Olive Oil’s Rich Flavor

For at least 6,000 years the rich flavor of olive oil has enjoyed world wide acclaim. There are presently dozens of brands of olive oil on grocery stores shelves. Consumers are becoming choosy about which olive oil they will bring home, almost as much as deciding which fine wine to purchase. Like wine grapes, no two olives are alike. It all depends on the soil, climate, olive variety, age and the processing method. Olive oil can be nutty or spicy, delicate or mild and the color can range from clear to pale green, to golden, to deep olive green. When olive oil is properly processed, the flavor, aroma and vitamins are maintained. It is widely believed that the oil obtained from the same variety of olive tree cultivated in the same growing region can very greatly.

There are four basic types of olive oil available.

• Extra virgin in which the oil’s acidity level has to be under 1%. The olives are cold pressed without any refining. Olive oil that is unfiltered is preferred by some people for its full-bodied flavor.
• Virgin is when the oil’s acidity is between 1% and 3%. It has a slightly sharper taste.
• Pure olive oil has a greater than 3% acidity level and must be processed further with chemicals and bleaching clay. It is then mixed with virgin oil to produce “pure” oil.
• Lampante olive oil or “light” olive oil has the same amount of fat and calories as other olive oils. This oil does have a tendency to lack taste.

The natural acidity of the oil at the time of packaging and testing is done by at least eight testers who determine how the olive oil is classified, using smell, sight and taste. The smell test figures the intensity of the oils’ scent while visual analysis clarity, density, and color of the oil. The oil is required to have a good balanced flavor and to note if there is any unpleasant aftertaste.

In many regions, the olives are still picked by hand using wooden tools or the olives are beaten from the trees with poles and caught in large nets. The entire olive is used to make olive oil and they are crushed using stainless steel grindstones. This paste is then mixed with water and placed on circular hemp mats where it is stacked and pressed. Oil and water is produced and later separated. The cold press method allows olive oil to maintain its flavor, color and nutritional value.

In order to remove sediment and produce extra virgin olive oil a filtration process is used. If the oil is more than 1%, extra refining is done to remove almost all traces of color, aroma, taste and acidity. This process results in extra light tasting olive oil. To produce pure olive oil, extra virgin oil is added to the extra light, thereby achieving the desired level of flavor and aroma. Fine wine is graded by tasting and measuring acidity before bottling. So is it with the many varieties of olive oil. 

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Olive Oil has a place in the kitchen

Olive oil was once a very much maligned fat but now has gained honor in the kitchen. Olive oil is healthy due to monounsaturated fatty acids. The oleic acid found in olive oil is very stable at high temperatures. The body processes oleic acid easier than any other fatty acids.

When you buy organic extra virgin olive oil you also are purchasing a product that is high in antioxidants which fight free radicals, preventing premature aging. The oxidation process is neutralized by the antioxidants.

Obviously, the safest vegetable oil for frying is olive oil as it resists oxidation at higher temperatures. When preparing a recipe from the Mediterranean area of the world, frying is very much a common preparation of the Mediterranean cuisines.

When frying, there are some olive oil tips that can be used in the kitchen.

• Use smaller quantities of olive oil when cooking since the oil expands in volume and it is less absorbed by the food being prepared.
• You can reuse your olive oil up to five times. 
• Never fry meat in the same olive oil that you fried fish in. Flavors will blend.
• Even though olive oil looks thicker than other oils, it has no more calories than sunflower oil.

In the 20th century, it was learned that the olive oil based Mediterranean diet reduced cardiovascular disease as noted by the late Dr. Ancel Keys. Since people living in the Mediterranean have better cardiovascular health, the initial medical study was around the use of olive oil. It was proven that the use of olive oil will balance the cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of heart attacks, fight high blood pressure and can prevent arteriosclerosis.

Other areas of the body were researched as to the effects olive oil had. So far, the results have been very positive. With just two tablespoons of virgin olive oil taken daily, the health benefits will be like that of the people living in the Mediterranean.

There are many ways olive oil can be integrated into your diet. Dipping slices of soft bread into olive oil, using it instead of butter and adding olive oil to salads with some salt. Anywhere you go in Europe, you will find people who have their unique ways of instilling the use of olive oil into their dietary habits.

