Which brand of olive oil is the best? The answer to this question requires preliminary study. After all, the olive tree is not grown in Russia. Therefore, all olive oil is imported. But, as in the case of sunflower or corn, we know that the best product comes from the first pressing. We also know that vegetable oil is purified from impurities - refined. Is this good for olive? There are also spinning methods - cold and hot. Which product is better quality? In this article, we will comprehensively explore this issue. Below we will tell you not only which brand of olive oil is better, but also consider the products of the producing countries, we will briefly explain what the process of processing olives is. On store shelves, you can see various types of containers with these imported goods. Glass, plastic or metal - in which packaging should you buy olive oil? It is important to learn how to read the label correctly. And in this article we will explain what the words Eextra Virgin mean. In Mediterranean cuisine, where olive oil is one of the staple foods, it is used extensively and for different purposes. You need to know these subtleties in order to properly season salads or make dough.

The benefits of olive oil for the body

Did you know that Mediterranean cuisine is included in the UNESCO list of intangible heritage of humanity? Do you know why? That's right: it is built on the active use of olive oil. Thus, Mediterranean cuisine is not only delicious, but also very healthy. Olive oil (reviews of gourmets and chefs in this matter are almost the same) will not only give the most ordinary food a noble shade - it will also saturate the body with valuable vitamins and minerals. And most importantly, it will not leave any extra centimeters on the hips and waist. After all, olive oil is completely processed by the stomach. Have you noticed what luxurious hair Italians, Spanish women, Greek women have? Strong, thick, silky, shiny ... And this is the result of daily consumption of olive oil. It strengthens bones, nails and teeth. Vitamin E, which is found in excess in olive oil, prevents aging, relieves pain in ulcers and gastritis, heals hemorrhoids, breaks cholesterol plaques. And even, as recent studies have shown, it is a good tool for the prevention of cancer. Therefore, the ancient Greeks, who cultivated olive trees in ancient times, called olive oil “the gift of the gods”. As you can see, this is not only a poetic metaphor.

Product manufacturing process (in brief)

To understand which brand of olive oil is better, you need to at least superficially understand the technology for obtaining this product. It would seem, what difficulties can there be? After all, olive oil has been made since the days of Ancient Egypt. The olives were put under a press and squeezed. But modern equipment and chemical reagents make it possible to squeeze more oil out of the olives. For this purpose, the cake goes for secondary processing. It is on this basis that olive oil is divided into two types. At the first spin, the "virgin" or Virgin Oil is born. And when the olives are recycled, that is, they are heated and chemical reagents are passed through the cake, we get Pomace Oil. Based on the above, let's ask: is it worth talking about which olive oil is better? Of course, "virgin". But if we want to taste the finest olive oil, we must consider where the olives ripen best. After all, trees have a wide growing area. But they do not give a good harvest everywhere. The most reputable olive oil producing countries are Greece, Italy, Spain and Tunisia. The first, once called Hellas, accounts for eighty percent of Virgin Oil's global sales. Greek oil is purchased by importers for further production of the product.

Extra Virgin olive oil: main characteristics

Regardless of the country of origin, this product is the best possible. The very word "extra", mentioned in the title, indicates that the raw materials for it were of exceptionally high quality. The olives for this oil are harvested by hand. Then the crop is sorted. For Extra Virgin, only fully ripe, large and undamaged premium olives are selected. Next, the berries are sent to the press. No other influence occurs during processing. This process is called cold pressing. Thanks to this minimal processing, all the beneficial substances are retained in the oil. It is a slightly greenish product. Extra Virgin olive oil has a rich olives smell. But his taste is specific. People who have tried Extra Virgin Oil for the first time may think that the oil is gone, rancid. But just this taste testifies to the highest quality of the product. Raw olives are bitter too. But the free acidity of Extra Virgin Oil olive oil is very low - 0.8 percent. That is, one hundred grams of the product contains less than a gram of substances undesirable for the body. But this indicator - acidity - is not the main factor in determining a quality product. The refining method also reduces it.

Other types of olive oils

There are many more denominations between Extra Virgin and Pomats Oil. Let's consider them briefly.

