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Will the Real
“Extra Virgin” Olive
Oil
Please Stand Up
August 23, 2008
Will the Real Olive
Oil Please Stand Up
Real “extra virgin” olive oil made from healthy olives mechanically
pressed with an acidity level of less than 1% is what we want. However,
in 1996 the FDA found that 96% of the olive oils tested labeled 100%
olive oil were diluted with other oils such as corn, soy, hazelnut,
and sunflower. Because of their processing, these oils are toxic to
the body and not fit for human consumption. When olive oil is diluted
with these chemically treated and heated toxic oils all of the benefits
are rendered useless and the hybrid olive oil mix can now contribute
to health problems.
Is It Really “Extra
Virgin”?
Another study in Italy revealed that only 40% of the olive oils labeled
“extra virgin” actually met those standards.
Olive Oil Prepared
the Old Fashioned Way
Just because a bottle of olive oil may say pure and extra virgin and
is less than 1% acidity, that is no guarantee of its purity. To produce
real olive oil it needs to be done the old fashioned way which is to
grow them without chemicals, hand pick the best olives when mature,
wash them in pure uncontaminated water very carefully so as not to wash
away the beneficial vitamins, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and
other naturally occurring nutrients that protect against cardiovascular
disease and cancer, and then mill them within 24 to 48 hours of harvesting
with a stone wheel, or press them slowly in a mechanical press to avoid
heat.
Most Olive Oil is
Factory Produced
Because olive oil has received so much press about its benefits there
is an increased demand for it. This has caused a lot of producers to
use automation and mass production. To keep up with the demand machines
are used to harvest the olives, good along with the bad, including leaves
and twigs which should be separated before preparation. The transportation
and storage of the olives are such that they get badly damaged and moldy.
To separate the oil from the olives they are put in a centrifuge and
washed with hot water. This process washes away the health promoting
benefits of the antioxidants and other nutrients. As a result, the factory
produced olive oil will only have a shelf life of just a few months,
whereas olive oil that has been properly prepared and extracted the
old fashioned way can last for two to three years. To add insult to
injury a lot of the factory produced olive oil is diluted with other
cheaper processed oils. It can still be labeled pure olive oil on the
bottle because the FDA does not require that it be 100% olive oil.
Real Extra Virgin
Olive Oil and Its Many Benefits
Below is information about the many benefits from using real “extra
virgin” olive oil. This information was taken from a web site that provides
a source of real, not factory produced and diluted, olive oil that you
can obtain from a family who has been producing it the old fashioned
way in Sacramento, California since 1991. You can view the time line
at olive oil production
timeline.
Some Benefits of Real
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Medical Applications of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Are Infinite.
A study conducted by a group of biochemists from the University of Milan
concluded that about 1,000 substances are present in olive oil. The
finding may thus indicate that the many benefits of olive oil may not
be due from just a few components, but rather from a specific combination.
(Pedrotti, 32)
Rich in Antioxidants
Extra virgin olive oil is rich in antioxidants and helps to absorb vitamin
A, D, E, and K. (Schiaffino, 84)
Easy to Digest
Thanks to its composition, extra virgin olive oil extracted cold is
the fat that is simpler to digest. Rated 100% digestible vs. 83% sunflower,
57% sesame, 36% corn oil. (Pedrotti, 34)
Promotes Healthy Digestive
System
Olive oil promotes an anti-putrid action which fights intestinal fermentation
and regulates the bacteria in the intestines. It increases the movements
in contraction and relaxation of the muscle tissue of the intestines,
thus facilitating the movement of food. (Pedrotti, 36)
Reduces Risk of Breast
Cancer
A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, showed
that "women who used olive oil more than once a day, had a 25%
lower risk of breast cancer than women who used it less often."
