Diets and healthy eating 21.03.2012

Good olive oil combined with vegetables is the secret of longevity of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean. Well, they do not forget the fish, of course. Moreover, the basis of this formula is oil. How to choose the olive oil and use it? Today this is exactly what our conversation will be about.

Tip 1. Look for oil with history .

Tradition is what makes great quality butter great. In Italy, there are families that have been producing this product for many generations. One of the most famous is the Monini family, which owns olive groves in sunny Umbria.

The head of the family still personally selects the best fruits and tests the oil before it gets into the bottles and goes to the store. Strict control and impeccable taste made this family brand one of the most beloved in Europe.

Tip 2. Learn how it is done .

Many people know that for dressing a salad is best to buy oil marked as extra virgin. This means that it was obtained by the first cold pressing and all valuable substances in it were preserved. And for frying and baking, refined olive oil is better suited for which the critical heating temperature is higher.

But there is another nuance: the highest quality oil is produced only mechanically, without the use of chemical solvents.

Tip 3. Examine the packaging .

This is one of the important points that will help us in choosing the right olive oil.

Olive oil can be refined and unrefined. First exposed high temperaturesthat reduces its usefulness. therefore the best is unrefined olive oil. It is good for our health, also suitable for hair care. Refined olive oil is suitable for frying and cooking.

In addition to indicating the type of spinning, acidity should be indicated there. This is one of the most important indicators of the quality of olive oil. When Extra Virgin oil is ready, it should have an impeccable taste, and its acidity level should not exceed 0, 8%. The acidity of virgin oil should not exceed 2%, and that of refined olic oil 1.5%.

It must be remembered that Extra Virgin oil is obtained by pressing the fruit without the use of chemical solvents, as well as without industrial refining and heating. It is the mechanical cold-pressed olives that preserve the maximum of useful properties in the oil.

If the label does not contain the word mix, then there can hardly be much olive oil.
  The color of the oil depends on the ripening process of the olives. The darker the oil is, the more mature the olives are.

Tip 4. Delight yourself with variety .

Olive oil can incredibly enrich the taste of your dishes. For a bright salad with many ingredients, choose the classic Extra Virgin. For concise dishes it is better to use oil with natural additives - for example, pepper, garlic, basil, lemon.

Even banal bread can be made with Mediterranean bruschetta, if you dry it in a toaster, then sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil, add salt to a couple of slices of tomatoes and mozzarella slices. Imagine - and good oil will help you with this.

Tip 5. Remember the benefits .

Good olive oil is a very healthy product. Here are just a few reasons to include it in the diet.

So, olive oil use :

• This oil is the richest source of antioxidants that inhibit aging and help fight many diseases.
• Helps to reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol and increase the amount of "good". It makes olive oil effective remedy  prevention of atherosclerosis and other heart ailments.
• Promotes longevity.
• Improves digestion processes, prevents diseases of the stomach and intestines.
• Excellent source of vitamins. It contains 4 vitamins - E, D, K, A.
• It is suitable for both adults and children.

Tip 6. Use it regularly .

Do not forget about it. For a change of taste, approach everything creatively. I suggest reading my article Health Salad Dressing.

Tip 7. Look at the oil color and packaging. .

Choosing the right olive oil will help and just the color of the oil. Greenish color indicates cold spin. The packaging should be glassy and slightly darkened, because olive oil is afraid of the sun. In the transparent bottles are destroyed the unique properties of olive oil. Moreover. In a transparent package, fat-soluble vitamins are destroyed.

I suggest to look more complete video footage . Here it is told about the beneficial properties of olive oil, how to choose olive oil, interesting recipes are given.

Question answer. Briefly about the main thing.

Does it fry in olive oil?

All the benefits will go away when frying. In the smoke, which comes when frying from the oil, formed cancer, causing cancer. This applies not only olive oil, but also any other oil. From useful you turn it into the opposite. Use in salads.

Compare olive, sunflower and butter.

The podium is as follows:

1. Olive oil.
2. Sunflower oil.
3. Butter.

What is the difference between olive and sunflower oil?