Virgin Olive Oil is also a very high quality olive oil. The only difference with Extra is the less thorough casting of the crop. Olives of various sizes, ripeness and types are used for the press. But the rest of the process is exactly the same as in the production of Extra Virgin Oil. That is, the berries are cold pressed, after which the liquid is immediately poured into containers for sale. This oil is notable for the fact that it almost does not taste bitter. If you want to take it in its pure form for medical reasons, but cannot tolerate a specific taste, get this particular form. Virgin Olive Oil has a higher acidity. Two percent is allowed. But if this figure exceeds the norm, the batch is sent for purification. And here it is necessary to explain how refined olive oil differs from unrefined olive oil. In the production of the first product, chemicals are already used that cleanse it of excessive acidity. This figure for Refined Olive Oil is reduced to 0.3 percent. On sale there is also such a form as "Pur Olive Oil". The name translates as "pure olive oil". But this cold-pressed product is still a mixture of Virgin and Rafinid. The acidity of this olive oil does not exceed one percent. Well, Pomace Oil in Greece and Spain greases doors. Sometimes the product obtained from the heat extraction of the cake is refined.

Cooking applications

In the art of cooking, you should know for what specific purposes to use a particular type of olive oil. Especially in the northern countries, where this product is imported, and therefore very expensive. So, olive oil for salads should be taken only "Extra Virgin". By the way, it loses its bitterness in dishes. And over time, too. But the shelf life of the Extra Virgin bottle is one and a half to two years (depending on the container). At the end of this term, the oil does not lose its extremely useful properties, but it becomes softer, velvety in taste. For the preparation of cold sauces and marinades, we use the usual "Virgin". This olive oil is called very tasty and healthy by reviews. Meat greased with Virgin Oil will quickly soften and become tender after baking. For stews, use Pur Olive Oil. And for frying food, you should take the form of Refined Olive Oil. This oil has a high smoke point due to purification. It does not splash, does not fade, and does not generate a large amount of carcinogens in fried foods. This product is also ideal for making dough. It is not bitter and can be used in place of corn or sunflower. Olive Oil buns and breads do not stale for a long time.

How to choose a good olive oil, not a substitute

Supermarket shelves are littered with various brands of this product. Here it is just right and confused. How to make the right choice? Rule one: we carefully study the label. It is advisable that the product is packaged by the manufacturer himself. Olive oil from Greece bottled at Deribasovskaya Street is likely to be of dubious quality. The name is indicated on the label, often representing the type of product. That is, it is written in capital letters, for example, "Extra Virgin" or "Pur Olive Oil". Sometimes the name contains the brand of the manufacturer or the name of the area where the olives were harvested. But the type of product is also on the label. In oils that do not belong to the elite "Virgin", the type of processing is indicated. This also gives us the opportunity to choose the best product. It is better to buy cold-pressed oil than refined, but made from cake after heat treatment. The shelf life of the product is also of great importance. After all, this is not a wine that gets better with age. Extra Virgin has a shelf life of up to two years, other varieties - one year. But the color does not matter. Yes, it is often not visible due to the fact that oil is poured into cans or dark glass bottles. Only a product of a low price segment is sold in plastic containers.

Olives grow in warm countries of Europe and Asia Minor, in North Africa. However, only four countries are leaders in the supply of olive oil to the world market. These are Greece, Spain, Italy and Tunisia. Which country of origin should you choose? You should be aware that breeders have bred many varieties of olives. And in Italy there are more than forty of them. Therefore, different companies have the opportunity to produce mono-varietal oils, as well as refined, with an amazing taste "cocktails".

The producers of Spain are adherents of the good old olive, which has been cultivated in Iberia since ancient times. Therefore, this country does not have such a variety of olive oil. Spain prescribes labels in its own language. Therefore, you need to coordinate Olive Oil with Aceite de Oliva. Please note that Aceite de Orujo means re-pressed oil, made from cake, created by heat treatment.

Olives in Greece grow in regions of different climatic characteristics. Terroir affects the flavor of olive oil, even if it is of the same type.

A product from Tunisia is very rare to find on the shelves of our stores. But this does not mean that the olive oil from this country is bad. On the contrary, the alternating influence of winds from the Sahara and the breezes of the Atlantic allows olives to be grown with a special taste and aroma.

