facts about olive oil Archives - D'Olivo Tasting Bar

February 23, 2022

What People Want to Know About Olive Oil

Olive oil is a popular cooking fat these days, and with all popular topics it can be hard to get the basic – need to know facts. We’re breaking down the most popular questions that we hear from people and answering them in a simple way. It’s important that information about this oil is available for users and easy to digest (no pun intended).

Is Olive Oil Healthy?

There may still be some who are trying to argue against olive oil, but that’s getting more difficult to do as more studies become available that showcase it as one of the healthiest fats available on the market. A staple of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is well documented to be high in antioxidants which can aid in heart health, it’s high in monosaturated fats and can help reduce inflammation, as well as serve a great weight loss aid.

We always encourage you to do your own research, but here is a great article from Olive Oil Times that breaks down the numerous health benefits.

Is All Olive Oil the Same?

While it can be tempting to think that the $5 olive oil from the grocery store is the same as the $20 bottle of extra virgin olive oil you purchase from a specialty retailer, the honest truth is that not all olive oil is created equal.

Starting with the very basics, extra virgin olive oil is going to be the best olive oil to purchase. In order to bear the “extra virgin” designation on the label, the olive oil must be from the first, cold-pressing of the olives. Cold pressing is a method of extracting the oil without using heat or chemicals, ensuring that all the nutritional benefits are maintained in the oil.

Oil that has another label like light or refined are not going to give you the same great health benefits or as rich of a flavor profile. Don’t miss out on all that this great oil has to offer and upgrade your choice – specialty retailers are a great option. Most are locally owned and operated so in addition to getting a delicious oil, you’re also supporting local business.

What Should I Look for When Purchasing Olive Oil?

Read the Label – The first thing to check is the type of oil you’re purchasing and make sure that the label reads extra-virgin. Next, olive oil can go rancid if exposed to light or heat. Make sure the bottle the oil is in is dark in color to protect from light and that it’s not being stored on a shelf in direct sunlight.

Taste the Oil – if it’s an option we suggest trying the olive oil. This is the only real way to make sure it hasn’t gone rancid and while it won’t hurt you to eat a rancid oil, it will definitely give an off flavor to any of the dishes that you’re making. Olive oil should have a fresh, green taste like cut grass and have a peppery after taste.

Yet another reason to purchase from a specialty retailer is that they’re well-versed in proper storage of olive oil and also sell through their product more quickly ensuring that you’re getting a good oil. In addition, they’re likely to have open bottles and let you sample from them to make sure you’re getting the right product for your cooking or baking needs.

How Can I Use My Olive Oil?

Olive Oil is an extremely versatile oil and can be used in everything from deep frying to drizzled on top of a salad. Given the high smoke point of high-quality olive oils, you really can use it everywhere.

Our favorite ways to use it include marinating meat or vegetables in a mixture of oils and paired balsamic vinegars to really get the flavor deep into what you’re cooking. It can also be brushed or drizzled onto anything you’re grilling outside. Pairing an olive oil with a delicious balsamic vinegar and using them in combination as a salad dressing is another great option. If you aren’t much for cooking, and prefer to bake then swap out olive oil for butter or another oil to give your dish a rich flavor profile and also make it a little healthier. For specific recipes check out our website here – https://dolivotastingbar.com/recipe/

February 23, 2021

Myths About Olive Oil

As olive oil has become more popular over the years, there’s been an increase in the spreading of false information as well. At D’Olivo we believe in providing our customers with all of the relevant information that they need to make a great decision about purchases. To help with this, we’re highlighting and dispelling some of the top myths about olive oil.

Myth #1 – You Can’t Cook with Olive Oil at a High Heat

There are many who claim that olive oil isn’t a great choice for those who want to cook something at a high heat, and this simply isn’t true. In fact, one of the benefits of extra virgin olive oil is that it has a relatively high smoke point. Smoke point is the temperature at which an oil or fat begins to emit smoke, and the point at which degradation or the loss of nutrients can occur. Learn more about smoke point here.

If you visit us at D’Olivo we cover the smoke point of our oils as part of each tasting experience to help you make the best selection for your cooking needs.

Myth #2 – Where the Olive Oil Comes from is Most Important

While it’s important to pay attention to the label of your olive oil for a number of reasons, the production area of your olive oil isn’t a clear indication that it’s a more superior oil. In fact, the true test of the olive oils quality comes down to the production level. How a producer sources, handles, and packages the oil will play a very large role in ensuring quality.