In fatty acids. They are called polyunsaturated. The difference is not very big. You can be guided by your taste. But all the same, olive oil is more useful.

How to check the quality of olive oil?

The easiest way is to put it in the fridge. If hardened and dimmed, it means oil quality.

How to store olive oil?

Not necessarily in the refrigerator (it becomes turbid, hard there, but does not lose its properties). Store in a dark, slightly cool place.

Why does olive oil taste bitter?

It depends on the variety of olives and on the area where they were grown. Oil from Tunisia more tart.

Can I use in cosmetology?

Olive oil will help to remove professionally applied beautiful makeup. Only one - two drops of extra virgin olive oil will help to gently and effectively remove makeup from the eyes without irritating the delicate skin around the eyes. If applied regularly, olive oil smoothes wrinkles around the eyes and softens the skin.

I wish you all good health with the application for yourself and your family useful recipes  and products.

see also

Every time I come to the store to buy olive oil, I slightly fall into a stupor, looking at all these different bottles and tin cans and not knowing what to choose. I think that I was not the only one who faced this problem.

AiF.ru  agreed to advise on this issue the famous taster and owner of olive groves Senor Massi Giovanni.

1. The hierarchy of olive oils

Mr. Massie:  First of all, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that it is necessary to say not just “olive oil”, but to add Extra Virgin before that. In Italy, if you come to the store and just say “olive oil”, then you will get oil for a sewing machine (laughs).

Extra Virgin means oil that was obtained by pressing olives (without the use of chemical and biochemical additives). This oil is of the highest quality and, as a rule, is added to the ready meals. Olive oil Extra virgin olive oil   - the most natural category of olive oil with perfect aroma and taste. Acidity does not exceed 0.8%.

The International Olive Oil Board, in addition to Extra Virgin, divides the oil into the following categories:

Fine virgin olive oil   - cold-pressed oil with impeccable taste and aroma and maximum acidity. Acidity from 0.8 to 1.5%. Semi-fine virgin olive oil   - cold pressed oil with a pleasant taste and aroma. Acidity from 1.5 to 3%. Unripe Olive Oil   - oil of the first harvest, produced in limited quantities from fruits collected from the best olives.

Olive oil   - consists solely of oil derived from the fruit of olives. Olio vergine   - made by pressing olives mechanically and Olio di sansa di oliva   - made from the remnants of the pulp and fragments of bones, and then mixed with vergine. Due to the fact that such olive oil is almost devoid characteristic odorIt is best used for frying. Refined olive oil   - oil category Virginia (virgin), past cleaning - refining.

The percentage of natural juice of olives (virgin olive oil) in it is small, the inscription on the container “Olive oil” should not mislead you. Flavored Olive Oil   - used in almost all national cuisines of the world. It gives a pleasant flavor to the dishes.

The last two categories that will bring you to the sewing machine are the lamp olive oil category. vergine (Olio vergine lampante) and refined olive oil (Olio di oliva raffinato) . These two categories are not suitable for human consumption due to organoleptic defects and are intended for refining or for industrial use.

2. Mysterious letters

AiF.ru:  Señor Giovanni, what do the abbreviations DOP / IGP / PDO mean, which can be seen on bottles of olive oil?

Mr. Massie:As for abbreviations, they denote oil with a protected designation of origin / indication of the geographical area of ​​production. There is another third category - biological olive oil, obtained by the method of "biological" (environmentally friendly) production, which is also confirmed by the relevant certificate. This category, for example, includes Diavolocane olive oil, where it is written on the bottle. All these gradations apply only to cold pressed oil -.

AiF.ru:  Tell me, how can you tell if the oil is of good quality, and are there cases of its counterfeiting, such as, for example, with alcohol?

Mr. Massie:  In Italy, for such a fake criminal penalties, so no. In addition, DOP / IGP / PDO and the name “biological” olive oil are a guarantee against counterfeiting. Oil can be of poor quality only in two cases: due to weather conditions that led to a poor harvest or, if it was not collected on time. In this case, the olives have little flesh and bitterness. Unlike other fruits, olives do not have a clear ripening time: this year the crop can be harvested in mid-September, and the next - two weeks earlier or later, and it is very important not to miss this moment.