The best brands of olive oil from Greece

Any product from sunny Hellas will be good. The choice before the buyer is truly huge. You can buy oil both from the olive groves near Thessaloniki and from the islands. And this, at least slightly, will affect the taste. The largest world trader that supplies olive oil not only to importing countries, but even to Spain and Italy, is Oliko. However, this company buys crops from various farms in the country and produces a certain mix (albeit of good quality). But the company "Elinika Eklikta Elya" was specially created in order to produce the best varieties of olive oil. Just as wine tours are thriving in France, so are small family run businesses in Greece. Companies such as Xylouris and Kidokinatis not only harvest olives by hand, but also crush them through a traditional press.

Olive oil from Spain and Tunisia: what are their specialties?

There are about fifty names of products from this country on the Russian market. What are the best Spanish olive oil brands? Look at the terroir. The climate of the south of the country, with its long vegetative period, makes it possible to grow the most juicy, fatty olive. The best brands are the Andalusian Baena and Lucena, as well as Les Garriguez and Siurana from Cordoba. On the other side of the Mediterranean, in Tunisia, African Dream Products is considered the best olive oil producer. And his best brand is Chemlali.

Italian product varieties

In this country, food is treated with reverence. It is not without reason that Italian cuisine is considered one of the best in Europe. By default, the products of this state are equated to the standard. Therefore, food products that are produced in Italy often become participants in all sorts of competitions for the title of the best. Manufacturers of olive oil also do not stand aside. They have their own competition - Ercole Olivario. Only elite varieties (Extra Virgin or at least cold-pressed oil) can take part in it. What kind of manufacturers have become - and more than once! - winners of this most prestigious competition in Italy? These are brands such as Azienda Agricola Giorgio, Oliveto di Contessé Gertrude and Fattorie Greco.

Which brand of olive oil is worth buying depends on the purpose of use. Italians, Spaniards, Greeks love crispy, still warm baguettes, oiled olives and chopped tomatoes. And modern salad recipes, roasting products over high heat also rarely do without this product.

The best brands of olive oil are labeled "extra virgin"

A dessert spoon of olive oil on an empty stomach in three months helps to cure stomach ulcers and gastritis, while a spoonful of sunflower oil in such a situation can provoke hepatic colic and exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.

It is also added to lotions, used as a base agent for masks, hair and skin care products, and even applied to the body for a bronze tan. But most of the properties are associated with ingestion - these are the benefits of monounsaturated fats. Thanks to the oil, calcium is properly absorbed in the bone tissue, and the vessels become more elastic. Plus - vitamins E, K, D.

The ideal color of the product is from golden (yellow) to a pleasant greenish shade. The aroma should resemble spices, cut grass, it saturates and slightly bitter. Oddly enough, this is an indicator of the first pressing oils.

Selected olive oil brands: what are the benefits?

The main thing is to understand why the product is being purchased. Refined oil is suitable for frying (carcinogens will not arise from natural "thick" substances). But for adding to cereals, salads on bread, flavored with the inscription "virgin" is suitable.

The labels contain phrases that hide a lot of useful information. It is important to remember that the bitterness of low-grade olive oils is sometimes chemically removed, which is not always a good thing.

Signs to watch out for:

• Extra virgin olive oil is an ideal first pressing product with low acidity (about 0.8 per 100 g), which is appreciated by lovers of healthy nutrition. Price - from 300 rubles. up to 1.5 thousand rubles per liter. Virgin olive oil and Ordinary virgin olive oil are inferior to it. This is also the highest category of first-pressing products, it differs only in acidity and physical processing.
• Refined vegetable fats are found labeled Refined olive oil, whose physical characteristics are appreciated by lovers of crisp.
• Olive-pomace oil is created according to the principle of combining pleasant (for producers) with useful when combining first pressing products and Refined olive oil. But nutritionists may not recognize such a union.

The lowest sample is considered to be the oil obtained by squeezing the prepared cake. A significant disadvantage: the use of chemicals in the production process and a low concentration of useful trace elements.

The method of storing the product remains interesting - in a dark, dry place. You can conduct an experiment: pour into a container and put it in the refrigerator. Quality oil will become thick and thick, which disappears at room temperature.