A popular snack is Catalan bruschetta which is bead with tomato. Preparation is very simple. Cut a very ripe tomato crosswise, rub the bread with one half of the tomato on both sides. Drizzle olive oil liberally over the bread, sprinkling with salt. You can add cooked ham, cheese, tuna fish, anchovies, figs and olive for a prosciutto style meal. Include in your meal, salads with olive oil dressing, romesco, a cold sauce and sopa de farigola which is thyme soup.

Recent studies have indicated that the consumption of olive oil is not merely in the olive oil but from the Mediterranean diet as a whole. With this in mind, bon appetite and enjoy Mediterranean way of eating with the liberal use of virgin olive oil.

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Olive Oil and how we can use it for our health.

Olive oil and wine have something in common. We should decide which olive oil to purchase much the same way we purchase wine, by determining the thickness, richness and color of the product.

Olive oil comes in three selections…

• Extra virgin oil which is considered the best and least processed olive oil. The olives are first pressed, releasing this exquisite oil. Extra virgin oil has a peppery taste and coats your mouth like melted butter.
• Virgin oil which is pressed twice. This particular oil is perfect for all purpose cooking.
• Pure oil which has been pressed as well as processed. It has also been filtered and refined. Extra light olive oil has been processed quite a bit and will retain a very mild olive flavor. Olive oil that is organic tends to be light with less flavor and less structure.

There are many uses for olive oil as well as eliminating or reducing many diseases.

Olive oil aids in digestion, therefore sustaining your metabolism. It is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D and iron. The body’s strong level of vitamin E is maintained by the use of olive oil, thereby delaying the aging process.

Olive oil has no cholesterol. It helps keep “things moving along” in the digestive tract. It also helps the stomach fight ulcers.

Olive oil can be substituted for salad dressing and to fry your favorite fried dishes. When sautéing your vegetables, use olive oil to coat your pan.

Olive oil is also good for your baby’s bottle, so add a few drops. Also, drop a few teaspoons in the bath water or on your lufah.

Many health complications associated with diet can be minimized with the use of olive oil. The Greeks diet, rich in salt and fats, were able to live longer than the Japanese. They also had less heart disease, stomach cancer, strokes and other forms of cancer. All of this because of their use of olive oil. As a pain killer, researchers have found that 50g of extra virgin olive oil was the same as to a 1/10th of a dose of Ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory medicine.

Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat. Other oils are polyunsaturated fats as well as pure fat. Olive oil’s properties lower the risk of getting colon cancer much the same way as fish oil does. Cholesterol levels are lowered and even weight loss is achieved with the use of olive oil. Excess fats from both the lower and upper body is lost with the use of olive oil as opposed to losing weight primarily in the lower body.

There is one note worth mentioning. Not all olive oils have a high phenolic content. So the health benefits may not be realized. The reason for this is that the ‘extra virgin olive oil’ may be diluted with other oils so the phenolic content is diminished. No substitutes should be accepted when it comes to purchasing olive oil. The taste and the flavor are more than enough reasons to add extra virgin olive oil in your daily diet. 

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Olives Inhibit Cancer Cells.

Can it be true that olives inhibit cancer cells? Researchers have found a compound present in the leaf and the olive skin wax, extracted from crushed olive pulp, known as maslinic acid. Maslinic acid can prevent cancer and regulate programmed cell death (apoptosis) in the formation of cancer.

Maslinic acid has the capacity of regulating cell growth. It controls hyperplasia and hypertrophy which is typical of cancer and is used in treating cancer. How maslinic acid works from the molecular point of view when applied to developing tumor cells has been observed by scientists.

There are three advantages of maslinic acid carried out by PhD student Fernando Zuirta and directed by Professor L. Cara of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular biology I.

• Maslinic acid is a natural compound and is therefore less toxic

• Maslinic acid is selective, acting only on cancer cells

• Maslinic acid prevents cancer by inhibiting cancer cells appearance
  in cells who have a higher predisposition to developing cancer.

Maslinic acid can be used in different types of tumors, including colon cancer. Rats fed a diet supplemented with olive oil had colon cancer almost as low as those diets supplemented with fish oil. Several studies have suggested that fish oil reduces the incidents of colon cancer. Olive oil, in the prevention of colon cancer, has as yet to be proven in humans. Yet as a chemo preventative agent of natural origin, olive oil may prove a cheap and effective way of controlling colon cancer and other diseases. This is done by intervening in the activation of cancer, DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, cell differentiation and a programmed cell destruction of a cancer cell in the body.

Maslinic acid is a pentacyclic terpene which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on the body. This property can be found in high concentrations in the olive skin wax. At the moment, the only facility producing this substance is at the Faculty of Sciences at the Universidad de Granada.