3. Young have a road everywhere

AiF.ru:  Continuing the theme of wine, is it possible to say about olive oil that it is better not to take a bottle of this year?

Mr. Massie:  In this sense, olive oil is different from wine. The rule “the older, the tastier” here should read “the younger, the healthier”. One of the most important things when buying olive oil is the production date and shelf life, so read the label carefully. Diligent manufacturers always put a date. The shelf life of oil from the date of production should not exceed 18 months, so look for a “younger” oil.

4. Rules of storage

AiF.ru:  Are there any rules on how to store olive oil.

Mr. Massie: Olive oil should not be placed next to the stove or in the refrigerator. It should be stored in a dry, dark place at a temperature of 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. It also does not like light. If you look, all the bottles are made of dark glass. In Italy, olive oil is often stored in the same compartment as the garbage can (laughs). And in Russia as well?

AiF.ru:  No, in Russia, olive oil is treated with respect: it is not so cheap as to store it in such an unpresentable place.

Mr. Massie:  And one more rule: olive oil can not be kept open for long, so that when combined with air it will not oxidize. Open the bottle, pour the required amount of oil and then tightly close it with a lid.

Olive oil is the national product of Spain, Italy and Greece and the most important component of the famous Mediterranean diet, which many nutritionists see as the benchmark healthy eating. In recent years, this oil has become increasingly popular in Russia. It is believed that it is more useful than other vegetable oils in its composition - the content of vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids. NP Roskontrol experts checked the olive oil of well-known manufacturers and found out: its valuable qualities are greatly exaggerated.

For the examination, extra virgin olive oil from Spain was purchased. Borges, Iberica, ITLV, Maestro de Oliva, Prim Oliva,  Italian Monini  and Spanish refined olive oil Carbonellwhich took part in the examination out of competition.

Security

During the examination, safety was assessed by indicators of the so-called oxidative damage. Olive oil, like any fatty product, oxidizes over time.

This is facilitated by storage in the light, at elevated temperatures and access of oxygen. Due to oxidation, not only is the content of beneficial unsaturated fatty acids in olive oil reduced, the product eventually deteriorates and becomes hazardous to health.

The experts determined the acidity of the samples. All of them were deemed safe. Oil had the best performance. Iberica  and Maestro de oliva. The worst indicator (although not beyond the norm) is Monini.

Quality

The experts determined that expensive olive oil was not diluted with cheaper species (sunflower, rapeseed, etc.). To do this, the laboratory analyzed the fatty acid composition of each sample - the ratio of oleic, palmitic, stearic and other acids was determined. All tested samples coped with the tests: it was proved that they contain only natural olive oil.

In evaluating the organoleptic characteristics of specialists, the slight taste and smell of oil were alerted Iberica. The taste of a quality product in the norm should be pronounced olive, with a bitter-spicy aftertaste. Experts suggested that the Iberica product underwent a more serious treatment than the remaining Extra Virgin oils, including, possibly, chemical cleaning. With this cleaning, some of the beneficial substances of olive oil may be lost.

By the way, the same sample, the amount of the most valuable component - polyunsaturated fatty acids - is the least among the tested ones - only 6.1%.

Samples were considered the most delicious at the tasting. ITLV  and Prim oliva.

Product Carbonellwhich took part in the out-of-competition examination, as the only sample of refined oil, is similar in taste and smell to ordinary refined sunflower oil. Although Extra Virgin oil has been added to it, its quantity is so insignificant that it is not felt in taste and smell. According to the content of useful components oil Carbonell  comparable to other samples, and there are more polyunsaturated fatty acids in it than in the rest - 15.3%.

The most expensive samples among the tested - Maestro de oliva  (391 rubles for 500 ml.) And Monini  (202 rubles for 250 ml). The cheapest -   Prim olivait costs half the price Maestro de oliva, including thanks to plastic packaging.