Take a close look at the product label. If there is a mark on it "Extra virgin", this means that the oil was obtained naturally and does not contain harmful additives. The acidity of such a product does not exceed 0.8%. The oil was obtained by cold pressing and only mechanically. The product has a dark yellow-green color and a pronounced olive aroma. Extra Virgin oils are supplied by La Marée. For production, only high-quality raw materials are used, and the pressing process itself is carried out using modern, high-tech equipment, so this olive oil has a 100% natural composition with high taste characteristics.

In addition to Extra Virgin, the stores have products with other markings, for example:

• "Fine virgin olive oil" - the product was obtained using cold pressing, but its acidity is from 0.8% to 1.5%
• "Refined olive oil" - a product that has passed the stage of purification - refining;
• "Semi-fine virgin olive oil" - cold-pressed oil, but with an acidity of 1.5 to 3%;
• "Olio di sansa di oliva" - the product is obtained from the remains of raw materials, then the product with the label "Vergine" is added to it.

The choice of labeling should be based on culinary preferences. For salads, choose "Fine virgin olive oil", for frying and cooking hot dishes, "Refined olive oil" is suitable.

Attention!

The lower the acidity index of the oil, the higher its quality. Products with an acidity of less than 0.5% have exceptional beneficial properties.

By bottle

After the label, pay attention to the container. There are several options here. Real olive oil can be packed in:

• bottle with dark glass. Such a container is found on the shelves most often, it looks beautiful, but is not suitable for long-term transportation. Glass can break;
• tin can. Such a product has a slightly lower cost, but its manufacturability is higher. Do not worry about the fact that the metal will oxidize, because it is treated with special means;
• large bag with a tap. The packaging can be designed for a capacity of 3 or 5 liters, but if we take the price per liter, then buying a large volume is more profitable than a small one. The package provides protection against oxidation, so even during long-term storage, the product does not deteriorate.

If you just want to taste the olive oil, then buy a small glass bottle. When you are sure of the manufacturer and the quality of the product, it makes sense to buy a large volume, for example, a whole canister.

About the country of origin

The world leader in olive oil production is shared by 4 countries. These are Greece, Tunisia, Italy and Spain. Almost the entire economy of Greece is built on the cultivation of olives. The favorable climate of the country, the experience that has been accumulated over hundreds of years, ensure the high quality of the products manufactured by the factories. Greece is the leader in the production of the Extra Virgin product. Here it is received by about 80% of the total production.

The Spaniards prefer to mix oils, so their products have an interesting taste that is multifaceted. On the palate, both ripe olives and young green olives can be felt. Spain's stringent standards prohibit producers from mixing olive oil with vegetable ingredients, so the quality is beyond doubt.

Italy and Tunisia use high quality components to obtain products. The products of the countries on the market are slightly lower than those of Greece or Spain, but the taste, structure and appearance of the product are in no way inferior to competitors.

Shelf life

When shopping for olive products, look at the expiration date. It is stored in glass for the longest time - up to 2 years. In this case, the bottle should be in an unlit, dark place. Unrefined and refined oils in tin and plastic containers are stored for no longer than one year. Products in open packaging should be stored at temperatures between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. You can not put the butter in the refrigerator, it loses its taste and useful properties.

After you open the bottle or can, the shelf life is reduced to 3-6 months. Try to close the container tightly with a lid so that there is no contact with the environment. Place the oil in a dark kitchen cabinet, but keep it away from radiators, microwaves, and kettles.

Attention!

If you have bought too much oil, pour a small amount into a small dark glass bottle with a stopper for ease of use.

Price

Too low a price for a large volume should alert you. Products that are produced in a natural way without adding flavors and stabilizers cannot be cheap. If we add the cost of transportation from another mainland, then the price for a quality product, namely per liter, should be about 800-1000 rubles. The price can be higher if the oil has a low acidity.

Products cheaper than 500 rubles per liter are not worth taking: most likely, other plant components were added to it, so the quality will be much worse. If you want to save money, then take a large amount of oil, for example, a box of 3 or 5 liters. Then a liter will cost about 600-700 rubles.

Certification

To be able to sell oil, it must be declared on the territory of the Customs Union, including in the Russian Federation. Based on the results of the declaration, a certificate of conformity of the products is issued. The supplier-manufacturer draws up a declaration when importing products into the country, so if you buy oil in a large supermarket, then it probably has a certificate of confirmed quality. You can inquire and ask a question about the certification of goods to the seller, he will show you the necessary documentation.

