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.

June 6, 2019May 9, 2019

Olive Oil Nutrition

If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you’re wanting to know how olive oil can be so healthy but so calorie-dense at the same time. After all, clocking in at roughly 120 calories per tablespoon is no joke, especially considering that some people use olive oil much in the same way they use America’s favorite condiment – ketchup.

So, in this article, we’re going to be taking an in-depth look at the nutrition behind what’s largely considered to be the healthiest oil on Earth.

What is Olive Oil?

Dating back more than 4,000 years, olive oil has managed to make its way into practically every country and culture around the world. Originating from the Mediterranean region, the craft of turning olives into olive oil has been passed down for generations. In fact, it’s because of this that these regions continue to produce some of the highest quality olive oil you’ll find anywhere.

As with any fruit or vegetable, in order to get the highest quality olive oil, you have to understand the importance of how the olives are grown. Now, you may be wondering, why should I care about the way olives are grown? I came here to learn about the nutrition facts.

As it turns out, not all olives have the same nutrient profile. Even though the calories may appear identical, the beneficial nutrients that aren’t listed on the nutrition label are largely determined by the quality of the olives themselves.

Everything from the way the trees are groomed and the olives are picked to how they’re transported and processed plays a key role in establishing the quality of the finished product. For example, buying olive oil from the Mediterranean region that states it was made from “hand-picked” or “tree” olives it a strong indicator that the farmer places special care into every step of the production process.

While this may take a little extra legwork if you’re buying olive oil from a large supermarket chain, the nutritional benefits can be night and day.

Olive Oil Nutrition

Because fat has been labeled public enemy number one for more than a decade, a lot of people get turned off by olive oil when they see that it’s composed almost entirely of fat. We’re here to show you that the fat, in addition to other unlisted nutrients, found in olive oil is actually healthy.

1. Let’s Talk Healthy Fats

Though the numbers can vary slightly from bottle to bottle, in most cases, a tablespoon of olive oil will net you 125 calories and 14 grams of fat (about 22% of your daily value). To arrive at this number, simply multiply each gram of fat by 9 – the number of calories one gram of fat equates to in the body.

While that may seem like a bit much for a single tablespoon, it’s important to understand the type of fat that’s in olive oil. On average, the 14 grams is largely comprised of both monounsaturated fats (between 6-7 grams) and polyunsaturated fats (about 4-5 grams). These “good fats” are responsible for all kinds of beneficial happenings in the body, when consumed in moderation, of course.

Some of the benefits include lowering bad cholesterol levels in the blood which can reduce your risk of heart disease or stroke, aiding with the creation and maintenance of cells, as well as provide the body with vitamin E, one of the most powerful antioxidants in the body.

2. Get Your Dose of Antioxidants

Even though you won’t find these listed anywhere on the nutrition facts label, olive oil is simply packed with beneficial antioxidants that help keep the body in good health. The first one we’re going to touch on is the widely important fat-soluble vitamin E.

While it’s considered a vitamin, E is also an incredibly important antioxidant that helps to balance cholesterol, fight the damaging effects of free radicals, and slow the body’s natural aging process by aiding with skin repair, to name a few.

Up next we have oleocanthal and oleuropein, two of olive oil’s main antioxidants that help with things like reducing inflammation and anti-oxidation. This is incredibly important since both chronic inflammation and oxidation are largely believed to contribute to a variety of diseases.

In fact, countless studies have found evidence that suggests olive oil has the ability to reduce inflammatory markers such as C-Reactive Proteins.

3. The Power of Polyphenols

Polyphenols, though technically classified as a phytochemical, commonly fall under the same umbrella as antioxidants due to their beneficial activity in the body. Primarily found in extra virgin olive oil, polyphenols are powerful fighters against free radicals and oxidation, both of which affect how quickly you age as well as increase your risk of developing different diseases.

Unlike the other beneficial compounds we’ve been talking about, polyphenols are only found in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) due to the minimal processing. Because EVOO is processed the least out of all the different types, it’s able to retain nearly all of the beneficial properties.

This is why extra virgin olive oil is considered the highest quality olive oil you can buy, and why they demand a higher price tag.

Are You Ready?

Now that you’ve learned all about the various nutritional components olive oil can contain, you probably don’t feel as bad about using it in some of your favorite dishes, right?

When consumed in moderation, olive oil has proven to be a powerful, natural ingredient that bolsters your health and protects against ailments. Here at D’Olivo, we’ve made it our mission to share the holistic benefits of olive oil with as many customers as we possibly can.

It’s for that very reason we carry ultra premium olive oil, sourced from only the highest quality olives and processed using the strictest of standards. Shop online or come visit us in store to experience the D’Olivo difference!