Which container is preferable for storing olive oil - plastic or glass? What is the shelf life of this product?

Nadezhda Minchuk, Leading Engineer, Food Testing Center, Rostest-Moscow FBU

“Olive oil is recommended to be stored in a dark place protected from sunlight at a temperature of 18 to 25 ° C. If the oil is stored in a transparent bottle, it is deprived of protection from light, which can speed up the deterioration process of the product. In addition, storage in the oil can transfer chemical compounds from plastic packaging, making it unsafe.

The best packaging for olive oil is a bottle of dark green glass or an opaque metal container.

If, after opening the package, olive oil is used for a long period, then it is desirable to store it in the refrigerator (as well as sunflower oil).

According to reference data, the maximum amount of nutrients in olive oil is stored in oil for up to 18 months. At the end of the shelf life of samples with an extended shelf life (24 months) there is a chance that the useful components will become less than it was originally. ”

So, all samples of olive oil were found to comply with safety and quality requirements. Only an incorrect indication in the labeling of nutritional information (the content of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids) can be considered a violation, which can be qualified as providing false information to consumers.

Details of the test

Quality

Security

"The gift of the gods." This is the name of the oil derived from the fruit of the olive tree.

What is it: a beautiful metaphor?

Marketing ploy? Or does olive oil really contain any special substances useful for the body?

The benefits of olive oil

Oil, squeezed during the mechanical processing of olives, contains in its composition useful unsaturated acids, vitamins, terpene alcohols, sterols, tocopherols and many more useful substances and compounds. For a person who is far from science, these names say almost nothing, so it’s easier to consider not the components of olive oil, but its benefits for the body. This product is useful because:

Fully absorbed by the body.

Its vitamins A, K, D strengthen the smooth muscles of the intestines and bones. Vitamin E helps to cope with inflammation, prevents aging and the development of cancer. The oleic and linoleic acids contained in the oil have the same qualities.

This product has a subtle laxative effect, and therefore helps to get rid of hemorrhoids. It alleviates pain during gastritis, helps to quickly treat a stomach ulcer.

Oil is useful for hypertensive patients: it does not cause the formation of cholesterol plaques.

Oil helps to lose weight, makes skin tender, strengthens bones and nails well.

Today, stores have a huge selection of products, which are called olive oil. Different names, manufacturers and price confuse the uninitiated buyer, forcing you to think about what kind of olive oil to choose.

Studying the organoleptic and chemical properties of the product, experts divide it into several categories. In Russian stores most often there are three main ones:

Aceite de Oliva Extra Virgen.

Aceite de Oliva (Virgin).

Aceite de orujo de oliva or second spin oil.

What brand of olive oil is better?

The answer is unequivocal: Extra Virgin.

Extra Virgen - Liquid Gold

The method of its production has not changed since ancient Egyptian times. Olives are washed, crushed mechanically, defend, filter. Juice, squeezed in this way, with antiquity styled "liquid gold." It contains many medicinal ingredients that (if properly stored) can last from one and a half to two years. It is not even butter, but olive juice. The product has a delicate taste, the fragrance of fresh olives. Depending on the place of production and gathering of fruits, it can give out fruits, the smell of green herbs, nutty aroma.

How to choose olive oil correctly?  Taste it. This Extra Virgen is always a little bitter. Moreover, the "younger" (fresh) oil, the more bitter this bitterness.

The labels next to the Extra Virgen label are usually marked DOP or IGP. The first sign indicates that the oil is produced in a specific place and can not have any analogues. This is the most expensive type of product.

IGP also points to a region. And the sign indicates that not all technology is protected from copying, but only part of it.

Aceite de oliva

What is olive oil for salads, and what for frying?  For dressing salads fit both. Extra Virgin will give a spicy bitterness, the usual more like adherents of traditional tastes.

But only Aceite de Oliva is suitable for frying. It has a higher smoke point, so no carcinogens are formed during frying.

Aceite de orujo de oliva

The second spin oil has less beneficial properties. For its production, crushed olives remaining from the first extraction are poured with special organic solvents and treated at high temperatures. All useful substances after such processing remain, but in a little smaller quantity.

