you get the right product.