We are proud to source all of our oils at D’Olivo from Veronica Foods who takes the utmost care in all areas of production. Olives used in production are sourced from a variety of locations to ensure the freshest fruit is used, depending on the time of year. In addition, each oil must meet 33 internal parameters to earn the Ultra Premium (UP) designation that all of our oils carry.

Myth #3 – The Quality of Olive Oil Can Be Seen in the Color

Another falsehood that many believe is that you’ll be able to tell the quality of the oil based on its color. The color of an oil is determined by many factors during production and a high quality oil can appear dark green, lighter yellow, and many that are freshly produced may even appear cloudy.

We recommend that you look for other factors to determine the quality of your oil including freshness, taste, how it’s packaged and stored, and we always recommend purchasing from a trusted retailer.

Myth #4 – Olive Oil is like Wine – Better With Age

While wine is one of those products that improves with age, olive oil is not. It’s actually extremely important to the quality of the oil that it be fresh. When purchasing an oil you want to pay attention to the harvest date on the label. Similarly, once you’ve opened your bottle of oil make sure that you use it up in a reasonable amount of time to ensure it doesn’t go rancid.

Myth #5 – All Olive Oil is Created Equal

While it would be great if this were true, it just simply isn’t the case. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the top of the line when it comes to oils. Made from the first pressing of olives, and done at temperatures below 85 degrees (cold-pressing) these oils maintain all of the health benefits of the olives themselves.

Other olive oils on the market that do not carry the extra virgin designation are more likely to be altered or mixed with a lower quality oil like canola or vegetable.

October 22, 2020October 13, 2020

Frequently Asked Questions About Olive Oil

The popularity of olive oil has grown significantly over the last several decades. So much so that an entire industry of fraud has cropped up around this well-known, and highly beneficial cooking oil. Because of the prominence it’s started to play we figured it would be worth touching briefly on some of the most frequently asked question about this delicious oil.

What is The Best Olive Oil?

The answer to this question can depend a lot on what you mean by the best. Of course, by our definition, the best oil you can find is one that is produced using only the purest of methods for extraction and maintains all of the beneficial health properties that olive oil is so well-known for. In this case, you want to find an oil that’s been extracted using no chemical treatment, and ideally produced using the first cold press of the olive. The first cold press ensures that the oil maintains all of the flavor profile and it’s nutritional properties. For more about the best tasting olive oils check out our blog The Best Tasting Olive Oil .

How Long Does Olive Oil Last?

If you’ve got an ancient bottle of olive oil in your cupboard and are wondering if it’s time to toss it, we’re here to help. Research suggests that olive oil is good for 20-24 months after it’s crush date. Of course this is for oils that are still sealed inside their bottle so once it’s been opened you’ll want to make sure you use it up in a few months.

What’s the Proper Storage Method for Olive Oil?

Proper storage for perishable items is a key component to making sure they last as long as they should. High quality olive oils is no exception. To ensure you’re taking the best care of your oil you’ll want to store it in a dark bottle, don’t expose it to too much air, and keep it away from heat. So if you’ve got a bottle that sits right on the counter in direct sunlight you might want to consider a new placement for your oil.

How Do You Know If Olive Oil Is Bad?

The first indication would be to smell your oil. A good oil should smell fresh and green while a rancid oil might smell waxy like crayons. Another sure way to find out is to taste your oil. If it’s still good it will taste like fresh green grass or ripe green olives. An oil that’s gone bad will taste like grease or nuts that have gone bad.

What Are the Health Benefits of Olive Oil?

The news that olive oil is good for your health has been making the rounds for a while now. How exactly does it help though? We explore 5 Proven Health Benefits of Olive Oil, but in short olive oil has been shown to have a positive impact on weight loss, cardiovascular health, cancer rates, diabetes, and more. You can find out more about the science of olive oil here.

How Can I Use Olive Oil?

The possibilities are endless! From cooking to baking to mixed drinks, you can truly use olive oil in a plethora of ways that will keep your adventures in the kitchen exciting. For inspiration you can explore our recipe section online.

Conclusion

At D’Olivo we’re passionate about sharing our knowledge about both olive oils, vinegars, and everything kitchen related. We’d love to have you visit us in store where we can walk you through a tasting of our wide selection of ultra premium oils and balsamic vinegars. Plus invite you to shop all of our kitchen essentials from Wusthof knives to Le Creuset cooking and bakeware.

July 23, 2019July 3, 2019

9 Things You Didn’t Know About Olive Oil

It’s all too easy to take olive oil for granted. Even though most people know that olive oil is more healthy than other alternatives (such as canola or vegetable oil), it’s still rarely viewed as more than a cooking ingredient.

