Learn The Essential Health Benefits of Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil
Both Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil contain antioxidants which are known to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, Olive Oil is a great source of vitamins K and E, as well as healthy unsaturated fats.
Balsamic Vinegar on the other hand, is low in calories and may help lower your blood sugar, according to the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition."
The Basics Of Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
‘True’ Balsamic Vinegar is made from specific Italian grapes -- Trebbiano or Lambrusco -- these quality aged grapes are usually aged for at least 12 years in wooden barrels. The resulting vinegar is dark, thick, slightly sweet and most of the time, expensive.
Poor quality, commercially prepared Balsamic Vinegars are quickly fermented, generally contain additional ingredients and do not have the same rich, complex, thick flavor.
Olive Oil production is typically regulated to make sure that extra-virgin olive oil is cold-pressed and made only from high-quality olives. Generic Olive Oil tastes bland by comparison because it is created from low-quality olives and uses chemical solvents to extract the oil.
Healthy Fats From Olive Oils
Usually, one tablespoon of Olive Oil has 119 calories and 13.5 grams of fat. On average 73 percent of those fats are monounsaturated and another 10 percent are polyunsaturated.
Both types are known to lower your levels of cholesterol and help take down inflammation. Additionally, the polyunsaturated fats include about 0.1 gram of omega-3 and 1.1 gram of omega-6 fatty acids.
Vitamin E And Olive Oil
One tablespoon of Olive Oil provides 1.9 milligrams, or 13 percent of your suggested daily allowance of vitamin E. This vitamin goes to work as an antioxidant that protects fats by neutralizing free radicals before they damage fat cells.
This job is critical because fatty acids support your immune system and securely carry cholesterol through your blood. In addition, fats form a protective barrier in your skin, where they are more vulnerable to free radicals produced from exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Weight Management and Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar only has 14 calories in 1 tablespoon. Moreover, it may lower blood sugar after you eat, which helps prevent Type 2 diabetes, as well as stops weight gain that results when extra sugar is stored as fat, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Polyphenols + Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil
Both Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil contain plant-based antioxidants known as polyphenols. Polyphenols in Olive Oil:
- Help prevent inflammation
- Lower blood pressure
- And may inhibit the formation of blood clots that cause hardening of the arteries
...according to a study published in "Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology."
The polyphenols in Balsamic Vinegar may serve a role comparable to vitamin E, neutralizing free radicals before they harm fats that transport cholesterol.
Serving Tips With Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil
A vinaigrette of Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oilis ideal over green beans, asparagus, broccoli and beets. Try making a stir-fry of mushroom, onions and broccoli seasoned with Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil.
Our Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Experts highly recommend that you experiment with a handful of proportions of vinegar to oil, depending on how you use it. To marinade a roasted chicken, you may want more oil and less balsamic vinegar.
Try simmering a larger amount of Balsamic Vinegar until it’s reduced by about half, then add a little Olive Oil and use it to glaze carrots.