What kind of olive oil to fry: first or second spin? Both oils are suitable for frying, but for frying it is better to choose the second spin. But refueling de orujo is not recommended: it the nutritional value  is small.

So, to the question "what is the most useful olive oil," there is a definite answer. Of course, this is Extra Virgen. However, given its price, on weekdays you can use Aceite (for salads) and Orujo (for frying).

How not to make a mistake when choosing an oil?

We have already decided which brand of olive oil is better.

And how to choose this useful product?

The selection algorithm may be as follows.

2. It is worth paying attention to the release date. If the shelf life exceeds 2 years, it is not recommended to buy. Oil is not wine; from old age it loses its healing properties.

3. It is time to consider the color of the product (if the color of the bottle permits.) High-quality olive oil can be from straw to greenish. A gray or pronounced beige tint indicates that the bottle is most likely a fake.

5. At home, you can continue to check. To make sure that the oil is natural, you need to put a few drops of it on the back of the hand. The natural product will quickly warm, the counterfeit will remain cool.

6. Put the bottle of oil in the refrigerator for several days. Natural oil  will grow turbid, white flakes or sediment will appear in it. When the oil is warm, they will disappear.

Where and how best to store olive oil?

The most important rule: when in contact with air, the product oxidizes and loses its medicinal properties. Therefore, you should pour a certain amount into separate dishes, and keep the rest of the oil in a tightly corked bottle.

This bottle is best kept in the dark, at 10-15 degrees Celsius. When storing should consider other nuances:

1. Oil can not be stored in the refrigerator. When supercooling fats thicken, forming white flakes. When freezing and then thawing the oil, it completely loses its noble properties.

2. It is recommended to store the product in a glass bottle made of dark glass. You can use a stainless steel tank. It is important to remember: the oil absorbs foreign odors well, therefore storage in plastic is excluded.

We conclude that the gentle and healthy oil should be poured into small glass bottles and stored in a dry, cool (but not cold) place.

Whose oil is better?

Olives grow in Asia, Africa, warm European countries. They make butter there too. Which is better to choose? Which manufacturer is better and whose products are not worth the attention of buyers?

Olive oil is a mix consisting of several varieties of olives.

In Italy, more than 40 species of these trees grow, so manufacturers have the opportunity to make a lot of the most sophisticated, with a rich taste, "cocktails".

In Spain, only 15 varieties are cultivated, so the products of this country are not so diverse.

In Greece, olives grow in different regions. Climate significantly affects their taste, so the Greek oil from different regions will differ organoleptic qualities.

Very rarely on sale can be found oil from Tunisia. The sea climate and the breath of the Sahara give the fruit in this country an unusually refined taste, and therefore the oil has a special aroma.

Which country oil is better to choose? It's a matter of taste. Of the best manufacturers, experts most often mention:

In Greece:

Elinika Eklikta Ale. The company was created specifically for the standardization and packaging of the best varieties.

Oliko. Since 1981, is the world's largest trader. Delivers oil to Italy, Spain, Japan, USA.

Small family companies Kidokinatis, Ksiluris. Extracted oil exclusively by hand.

In Spain:

ACEITE DE LA ALCARRIA from Castile.

LUCENA, PRIEGO DE CÓRDOBA and BAENA from Andalusia.

SIURANA and LES GARRIGUES from Cordoba.

There are more than 40 varieties of excellent Spanish olive oil from the fruits on the Russian markets.

In Italy:

Azienda Agricola Giorgio.

Azienda Agricola Oliveto di Contesse Geltrude.

Fattorie Greco srl.

These manufacturers have repeatedly become laureates of the most prestigious competition in Italy Ercole Olivario.

In Tunisia, one of the best is considered to be AfricanDream Products. Their new product Chemlali in May entered the Russian stores.

Hint hostesses

If you want to add piquancy to the taste of the oil or increase its positive effect, then you can insist on garlic or spicy herbs.

Such a bottle with a sprig of rosemary or garlic cloves is not only perfect for salad dressing, but also becomes a decoration of your kitchen.