Supports Healthy Development
of Infant Brain and Nerves
Olive oil affects positively the cerebral growth in babies. In fact,
one of the two fatty acids that make up the phospholipids that form
cerebral and nervous tissues are usually oleic acids, and olive oil
is about 73% oleic acid. Olive oil also has the same concentration of
linolenic acid of breast milk. (Schiaffino, 84)
Protects Against Cardiovascular
Disease
Olive oil prevents arteriosclerosis, myocardial stroke, and obesity;
lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) level and raising the good one (HDL)
that cleans the arteries. (Schiaffino, 82)
Supports Healthy Nervous
System
Olive oil is rich in linoleic acid which is an important element for
the development of the nervous system, especially in early childhood.
Linoleic acid also contributes in the regulation of the level of cholesterol
in the bloodstream and seems it cannot be created by the human body.
Therefore, it has to be introduced in the diet. (Pedrotti, 35)
Supports Healthy Bones/Fights
Osteoporosis
According to French researchers, olive oil seems to be necessary during
the growth of the body and also during the elder years to limit the
loss of calcium in the bones. Olive oil also favors the mineralization
and development of bones, thus fighting osteoporosis. Laval-Jeantet
demonstrate that the diets that most favor this effect are the ones
that contain olive oil. (Consiglio Oleico Internazionale, 92)
Slows the Aging Process
and Supports the Immune System
Moreover, some studies seem to demonstrate that extra virgin olive oil
carries the capacity of diminishing cellular aging and increase antiviral
defenses up to 40 times. (Schiaffino, 83) (Pedrotti, 37)
Real Olive Oil is
Very Stable for Cooking
Fedeli has demonstrated the stability of olive oil at high temperatures
of cooking and frying and Varela has justified that the digestibility
of food doesn't change with the heating in olive oil, not even after
ten trials repeated with fish or meat. From all of these findings it
seems we could conclude that olive oil is, because of its better resistance
to oxidative deterioration, best suited for frying. (Consiglio Oleico
Internazionale, 96)
Cold Extracted Real Olive Possesses Superior Nutritional Benefits
The heat and water are some of the most dangerous enemies of olive oil.
The complete cold extraction of the oil through the use of presses translates
in the extra virgin olive oil a bionutritional superiority and organoleptic
and a better conservation period than any other oil. (Pedrotti, 37)
Real Olive Oil is
Beneficial for the Skin
Beside the medical benefits, olive oil has also been used in the past
in cosmetology. In fact, for someone with dry skin, olive oil and avocado
make an excellent beautifying cream to apply to your face. (Schiaffino,
87)
Fights Wrinkles
For the face, twice a week, an application of olive oil and lemon juice
keeps wrinkles away. (Schiaffino, 87)
Supports Healthy Nails
If your nails break easily, leave your hands in a bath of warm olive
oil and then wash them with iodide alcohol. (Schiaffino, 86)
Whitens Teeth Naturally
To whiten your teeth, massage regularly the gums with your finger dipped
in olive oil. (Schiaffino, 86)
Reduces the Effects
of alcohol
Since olive oil coats your stomach, a tablespoon of olive oil before
an appetizer, will allow you to drink and remain sharp and sober for
a longer period. (Schiaffino, 87)
A Source of Real Olive
Oil
It can be a challenge trying to locate a high quality extra virgin olive
oil that has not been diluted. A good start is with Baraiani made on
a small family farm in the Central Valley of California. The olives
are grown without chemical pesticides, handpicked, carefully washed
and dried, and milled with a stone wheel within 24 hours of harvesting.
It is available at specialty food stores in California and can be purchased
over the internet at http://www.barianioliveoil.com.
They can also be contacted by phone at (415) 864-1917.
Sources for Olive Oil Benefits
Pedrotti, Walter. Olio Extravergine di Oliva.Spremuto a Freddo. Demetra S.r.l. 1st ed. Apr.1993. Sommacampagna.
Consiglio Oleico Internazionale. L'olivo, L'olio, L'oliva. Adicom, S.L. Madrid.
Schiaffino, Mariarosa. Un Filo D'Olio. Idealibri. Milano. 1991.
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