How to avoid counterfeiting

When going to the store, remember the above tips and be able to apply them. Take your time with the purchase, take a close look at the product. If the packaging inspires confidence, the shelf life is good, and the label has a mark about the manufacturer and manufacturing information, then such a product can be taken. At home, when you have already opened the oil, assess its quality for the following indicators:

• Colour. It should be yellow-green. Sometimes the color can be light gold;
• there should be no flakes or visible sediment in the oil;
• smell. It should be pleasant, mouth-watering with a distinct olive aroma;
• structure. Not too liquid, viscous structure is a sign of getting the oil naturally.

Remember that only from a quality product your body will benefit to the maximum extent. Try to use olive oil without heat treatment, as it is of particular value to the body. The product is best absorbed with fresh vegetables, fish, poultry.

My friends, hello everyone!

Let's talk with you today about one of the MOST valuable vegetable oils for our body - about olive oil and how to choose the most delicious and healthy olive oil.

Olive oil is truly unique.

It's mega good for your health! And they call it nothing else but "liquid gold"!

And the point here is not at all in its "golden" price, but in its USEFUL properties. Why is it so useful?

In this article, you will learn:

Why is olive oil good for you?

Hippocrates spoke about the miraculous properties of olive oil for our body, Aristotle was the first to use it to treat his patients.

And the beautiful Queen Cleopatra for her health and youth took a spoonful of this nectar on an empty stomach all her life! And it was famous for its timeless beauty! ☺

• First of all, it is rich in healthy fatty acids, the most important of which is oleic.
• Reduces blood cholesterol levels and is necessary to improve the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract: for the health of the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, intestines.

For those with a sick heart, there should be ONLY this oil on the table and in the dishes! It is not for nothing that among the inhabitants of the Mediterranean, where its use is the largest in the world, cases of heart attacks, strokes and other diseases of the heart and blood vessels are very rare.

• Very important! It is absorbed by the body 100% !!! For example: sunflower - only 80!
• It also perfectly heals the skin and removes

We can talk about the benefits for a very long time. And this is a topic for a separate and larger post.

In this article, the question is different: how to choose the “right” olive oil? How not to buy a fake instead of real "liquid gold"? The price, after all, he has not a small one now ...

Correct question ☺ It is worth tackling it thoroughly.

What is the healthiest olive oil?

The most useful class is considered Extra Virgin (or Extra Vergine) - this is the first cold pressing.

It is UNREFINED, of the highest quality. It is cold pressed and does not use any chemicals.

Essentially, this is pure olive juice.

Therefore, the entire spectrum of nutrients remains intact.

Its color is green, the taste is tart, with bitterness.

It is used exclusively in cold dishes, salads, sauces that do not require heat treatment.

What other types of oils are there?

Pure olive oil is a fairly high quality oil. It is a blend of refined olive (85%) and Extra Virgin (15%).

Just perfect for frying. It is believed that with such a ratio, no carcinogens are released in the composition when heated.

So, let's take a look at the main points of how to choose olive oil:

• Bottle

I think that it is unnecessary to say that the bottle should not be plastic in any way ☺Of course, it should only be made of glass and only dark!

• Label

First of all, you need to study the composition on the label.

• 1... Determine the composition of fatty acids, and, first of all, of course, the most important one - oleic.

See how much it contains. It should be at least 55%. Great if it is 83%!

• 2. Determine the acid number.

The acid number will tell you about the presence of free fatty acids. The larger this number, the worse it is for quality.

For Extra Virgin it is no more than 1.5. Ideal if 0.5!

• 3. Determine the peroxide value.

For Extra Virgin - no more than 20 mmol / kg.

What does it say? On the oxidation of fats when exposed to oxygen from the air.

Why is this oxidation harmful? Simply put, oil oxidized by air is pure poison.

And the higher the peroxide number, the more there is a susceptibility to oxidation.

The lower the peroxide number, the higher the quality.

• 4. Determine the mass fraction of moisture.

This is a very important indicator! The lower the proportion of moisture in the product, the greater the concentration of nutrients.

A good indicator is 0.1%. Ideal 0.06%.

• 5.Pay attention to the expiration date.

Buy the freshest oil.

After 6 months of storage, the process of loss of useful properties begins!

