Delicooks

The pure green juice of olives is what normally comes to mind when we think of olive oil, an elixir prized by peoples such as the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Phoenicians and Egyptians as they spread out over the Mediterranean region.

However, in the strictest sense, not all oils are necessarily "pure olive juice" – there are many processes which transform the extract from a pure state before it reaches our table.

Olive oil can be graded according to two scales – by its culinary quality and by its nutritional and health benefits. Ideally an oil should score high on both counts

Generally, we can differentiate oils in the following way:

Olive-pomace oil. A refined oil that is a result of blending the olive paste remaining after the olives are pressed – extracted by chemical means – with virgin olive oil (Its acidity cannot exceed 1.5 percent.)

-Olive oil. This is the blend of a refined oil, obtained from low quality oils, with virgin olive oil that can range from between 10 and 20%.

-Virgin olive oil. The oil is extracted from olives by mechanical and physical means, and no chemical solvents may be used. The difference with extra virgin olive oil is the degree of acidity: it must be 2 percent or less. In terms of organoleptic qualities (taste, smell etc) it must score at least 5.5 points.

-Extra virgin olive oil. A high-quality oil obtained from quality olives by mechanical means, with a total acidity of not more than 0.8 º. The olives are carefully selected with defective olives discarded. In terms of organoleptic qualities (taste, smell etc), it must score at least 6.5 points.

-Cold-pressed. Good quality oil. The olives are harvested manually, washed to remove impurities and then taken to the presses for the mechanical extraction of the juice. It is essential that the process is carried out under cold conditions. There can be no application of heat. This ensures the conservation of organoleptic qualities (taste, smell etc) and health benefits such as vitamin E, an antioxidant that prevents the oil from becoming rancid and detrimental to health.

Neither virgin olive oil nor extra virgin olive oil are necessarily cold-pressed unless it says so on the label.

Organic olive-oil. These are oils in the extra virgin category and are made from olives that are free of chemicals such as fungicides, pesticides, fertilizers and so on. In this case we can speak of “pure olive juice”, cold-pressed by purely mechanical means. To ensure their provenance these oils are bottled with a label that guarantees and certifies that they meet the stringent criteria of organic farming.

Oil can then be further classified according to the particular variety of olive used, resulting in different types of oil in terms of color, smell and taste: fruity, aromatic, mild or strong.

Health benefits include

- First and foremost, olive oil exerts beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system: it can help lower blood pressure, reduce LDL cholesterol levels and increase HDL, and decrease the risk of atherosclerosis

- It helps control blood glucose (blood sugar levels)

- It benefits the digestive system and body tissues such as skin; it can combat ulcers, burns and skin irritations.

- It improves gastrointestinal function, is a mild laxative and combats intestinal parasites

- It helps calcium fixation in the bones

- It is a good antioxidant thanks to its high polyphenol content.