Olive oil is a healthy liquid fat obtained from pressing olives.
The highest quality olive oil is extra virgin which must be totally unprocessed and kept below 23,8889 degrees Celsius at all times during the mechanical extraction process.
It must also meet strict chemical criteria as defined by the International Olive Oil Council and adopted by the European Union and USDA, but must also have perfect flavour and aroma as determined by a certified tasting panel. Please look at ''quality parameters'' page for more information.
Olive trees are an iconic and integral part of the Italian landscape.
No other country is more highly associated with olive oil than Italy, from the romantic images of olive groves in Apulia, to the dominant role olive oil plays in nearly every Italian recipe, including desserts, as well in the Mediterranean diet for which olive oil is the undisputed star.
Italy is leader in the production of extra virgin olive oil.
A nice dish is usually paired with an excellent wine. It is equally important to decide to prepare it using an extraordinary extra virgin Italian olive oil.
Choosing between the different types of light, medium and intense flavours, the one that can best suit the dish you are planning to make can turn a good dish into a great dish.
Extra virgin olive oil benefits are recognized at many levels including official institutions like FDA.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will allow all olive oil bottles to carry a new “qualified health claim” on their labels.
Extra virgin olive oil producers may now choose to advertise their product as a heart-healthy alternative to animal-based fats for cooking and food preparation.
“Supportive but inconclusive scientific evidence suggests that daily consumption of about 1.5 tablespoons of oils containing high levels of oleic acid may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease”, Scott Gottlieb, the head of the agency, wrote in a blog post.
About two tablespoons a day taken on a regular basis, combined with the Mediterranean diet, extra virgin olive oil lowers the level of cholesterol, prevents cardiovascular disease, protects the liver, promotes digestion, regulates the intestine, and nourishes the skin and scalp.
Extra virgin olive oil is a natural liquid containing polyphenols, the valuable antioxidants found in no other edible oil, which is thought to be responsible for the low incidence of heart disease associated with the Mediterranean diet.
Extra virgin olive oil nutrition fats
One tablespoon of olive oil (14g) contains the following nutritional information:
Calories 120
Total Fat 14 g
- Saturated Fat 2.2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 1.8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 10 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
Total Carbohydrates 0 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugar 0 g
Cholesterol 0 g
Sodium 0 g
Potassium 0 g
Protein 0 g
Fats are an integral part of a healthy diet, and EVOO is the healthiest fat.
Olive oil contains no carbohydrates or protein. All of its' calories come from fat, mostly monounsaturated, making it an extremely heart healthy addition to your diet.
One tablespoon of olive oil contains about 119-120 calories and 14 grams of fat, making it a high calorie food product. The good news is that the fat is healthy, mostly monounsaturated, around 6.7 grams and polyunsaturated, 4.6 grams. A small amount of calories come from saturated fat. But, although the fat is the healthy kind, you should still portion control your olive oil. Use it moderately in cooking and dressing food. And if you are using it in a single serving, note that one serving of fat is about one teaspoon of olive oil.