Here at D’Olivo, we’ve made it our life mission to open the eyes of all we come in contact with and introduce them to the holistic (and delicious) world of olive oil. Think you know a lot about olive oil? We’re about to test your knowledge with 10 fun facts (some of which we didn’t even know!)

1. 11 Pounds of Olives = 1 Quart of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

You read that correctly – 11 POUNDS of freshly picked olives are needed to produce just one quart (32 ounces) of extra virgin olive oil. To further put that into perspective, most mature olive trees will only produce 33-44 pounds of olives each growing season.

That means each tree is only capable of producing between 3-4 quarts of extra virgin olive oil every year. This is one of the reasons EVOO fetches a higher price tag than other olive variants such as “light” or “pure”.

Because extra virgin olive oil is only made using oil obtained from the first press, growers can only produce so much each year.

2. The Average Olive Tree Lives For 300-600 Years

Since we were on the topic of olive trees, we figured we’d share the impressive life span these rather normal looking trees boast. Depending on where you get your olive oil from and the brand you buy, you could potentially be consuming olive oil from a tree that’s been around for 5+ generations!

It’s also worth noting that olive trees take years before they even begin producing fruit that can be used to make olive oil. Depending on the type of tree being grown, olive farmers may have to wait for as little as 3 years or as long as 12 years before they can use the fruit.

3. Flavor Directly Relates to Antioxidant Content

Have you ever tasted olive oil that was particularly….olive-y in flavor? If so, there’s a good chance it was extra virgin olive oil. As with many foods and ingredients in the culinary world, olives retain more flavor when they’re processed less.

Another added benefit of minimal processing is a higher concentration of beneficial properties – namely, antioxidants. In addition to being extremely healthy, antioxidants lend a distinctive bitterness to olive oil, which can be used to help distinguish between higher quality oils.

4. Olive Oil Lowers LDL & Raises HDL Cholesterol

When most people hear the word cholesterol, they automatically think it’s bad. This is only true when referring to LDL cholesterol (low density lipoprotein). When you have too much LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, you enter a higher risk of developing a harmful buildup of plaque in the arteries.

On the other hand, HDL cholesterol (high density lipoprotein) is good for you since it helps eliminate LDL cholesterol. Incorporating olive oil in your diet on a regular basis can help ensure your cholesterol profile remains healthy.

5. Greeks Consume 5.5 Gallons of Olive Oil Each Year

Coming out to just under a quarter cup of olive oil each day, Greeks easily top the chart when it comes to olive oil consumption. By comparison, the average US citizen consumes only ⅓ of a gallon of olive oil each year.

Even though that may seem like a lot of oil to consume in a single year, research has time and time again found Greeks to be some of the healthiest people on the planet. This is why the Mediterranean diet has become such a popular staple.

6. Olive Oil Has Anti-Cancer Properties

Because olive oil has been shown to be so beneficial in many areas of health, some may not be surprised to learn that it also has anti-cancer properties. In fact, olive oil has been found to have numerous anti-cancer agents, most of which come in the form of antioxidants.

Researchers became interested in olive oil relating to cancer when they discovered that populations largely sticking to the Mediterranean diet have some of the lowest instances of cancer on the planet.

7. Olive Oil Can Extend the Shelf Life of Baked Goods

Have you ever baked a large batch of cookies, muffins, or even bread only to find that the majority has gone bad before you eat it? As it turns out, by simply replacing butter or margarine in your baking recipes, you can dramatically increase the shelf life of your baked goods.

The vitamin E rich nature of olive oil helps to preserve freshness so you can enjoy your tasty muffins long after they’ve come out of the oven. However, because olive oil carries a stronger taste than butter, we recommend using only half the suggested amount.

8. Olive Oil May Help Lower Your Blood Pressure

Once again, those who regularly follow the Mediterranean diet also display some of the lowest instances of high blood pressure. Though research has yet to find any definitive reason for the link between olive oil consumption and low blood pressure, tens of thousands around the world have enjoyed this healing benefit.

In fact, some patients that have high blood pressure are able to reduce the number of medications they take by simply adding olive oil to their diets.

9. Green and Black Olives Are Actually The Same
The only difference between green and black olives is the level of ripeness when they’re harvested. Green olives are harvested early on so that they keep their signature green coat, while black olives are left on the tree for a longer period of time.

As an olive ripens, it begins to lose its green color and takes on a spectrum ranging from dark purple to black depending on when the farmer chooses to harvest. All of that being said, there is a difference in taste between green and black olives.

Green olives tend to be a little more on the bitter side while black olives contain more oil and less salt.