How to Choose the Best Olive Oil

If there is a precious commodity currently in supermarkets, it’s olive oil. This basic ingredient of Mediterranean cuisine takes your dishes to the next level. But let's start at the beginning. Olive oil is one of the fundamental elements of the Mediterranean diet and has a long history. It is proven that thousands of years ago men knew how to extract juice from olive to obtain it and use it both for cooking and for other uses.

We are so used to having this product in the shopping cart that we hardly realize that it is essential. Despite everything, we know very little about this oil, beyond its use for almost everything in the Mediterranean diet. We could start by noting that supermarkets sell three different types of olive oil. There is the category of olive oil, virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil.

Considering these three categories, we can establish a first classification. Olive oil exclusively contains olive oils subjected to refining treatment and oils obtained from olives. Virgin olive oil is an olive oil obtained directly from olives and only through mechanical procedures.

Virgin olive oil is the juice of the olive. It is obtained mechanically, placing the olive in a press that crushes it and extracts its juice. If the oil is not obtained through this traditional process, it cannot be considered virgin.

The secret of a good extra virgin olive oil is that it has no secrets. Extra virgin olive oil is pure olive juice. No more. The extra virgin olive oil is of a superior category, obtained directly from olives exclusively through mechanical procedures. It is healthier and its flavour is better. It is also the most expensive, although the price difference is not very large.

The quality of olive oil depends on the quality of the olive and the speed of the production process. It is worth noting that the most purchased by consumers is virgin olive oil. However, this type of oil is not usually in all supermarkets. Then, the virgin olive, the extra, are those of a higher category. The difference, as explained, is trivial: if it has a defect, it is not extra and if it does not it is.

In the article, we give you the keys to choose the best brand of virgin olive oil.

Don't look for savings, look for quality

You go to the supermarket in search of olive oil. Don't look at the price, look at the quality. Yes, you read that right: don't look at the price. What should you look for to buy one brand or another of olive oil? The taste. Buy extra virgin, we recommend it for these reasons:

• Its flavour is superior.
• If you buy with your pocket in mind, you will lose quality and only save a few rupees.
• Extra virgin is much healthier than other olive oils.

Value the quality

"The most important thing about extra virgin olive oil is its flavour." To fully appreciate the taste of an oil, it is best to do a tasting at home. Take a tablespoon of an extra virgin and chew it slowly and gently until your tongue is well soaked. "A fruity, bitter and slightly spicy flavour is a sign of a good oil made with healthy olives.

Don't focus on the colour. It is the least important thing. The tastings are done in blue glasses so that the taster does not notice the colour of the olive oil. The colour of an extra virgin is not related to its quality, but rather to the month in which the olive was harvested.

Can You Fry With Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Dress your salads and your dishes with extra virgin olive oil. Even the simplest dish has an exquisite flavour. You can also use extra virgin olive oil for frying. It is being used more and more in frying because it is healthier, more aromatic and tastier than vegetable oils. But in addition to gaining health, if you cook with extra virgin, you save money.

If the oil has not deteriorated during the first frying, it can be reused. To do this, you have to strain it after cooking using a piece of paper or gauze. It withstands high temperatures very well without degrading. It gives dishes aroma, flavour and texture. Likewise, in extra virgin olive oils we find a great variety of nuances.

Is olive oil actually healthier?

Virgin olive oil is good for health. To start with one: consuming it frequently can reduce the chances of suffering a heart attack. It is known as liquid gold due to its numerous properties. It is one of the healthiest fats that exist and one of the most appreciated treasures in nutrition.

It has been shown that EVOO (acronym for extra virgin olive oil) prevents the appearance of cardiovascular pathologies, regulates intestinal transit and collaborates in the formation of brain tissue. And its benefits do not end there. It also contributes to bone development by promoting calcium absorption, is an antioxidant, provides fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K and E) and regulates cholesterol levels. Few foods give more for less.

Olive oil is good for health due to its high content of monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, which reduce the level of bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. The more virgin the oil, the higher the concentration of these substances. That is to say: extra virgin olive oil is the healthiest of all.

Dress or cook your dishes with extra virgin every day. To have a healthy and balanced diet you should consume olive oil between 3 and 6 times a day. Some EVOOs are fruity, others bitter, others aromatic, some sweet and sometimes with almond flavours.

How to choose the best olive oil?

First golden rule: make it extra virgin. Any other type of olive oil is a refined oil that will not have the properties of EVOO. The extra virgin are oils that are made with cold extraction, that is, at less than 27ºC and that lack organoleptic defects.

When buying it, in the first place it is better to choose extra virgin olive oils whose packaging is opaque. EVOO oxidizes quickly and because of this, it is best to preserve it from light.

Another important issue is to buy an oil that indicates the date of packaging. With a good container and at the right temperature, EVOO keeps well for a year. It can even last in good shape for up to two years (depending on the variety) if storage conditions have been good. Beyond that time, it is better not to buy or consume it.

Saffola Aura Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The flavour of olives is perceived from the aroma it gives off. The Saffola Aura Extra Virgin Olive Oil that I purchased from Fittify is a gift for the senses. Its aroma is elegant and wild at the same time. Its balanced flavour is the perfect harmony between bitter and sweet and is ideal for your freshest dishes. It also has a small bitter touch and something spicy at the end, which delights our palates.

I use it raw especially. It makes simple boiled vegetables delicious. I also use it to dress salads. I must say that the price is also very good. It is a really very good extra virgin olive oil and absolutely delicate and adapts to any food and preparation with inviting aroma and colour and fruity, not “sour” at all. It is particularly light.

Excellent raw and for cooking, I have not found any defects and it will become a product to keep in the kitchen. With exceptional value for money, scent of fresh and ripe olives, very balanced taste with an average persistence, I recommend it for daily use!

This Extra Virgin Olive Oil is tasty at the right point, with the right degree of acidity. It is suitable for dressing salads, but it is also excellent for cooking. Its fruity flavour, with a slight bitter and spicy touch, makes it an essential in your kitchen.