Liquid Gold
All fat we eat isn’t bad. In fact we actually need fat in our diet, because fat helps our body absorb nutrients. However, all fats aren’t created equal. Some fats promote good health while others increase our risk of disease. The key is to replace bad fats with good fats in our diet. That’s where olive oil comes in.
Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat, which is a good fat. Monounsaturated fats lower cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL (the good cholesterol).
People have been eating olive oil for thousands of years. The Greek poet Homer called it “liquid gold,” the Hebrew kings David and Solomon placed great importance on the cultivation of olive trees. All for good reason.
Now, modern research is proving how beneficial this can be to our health. Scientists have discovered that there are poor Greeks that consume as much as 40% of their calories as olive oil. It becomes a meat substitute due to their economics and culture. Average lifespan is In the 80s for these people.
Olive oil has even proven to be a great way to help people lose weight.
A study conducted on eight over-weight men published in the September 2003 issue of the British Journal of Nutrition yielded results that indicate a significant loss of body weight and fat mass can be achieved without increasing physical activity and making only one change in eating habits: the substitution of olive oil for saturated fats.
Here are some diseases olive oil helps prevent:
- Heart Disease
- Colon Cancer
- Stomach Ulcers
- Diabetes
- Urinary Tract Infections
- Inflammation
Olive oil is almost unique among oils because it can be consumed in the crude form, without refining. Because of this it’s rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, E and K. It’s often called the “beauty oil” because of its great affects on our skin and hair.
But all olive oils aren’t created equal.
Historically, high quality olive oil was easy to obtain, but not any longer. Today the high quality “extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is only available in small quantities, usually from family owned farms still using the old methods. On these farms, olives are usually hand-picked to prevent damaging the skin or pulp. They are then transported in aerated containers and milled within 48 hours of harvesting. After the milling, the olive paste is pressed in a hydraulic press without the use of heat, hot water, or solvents. The oil is left unfiltered to preserve the nutrients. This is truly “extra virgin” olive oil.
The problem these days, is that the oil is rarely produced the old way, to save money. The result of this is olive oil with reduced nutrients. Most people think that just by purchasing oil labeled “extra virgin” they are getting high quality oil. Sadly, this isn’t true because there is no law enforcing this. In the US, “extra virgin” has no official meaning. The United States is not a member of the International Olive Oil Council, so oil sold here can be labeled “extra virgin” without meeting the accepted international standards. It can even be adulterated with a small percentage of oil that is not even from olives.
Deciphering the types of olive oils:
1) Extra virgin olive oil: virgin olive oil which has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 1 gram per 100 grams. Buy yours from a source that takes pride in the quality and protection of the oil. There are now small companies that list the polyphenol content. Some companies produce their oil under nitrogen to protect from oxidation. Research the oil you buy. The oils with the most polyphenols will have a powerful taste that you will acquire a desire for. The bland tasting oils don’t have as much of these health promoting ingredients.
2) Virgin olive oil: (the qualifier “fine” may be used at the production and wholesale stage): virgin olive oil which has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 2 grams per 100 grams
3) Ordinary virgin olive oil: virgin olive oil which has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 3,3 grams per 100 grams
So how can you ensure your olive oil is good? Look for olive oil that is “cold pressed,” “unfiltered,” and looks cloudy. The oil should be packaged in a dark glass bottle to protect it from the damaging effects of light.
Store your oil in a dark place, it’s important to avoid light and oxygen exposure. Unlike wine, olive oil does go bad. During storage, olive oil oxidizes and undergoes a slow, continuous, and irreversible deterioration until it becomes inedible.
Check out this recipe for Greek Salad Dressing using olive oil.
Resources:
V. Konstantinidou, M.-I. Covas, D. Munoz-Aguayo, O. Khymenets, R. de la Torre, G. Saez, M. del Carmen Tormos, E. Toledo, A. Marti, V. Ruiz-Gutierrez, M. V. Ruiz Mendez, M. Fito. In vivo nutrigenomic effects of virgin olive oil polyphenols within the frame of the Mediterranean diet: a randomized controlled trial. The FASEB Journal, 2010; DOI: 10.1096/fj.09-148452
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition April 2002;56:114-120
World Health Organization: Diet, nutrition, and the prevention of chronic diseases. Report of a WHO Study Group. WHO Technical Report Series 797, Geneva 1990
Discuss This Article
- No Comments
- This article currently has no user comments.
Related Stories
Red Wine - Exercise in a Bottle?
Scientists have known for some time that red wine holds a secret anti-aging ingredient, which they eventually discovered and termed “resveratrol.” They’re still conducting studies on this organic compound to see its true benefits. Recently, a new study published in the FASEB Journal, suggests that resveratrol may prevent the negative effects that spaceflight and un-active lifestyles have on people. The report describes experiments in rats that simulated the weightlessness of spaceflight, during which the group fed resveratrol did not develop insulin resistance or a loss of bone mineral density, as did those who were not fed resveratrol…
Can You Do Without Supplements?
Why Supplement?
Have you eaten 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables today? Even if you have there’s a good chance you didn’t get the nutrients you need from those fruits and vegetables.
In fact, The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that it takes seven cups of today’s spinach to equal the nutrition that a single cup provided in 1960!
“I can do without them, so do I really need to take them?” I have heard this argument more than a dozen times before.
The problem with most people is that they base their health on how they feel. Just because you feel healthy and perfectly fit now, does not mean you do not need supplements.
You invest in your future financially, why wouldn’t you invest in your future health?
