The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean basin and the origin of the wild olive tree was probably Asia Minor; nevertheless it was probably in Crete that the olive tree was first cultivated. Olive oil is the de facto cooking oil in Mediterranean and it is one of the key elements of the famous Mediterranean diet.
Greece has by far the highest per capita consumption of extra virgin olive oil and is 3rd in world production. The tradition of olive oil in Greece goes back to 2500 B.C. and still today the methods of cultivation and oil extraction have not changed dramatically, leading to relatively low yield in comparison with Spain and Italy which are the biggest world producers.
According to the International Olive Council "Virgin olive oils are the oils obtained from the fruit of the olive tree solely by mechanical or other physical means under conditions, particularly thermal conditions, that do not lead to alterations in the oil, and which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration." In addition Extra Virgin Oil must have a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams".
The consumption of monounsaturated fats (olive oil) has been linked with various health benefits. Although it is hard to prove these assumptions in a scientific cause and effect pattern, all experts agree that olive oil consumption is not known to cause any health issues and has potentially significant positive effects on one's health. Actually the "European Food Safety Authority" has recently advised that olive oil polyphenol consumtpion can protect the LDL particles from oxidative damage. All recent studies are focusing on the polyphenol content of Extra Virgin Oil, since these antioxidants seem to be the root of its health value. Polyphenols actually exist in many other "health foods" like red wine, coffee, cocoa which have been taking credit during the recent years for their antioxidizing protection.
So how can we tell if extra olive oil is of good quality and rich in polyphenols?
"Eleia" has recently started its marketing campaign with this impressive design, but is above all a spicy and bitter Agoureleo really worthy of your salads. It is pricy also, but the design and quality of the product make it a fair deal.
Latzimas from Crete is also an exceptional cloudy extra virgin olive oil that can be found in Greece and abroad with certification for most international markets. Really spicy and at an affordable price for ordinary use.
Altis is also one of the 2 major companies in the domestic Greek market. Altis Agoureleo is its flagship product and is really apart from the rest of the Altis products. Altis Agoureleo is keeping a constant quality for several years now and comes at a price that makes sense for every day use.
I will try to follow up soon with new flavors and labels we taste. In the meantime these are a few interesting sites on olive oil for further reading.
IOC
Wikipedia
Olive oil Source
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| From http://www.italialiving.com/ portal |
According to the International Olive Council "Virgin olive oils are the oils obtained from the fruit of the olive tree solely by mechanical or other physical means under conditions, particularly thermal conditions, that do not lead to alterations in the oil, and which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration." In addition Extra Virgin Oil must have a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams".
The consumption of monounsaturated fats (olive oil) has been linked with various health benefits. Although it is hard to prove these assumptions in a scientific cause and effect pattern, all experts agree that olive oil consumption is not known to cause any health issues and has potentially significant positive effects on one's health. Actually the "European Food Safety Authority" has recently advised that olive oil polyphenol consumtpion can protect the LDL particles from oxidative damage. All recent studies are focusing on the polyphenol content of Extra Virgin Oil, since these antioxidants seem to be the root of its health value. Polyphenols actually exist in many other "health foods" like red wine, coffee, cocoa which have been taking credit during the recent years for their antioxidizing protection.
So how can we tell if extra olive oil is of good quality and rich in polyphenols?
- regarding the acidity this can be only decided by laboratory quantification tests but this is rarely an issue for brand products which must always bear the acidity level on their label.
- the flavor and aroma of extra virgin oil must be evident and this should smell like grass or "smashed" olives.
- polyphenol content can be measured in the lab, but can also be judged by spicy and bitter taste. So do not forget - if the oil is spicy or bitter is not bad, is just rich in polyphenols and this is the taste you should look for. Traditionally this was called "Agoureleo" or "Akago" in Greece which was usually of cloudy appearance and well known for its health benefits. The above names in Greek mean that it was done by green (unripe) olives or processed without hot water. (We now know that both factors - maturity of the olive fruit and heat are critical in extracting the maximum amount of polyphenols from olive oil).
- Olive Oil is very delicate and prone to oxidization so it must be consumed in 6-15 months, so always look for "fresh" extra virgin oil and store avoiding light, heat and contact with air.
"Eleia" has recently started its marketing campaign with this impressive design, but is above all a spicy and bitter Agoureleo really worthy of your salads. It is pricy also, but the design and quality of the product make it a fair deal.
Latzimas from Crete is also an exceptional cloudy extra virgin olive oil that can be found in Greece and abroad with certification for most international markets. Really spicy and at an affordable price for ordinary use.
Altis is also one of the 2 major companies in the domestic Greek market. Altis Agoureleo is its flagship product and is really apart from the rest of the Altis products. Altis Agoureleo is keeping a constant quality for several years now and comes at a price that makes sense for every day use.
I will try to follow up soon with new flavors and labels we taste. In the meantime these are a few interesting sites on olive oil for further reading.
IOC
Wikipedia
Olive oil Source
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