There is so much to learn about the olive. When it is made into a juice, the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive are preserved. Olive oil is well tolerated by the stomach.

Olive oil extra virgin, virgin, or plain olive oil. Which is better? The difference between these oils is their acidity level which primarily affects the taste and not the nutritional content. The lower the acidity, the more antioxidants are found; this is the case with extra virgin olive oil. Antioxidants may help in preventing heart disease and caner so using extra virgin olive oil seems to be the better choice. The taste is mild and will not overwhelm any recipe.

Because cancer seems to be on the rise, either due to the environment or poor eating habits, it would only make sense that incorporating something as healthy as olive oil into the diet would be the most sensible advice given. How can cancer cells survive in an environment that includes the eating of olives as a healthy anti-cancer dietary food? 

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The Anti Inflammatory Properties Of Virgin Olive Oil are Revealed in a New Study

A study was conducted by researchers at the Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia de Cordoba to see if the consumption of micronutirients of certain fats would modify the inflammatory process of healthy people in regards to cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. It was determined that a diet rich in butter has a damaging effect, a diet rich in nuts has an intermediate effect and a diet rich in extra virgin olive oil has a moderate effect on the downward trend of health.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism or Atherosclerosis, journals which are devoted to the nutrition field, support the finding of Doctors Francisco Perez Jimenez and Jose Lopez Miranda and their team at the Lipids and Atherosclerosis Unit of the Reina Sofia University Hospital and has been collaborated with the Jimenez Diaz Foundations Laboratory of Experimental Nephrology and Vascular Pathology.

Observations were made during the study that olive oils reduced the plasmatic concentration of molecules that favor inflammation and express in the walls of blood vessels. This is further confirmation that consumption of olive oil and its properties leads to an improvement in the inflammatory states. A high level of micronutrients in the olive oil is believed to be the reason for this effect. Even though scientists are still not sure of the remainder of the effects of these micronutrients, they do believe that one property they posses is a similar characteristic of anti-inflammatory medications.

Properties of Antioxidants

At the Reina Sofia Hospital, the Lipids and Atherosclerosis Unit is researching what the long term benefits of the actual consumption of olive oil are; “The main property of olive oil is its richness of antioxidants, which makes it a unique fat. Therefore, we must clarify which is the added value of its components, as that is the only way to establish that a healthy diet must contain live oil as its main fat” are the words from Doctor Pablo Perex Martinez. He further states that “olive oil is a key food in the Mediterranean diet as it is its main source of fats and provides it with high-nutritional-value micro-components.” Through his research, he believes that your LDL (bad cholesterol) is reduced by a diet featuring olive oil. He also believes that this diet will improve the condition of diabetes, reduce the likelihood of those that are suffering from thrombosis and will also bring down arterial pressure. As technology improves each and every year, we are realizing the production of other oils that have similar traits to olive oil. These are the oils that are extracted from things like canola, soya and sunflower seeds. The doctor believes that there is a major difference though as he states, “olive oil is a natural juice, which contains hundreds of non-fatty micro-components of biological interest, such as Vitamin E, carotenes, scalene, chlorophyll and, especially, phenolic compounds.”

Benefits of Micronutrients

The benefits of having a diet that is modeled after the Mediterranean diet is again confirmed by a study conducted by Doctor Perez Martinez as he states, “a model of feeding with a high monounsaturated fat content from virgin olive oil, able to induce a wide range of biological effects on the cardiovascular system”. Furthermore, Consuming olive oil that is rich in micro-components, such as those found in extra virgin olive oil, current studies are defining that there are benefits or conditions are turned in your favor regarding anti-inflammatory conditions.

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RED SAUCE FOR PASTA

What is it about the winter that makes us crave pasta in red sauce? Maybe it is the chill in the air, not really sure but something about this time of year begs for this dish and it brings that homey feeling to your kitchen. Good pasta is lets us stare all those anti-carb diets in the face with defiance. Opening up your door after a day digging the car out from a foot of snow or shoveling your payment goes from tired and weary to smile and appreciation when you get a whiff of that incredible red sauce. Here is a recipe for a base sauce, you can adjust it to taste or allergies as you like.