Do not buy oil that was made more than a year ago!

• 6. You can make one more check at home.

Place the purchased bottle in the refrigerator. If you see that white flakes have formed at the bottom of the bottle, then you are holding the "original" of the best quality. Congratulations! ☺

This is the "olive information" for today, friends ☺

Write, information on how to choose olive oil will be useful to you.

I really hope that this information will be useful to you in order to easily choose a really high-quality product!

Alena Yasneva was with you, Bye, see you soon! We still have a lot of interesting things ahead!

photo @ stevepb

Coming to shops for purchases, especially in large supermarkets, each customer is faced with a wide range of products and, accordingly, with the problem of choice. This information on olive oil grades will help you to choose the best for your purposes and to orient yourself well in front of the counter. After all, when we go to buy a certain product, we roughly know how we will use it and in what dishes we will use it.

The gastronomic properties of olive oil depend on its retail variety. So, for example, if you need to improve your nutrition and make full use of the medicinal properties of olives, then you should be interested in the best olive oil. If you want to use it for stewing and frying food, then here you must also choose the right one for these purposes.

Acidity is the main quality indicator

It should be noted that the quality of this product depends on many indicators, and the most important of them is free acidity, which indicates the content of oxidizable organic acids in the final product. Acidity is usually expressed as a percentage by manufacturers, although it is actually stated in grams per 100 grams of ready-to-eat olive oil.

The lower this figure, the more expensive the oil and the more useful it is for the vital functions of our body, although one should also take into account the following point: manufacturers can artificially lower the acidity. This is especially true for refined varieties where chemical solvents and reagents are used.

Olive oil grade markings

Let's start by looking at olive oil varieties - for a better orientation in their markings. Indeed, the gastronomic properties of the oil also depend on the variety - its taste, smell and ability to withstand temperature effects, while preserving useful substances.

All varieties can be divided into 3 classes:

natural - Virgin, peeled - Refined and secondary pressing of cake - Pomace.

Quality control and product labeling is carried out by the International Olive Council, which has compiled a classification of olive oils and their designations on packages.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This is the best olive oil ever! This olive product has a free acidity of 0.8%, i.e. no more than 0.8 g of oxidizable organic acids per 100 g of the finished product. The processing process is carried out exclusively by mechanical methods of cold pressing of olives, excluding temperature effects leading to any changes in their properties.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - the highest quality oil obtained using technologies dating back to the times of Ancient Egypt (the only difference is in the use of modern equipment). For pressing, only undamaged, most ripe olives are taken, which are harvested from the trees only by hand.

Virgin olive oil

Virgin Olive Oil is also a product of the first oil extraction.

A product with a free acidity of not more than 2%, which is obtained only by mechanical pressing methods and is purified without the addition of chemical reagents. For this pressing, fruits of different degrees of ripeness can be used, but if, as a result of pressing, an acidity index of more than 2% is obtained, then the entire pressing is sent for refining, as it does not meet the requirements for the Virgin class.

Refined Olive Oil

Refined Olive Oil - refined olive pressing. It is processed and cleaned with minimal change in its composition. Has an acidity of no more than 0.3%.

Olive Oil or Pure Olive Oil

Olive Oil or Pure Olive Oil is pure olive pomace.

This blend of Refined Oil and Natural Virgin, with a free acidity of 1%.

Olive-pomace Oil - secondary extraction from the remaining olive pomace.

This product is obtained from olive oil cake, which is processed both by various physical methods and by natural solvents. It is permissible to use not only natural solvents, but also chemical ones, as well as high temperatures.

Refined Olive pomace Oil

Refined Olive pomace Oil is a refined analogue of a pomace product.

This product is obtained from raw cake by processing methods that do not lead to changes in the basic properties of the final product. Free acidity - no more than 0.3%.

Olive pomace oil

Olive pomace oil is a mixture of refined pomace oil and a blend of various olive oils (unrefined and refined).

This product has a free acidity of about 1%. Not approved for sale to consumers in all countries. This product cannot be called olive oil, although it cannot be called unfit for human consumption. It is widely represented in our retail chains, especially under the brands of large retail supermarkets.

Which olive oil is the best is not difficult to understand by analyzing the classification of the expert International Olive Council, which is used by all leading olive oil producers.