Was this article helpful to you?

About 400 companies supply olive oil to Russia. Most of about 80 thousand tons of its exports come to us from Spain, Italy, Greece, Tunisia and Portugal. How to choose a really high-quality product from this variety?

The juice

The best and most expensive olive oil is labeled extra virgin (vergine, vierge) on the label. This term means that we have a completely natural product, produced exclusively by mechanical means, without the use of chemicals, and there are no flaws and flaws in the taste of the oil. It differs from simply virgin, ordinary virgin and lampante virgin more high content  oleic acid.

Extra virgin oil is made according to the old technologies, only slightly modernizing them. For example, and today in many farms olives are harvested by hand. Maximum mechanization - the use of special tools, similar to the rake, which olives shake from the branches. The fact is that because mechanical damage  raw materials deteriorate rapidly, which degrades the taste of the product. Olives are washed, crushed together with stones, placed under a press and squeezed oil out of them.

Taste and color

The color of olive oil depends on the region of growth, variety and degree of ripeness of olives and ranges from greenish to golden. There is no single standard for its taste. Thus, Italian tasters have about 400 "versions" of extra vergine - by the number of varieties of olives. The most refined is artichoke-flavored oil. An uninformed consumer should know: the best grades of oil slightly bitter! But really bitter oil can be, if made from unripe olives. The disadvantages also include the taste of canned vegetables, fermentation, the smell of the earth (if the raw materials are poorly washed), as well as the absence of a specific, inherent only olives, taste and smell. The most common defect is a rancid odor, which appears if the oil is not properly stored.

The main criterion for the quality of olive oil is its acidity.  The lower the number, the better. Manufacturers usually do not display this parameter on the label. And if they do it, it is solely for promotional purposes.

You can test olive oil for naturalness at home. Put the product in the fridge for two or three days. If a white precipitate appears - stearin - you have made the right choice. When stored at room temperature, olive oil will acquire its original clarity, and you can enjoy the natural taste of "liquid gold."

To the last drop

In order to literally squeeze everything from the olives to the last drop, the cake is subjected to repeated pressing under the influence of high temperatures and chemical agents. The resulting oil is suitable for cooking, however useful properties it is inferior to extra virgin. On the labels such oil can be designated as “pure”, “for frying”, Pure, Pomace. Often this oil is a blend of olive with cheaper varieties of vegetable oils, in particular with sunflower, which should be indicated on the label.

Useful facts

✓ There is a lot of controversy about frying in unrefined oil. The extra virgin “flash point” at which the oil begins to decompose, forming harmful substances, is 160ºС. However, all of Europe fries on extra virgin! The fact is that the housewives use mainly browning, in which the oil heats up to a completely harmless 120ºС. The transition through the “critical line” occurs only during frying, and this method is used infrequently.

✓ Researchers at the University of Philadelphia believe that olives have the ability ... to reduce pain. A similar conclusion was made by scientists after they discovered that fresh olive oil irritates the walls of the throat just as the analgesic ibuprofen does.

✓ 100 g butter  32 g unsaturated ("good") fats, and 100 g of olive oil 84 g!

Expert opinion

Tatyana ANOKHINA, Head of the Testing Center of the State Electrotechnical Center “SOEKS” of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation:

The quality of any vegetable oil is determined by its fatty acid composition. According to this indicator, all today's contestants meet the requirements for olive oil. Another important indicator of quality and safety is the peroxide value (active oxygen content). It is in our oils is not just normal, but significantly below the maximum allowable level. Toxic elements, pesticides, benzopyrene, radionuclides and GMOs of plant origin were not found in the samples. And the organoleptic characteristics of the subjects (appearance, taste, color and smell) were beyond praise. We admit, it was very difficult to choose winners! But competition is competition. And the first place in it was taken by MONINI olive oil. Silver went to BORGES oil, and bronze to ITLV oil.

Text: Evgenia Danilova

Test: olive oil *

* Thank you for your help in conducting the test of the SEAC "SOEKS"