You will need the following ingredients for this dish:

Salt 
Pepper, fresh ground 
Two cans peeled tomato product, unseasoned and large 
Garlic, one full head, peeled
2 white onions, chopped or diced, try a Walla Walla sweet
Parsley, oregano, basil, (fresh thyme rosemary or oregano if you like) 
1 bunch fresh basil torn or diced leaves
8 oz chopped mushrooms
1 C red wine, DO NOT USE COOKING WINE
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
2 pounds chunk or ground meat, you can use beef, veal or pork
3 T olive oil or butter
1 C stock: parmesan, beef or chicken broth (recipe to follow, you can also use water if necessary, 1 parmesan rind (if you have it)

You are also going to need a large lidded pot, cutting board and knife, and something to stir with (a rubber spatula or wooden spoon is preferred).

Directions:

Keeping ingredients separate, cut down to small portions. Over medium heat, warm the pot and then add your oil or butter. When that has been brought up to temp, add meat and constantly stir until it is well browned. (Ground meat may cause fats to be gathered in dish so you will want to strain them off before going forward.)

Put onions in pan and combine with meat.

Continue stirring until the onions turn to a golden brown color and then add some garlic. Continue stirring until the garlic is browned and then put mushrooms in. Stir everything together and then place lid on the pot. As the mushrooms are cooking, they will purge their natural water, continue cooking until pan gets dry again. At this time, you can add the tomatoes.

Upon emptying cans, rinse them with the broth (or water) so you get the remains of any tomato that was left behind in the can. Add the rest of the garlic, herbs (both fresh and dried), wine and parmesan rind.

Lower the heat to a simmer and allow to cook while periodically stirring.

Allow to cook for as long as possible up to about 5 hours. The longer it cooks, the more flavor you will get. On occasion, return to stir and taste. Ideally, you want it to taste better than store bought sauce and that is achieved after about one hour. For best results, you will want it to cook from 2-5 hours, anything longer tends to be too much.

If you find that the sauce is thickening to the point of sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning, thin it out with more red wine, water or your stock.

If you did use fresh herbs and a parmesan rind, remove them and then season to taste. This dish will serve well on the cooking day (season with fresh basil) or will hold well for many days. The longer you hold this sauce, the more the flavors will blend together. Many people believe that the sauce is so much better the second day that they let it sit overnight before serving.

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Cancer vs Olive Oil

There is not an authentic Italian dish around that does not feature olive oil. It is not coming to light that it may have the ability to help in the struggle against Cancer.

At the University of Granada and the Catalan Institute of Technology, researchers have found that high quality extra-virgin olive oil may has properties that have been known to trigger cancer cell death. These are chemicals called photochemical polyphenols.

Javier Menendez, the study coauthor, has been quoted saying. “Our findings reveal for the first time that all the major complex phenols present in extra-virgin olive oil drastically suppress over expression of the cancer gene HER2 in human breast cancer cells,”

Lab experiments have been conducted by researchers where they separated the oil into fractions and then tested them against breast cancer cells. It was found that the extra virgin olive oil that contained the photochemical polyphenols effectively inhibited the HER2.

It has been concluded by the study authors that a new anti-breast cancer drug may be developed using these polyphones as a safe platform.  SOURCE: BMC Cancer, 2008;8:377

…Fighting breast cancer with olive oil

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A new way to help fight cancer is olive oil, according to new research. Even though extra virgin olive oil is a favorite in Italian cuisine, it can also be beneficial in helping to fight cancer.

There are special chemicals that are known to kill cancer cells: photochemical polyphenols. The chemicals were discovered at the University of Granada and the Catalan Institute of Oncology. These chemicals are found in fine extra virgin olive oils. According to the coauthor Javier Menendez his research has found that the major complex phenols contained in extra virgin olive oil can extremely hold back the rapid growth of HER2, a cancer gene that is found in breast cancer cells.

During lab experiments when researchers separated the parts of oil into fractions and tested those the portions that had extra virgin photochemical polyphenols, it was discovered that they constrained HER2 gene. It was discovered that the polyphenols, found in olive oil, could contribute a safe and great base for the creation of anti-breast cancer medicine.

Source: BMC Cancer, 2008:8:377

Olive oil may be able to fight breast cancer.

Since researchers have discovered that olive oil contains chemicals that keep cancer cells from multiplying, it may become a new way of making new medicines to help fight certain cases of breast cancer. We can protect ourselves against types of cancer by using olive oil, a popular Mediterranean diet.

A group of researchers at the University of Granada, located in Spain, have discovered two isolated chemicals that may be an important component in olive oil, that would block a protein that is linked with certain types of breast cancers.