Cooking applications

After examining all the labels of the oil, we can already move on to the question of using each retail grade. Remember when we said that oil should be chosen for specific purposes?

The healthiest way to consume olive oil is as a salad dressing. It can also be used as a main ingredient in marinades and cold sauces. For these purposes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is more suitable than other varieties - a pure organic product with an impressive range of beneficial properties.

It should be noted that the fresher the Extra Virgin, the more bitter it is and not vice versa! The product will have a distinct olive flavor, but with different shades, as it is obtained from different varieties of olives, maturity and crop areas. Within six months after the spill, the oil gradually loses its bitterness, becomes softer in taste. Extra Virgin shelf life is 1.5-2 years.

For stewing and frying products, Olive Oil is used - an excellent quality oil that can also be used for dressing salads and sauces. This type of product is ideal for heat treatment of meat and vegetables, as it does not form carcinogenic substances. This is due to the presence of stable fatty acids in it, which raise the smoke point, which becomes much higher than the usual frying temperature.

Olive Oil also does not have a pronounced taste and smell of olives, does not taste bitter, therefore all over the world it is preferred to be used in cooking more than others.

If you still want to switch to cooking using olive oil instead of the usual sunflower oil, but Olive Oil is too expensive for you, then Pomace Olive Oil may be an acceptable option for your family. Although it does not have such a rich composition as Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Olive Oil, it is of quite acceptable quality. It contains the same monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, but in smaller quantities.

Pomace Olive Oil is suitable for roasting and stewing and also demonstrates its best qualities in baking. Pastry products do not stale for a long time, remaining lush.

Medical and cosmetic applications

For cleansing procedures (taking oil on an empty stomach), use only Extra Virgin Olive Oil. For the preparation of oil infusions of medicinal herbs and other ingredients (infusions or macerates), only the highest grade of the product is also suitable.

In home cosmetics, as well as in factory cosmetics, only bottling from the first cold pressing - Extra Virgin Olive Oil is used.

Only this and nothing else!

So, to summarize:

In the markets of post-Soviet countries, you can find olive oil of three retail varieties:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil - natural product of the highest quality
• - blend of natural Virgin oil and refined Refined Olive Oil
• Pomace Olive Oil - a mixture of Refined pomace and Pure Olive Oil

The main producers of olive products are Spain, Italy, Greece and Tunisia. The largest volume (up to 80%) of Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced in Greece. Greek production volumes are purchased by foreign companies for further use in mass production of the product.

How to choose the right olive oil

By name

The name may indicate not only the actual retail variety, but also the manufacturer's brand name. Also, natural olive oil can often be labeled with the variety of the olives themselves or the province of their growth. One way or another, the retail grade must be specified.

By label

The label must necessarily indicate the manufacturer, as well as the importer and exporter with phone numbers and addresses. High-quality olive oil is bottled by the manufacturer himself, so if it is produced in one country and bottled in another, then the quality of such a product may not correspond to the declared one.

Also pay attention to the date of bottling. Olive oil is not wine! Over time, it loses its healing qualities, especially for the Olive Oil variety. The maximum shelf life from the date of bottling is 12 months, with the exception of Extra Virgin.

By color

Choosing the right olive oil by color is impossible! The color of the product depends on various reasons and can range in color from light yellow to dark green, even brown. First of all, the color of the product is given by the condition of the olives themselves, i.e. their ripeness. If green olives are used for pressing the oil, the color will vary in different shades of green.

This product has a pronounced taste of olives and bitterness. If ripe olive fruits are pressed, the color will be yellow, often with a purple tint. A brown color is obtained if the pressing is obtained from the ripe fruits of the olive (often this butter has a slightly sweetish taste).

By packing

The traditional packaging is a dark glass bottle to protect the product from light and degradation. Disadvantages - fragility, weight and incomplete protection from exposure to light. Advantages - You can visually examine and evaluate the content.

A more modern and technologically advanced packaging is a tin can. The used metal sheet has a special coating, which completely excludes oxidation of the product. Advantages: does not transmit light, lightness and low cost. Disadvantage: Inability to evaluate the content.

We hope that after reading our detailed information on how to choose olive oil, and which is the best of all on our market, the choice will not be so difficult for you.

We wish you to consciously choose what to eat and how to eat!