About one fifth of the tumors that are found in breast cancer patients contain the HER2 protein and can spread more rapidly that any other types of cancer. A drug known as Herceptin, can help to fight these forms of cancer and possibly aid in controlling them if they should return.

A new study according to the journal of BioMed Central shows that secoiridoids and lignans produce the similar result as Herceptin does.

When olives are pressed without the use of chemicals or heat, extra virgin olive oil is the result. Extra virgin oil has phytochemicals that can be lost in the conversion process.

A cancer information officer, Dr Joanna Owens, at the Cancer Research in the United Kingdom concludes that if one uses a Mediterranean diet containing olive oil, and by decreasing the amount of saturated fats contained in Cakes chocolates and other foods then they can help protect themselves against cancer.

The oil used in the lab experiments done by researchers have a lower concentration than those of people who actually consumed olive oil in their diets. Learning more about plant chemicals is still at a beginning stage, but is a good step in the direction for developing medicines that can prevent cancer.

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Olive oil in the kitchen for your health

Food will absorb less olive oil when used during cooking because when it gets hot it will expand in amount, thus requiring a smaller amount of olive oil. Olive oil can be reused up to three times. Many argue five times, but it is best not to use more than twice. Olive oil can transfer flavors from one food to another. It is best not to fry meats in it after you have fried fish. It can be helpful to keep a jar for meat and a jar for fish in the refrigerator, so they don’t get mixed up. Lastly, Olive oil may have a thick appearance but really contains no more calories sunflower oil.

Olive oil for health purposes. During the 13th century, doctor Amau de Vilanova for the Catalan royal family, discovered that a regular intake of olive oil could help the bodies vital functions. Later in the 20th century it was discovered by American doctor, Ancel Keys, that cardiovascular disease could be lowered by using a Mediterranean diet.

Modern nutritional research has proved that the Mediterranean people knew and used their instinct all this time. Heart Disease has been a big stumbling block of modern society, and is rapidly growing. It has been discovered by Dr. Keys and his followers that the people who live in the Mediterranean have better cardiovascular health. The first medical studies were done on olive oil in that area.

The researchers found that olive oil can reduce the risk of heart attack by keeping cholesterol levels in balance. It can also help reduce high blood pressure and prevent arteriosclerosis. More research was done later on for digestion, diabetes and cancer. Olive oil was beneficial to a lot of these problems.

One study involving virgin olive oil, included using two tablespoons daily until the positive effects were achieved like those of the Mediterranean people. 

Adding olive oil to you diet is simple.

To begin using olive oil in your diet simply sprinkle over salads with salt, use it for your sandwiches in place of butter, and put olive oil on toast and bread. Most all people in Tunisia, Morocco, Provence, Italy, Andalusia, and several other parts of the Mediterranean will be found eating raw olive oil with their bread. Many people like to enjoy Catalan bruschetta, It is made quickly by adding tomato to bread or toast.

To make Catalan bruschetta, simply rub a slice of bread with olive oil, sprinkle some salt, and cut a ripe tomato and rub it on bread and enjoy.  If you would like to add more to this basic recipe, just incorporate a topping that you like, such as, tuna fish, figs, olives, cheese, cooked ham, or anchovies.

Many other recipes using raw olive oil may include, thyme soup, authentic allioli, cold sauces such as romesco, and sopa de farigola. A complete Mediterranean diet has been shown to have many health benefits, not just from olive oil alone. 

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Olive oil – beneficial to your kitchen and your health.

In the past extra virgin olive oil has had a bad reputation for raising harmful cholesterol levels, but in fact has become a accent of eating healthy.

Now that we understand fats better it is no longer considered to be bad for us. Since our bodies can process oleic acid more easier than other fat containing acids, olive oil is beneficial. It consists of monounsaturated fatty acids which are about 75% of the monounsaturated fat found in oleic acid.

Another reason that organic extra virgin olive oil is healthy is because it has vitamins A and E that can prevent early aging. Olive oil contains phenols, which are high levels of antioxidants. They can be found to help buffer the oxidation process, and help save the properties of olive oil.

High temperatures will not affect the oxidation of olive oil like seed oils, therefore making it the best vegetable oil for frying foods. Frying is a widely used method for cooking that is used in Mediterranean dishes. Whereas many non-Mediterranean countries do not feel comfortable frying with olive oil, when a Mediterranean recipe calls for it. This plays a big role in the healthy Mediterranean diet as much as eating raw olive oil with salads and breads. 

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