Olive Oil is so adaptable, yet its assortment of assets are often “untapped” by handful of individuals. The question we often hear from customers is what to do with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. They ask, "Is it for cooking or salad dressing?" Indeed those are some of the most common uses for Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but there are a variety of other uses as well.
In Europe, the Mediterranean countries especially, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is used as a finishing touch to add flavor, texture and complexity to dishes. Finishing a dish with Extra Virgin Olive Oil involves drizzling a little on the dish just before serving. Comparable to a pat of butter on a pancake, a small drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil can add a lot to grilled steak, chicken, fish, steamed vegetables or potatoes.
Consider These Alternative Options For Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
A lean steak can taste dry and need a little flavor boost. Adding salt can help, but all it does is to stimulate saliva. A robust Olive Oil for example, replaces the flavor that a well-marbled steak has and adds a complex, tenderness, and flavor. Top with a dusting of sea salt to bring out the flavor in both the Olive Oil and the steak.
Broiled chicken breast can be dry; that's why usually a great chef will create a nice sauce for the chicken. Dark meat chicken tastes better mainly because the meat contains more chicken fat, but lean white meat chicken leaves a dry feel in the mouth.
Finishing chicken breasts with a generous drizzle of a mild to medium olive oil, for example Koroneiki, a bit of lemon juice and a sprinkle of herbs creates a succulent and flavorful dish that is simple and healthy.
Because pork is such a lean meat, when a chop or tenderloin is well cooked, it will need the help of a sauce or other finisher. A delicate and fruity olive oil, such as our Arbequina, complements the pork and adds moistness.
Drizzling your popcorn with Extra Virgin Olive Oil provides a wonderful base for your custom seasoning blend. Or simply serving the popcorn alone with Extra Virgin Olive Oil will surely boost that bowl of popcorn into a delicious treat!
Stop, don’t add the extra cheese to pizza; our Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar experts suggest that you drizzle a pungent Olive Oil, to add a little something to the entire pie…from crust to sauce to toppings!
Olive Oil is wonderful as a finisher when you want to add a touch of European flare to a dish. A breaded veal cutlet topped with an egg is a la Holstein, but when finished with fresh, peppery olive oil, it becomes Veal Scallopini.
Broiled chicken in barbecue sauce is as American as the apple pie dessert, but with a Greek olive oil, some lemon and oregano, it changes to Greek chicken.
The possibilities are truly endless! Finish your favorite dish with a drizzle of your favorite extra virgin olive oil and taste the difference.
The health benefits of olive oil include the assistance with treatments such as:
It has been used for quite sometime now. Furthermore, It is an essential ingredient for a handful of culinary preparations and also serves a variety of medicinal purposes.
Olive Oil is know to help in lowering of the bad cholesterol level in our blood, as it is rich in monounsaturated fats. The extra virgin olive oil variety contains the highest level of antioxidant polyphenols and oleic acid. It is thus a healthy option compared to other vegetable oils.
Unfortunately, since olive oil has a good amount of calories, it should be used in moderate amounts for the best health results. The FDA recommends 2 tablespoons every day to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Essential Sources: Olive oil, as we all know, is an essential fruit oil, which we get from the olive tree crop found mainly in the Mediterranean regions. It is applied with cooking purposes, developing cosmetic products and soaps, for medicinal purposes, and as pharmaceutical supplements. Some popular olive oils include the following:
Health Benefits Of Olive Oil
It has various beneficial qualities. Apart from being an exceptional cooking aid, it is also known to have distinct medicinal qualities. Some of them are as follows:
Reduce Heart Problems: Natural olive oil contains 70% monounsaturated fatty acid. As a result, it lowers cholesterol accumulation in the blood and reduces heart problems. Additionally, it reduces the LDL, while at the same time increasing the HDL levels.
Blood Cholesterol: LDL cholesterol is not the good type of cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart attacks and pulmonary heart disease. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is rich in almost 40 antioxidant chemicals, helps reduce the oxidation effects of LDL cholesterol.
Weight Loss: Medical experts suggest that it is very difficult to gain weight from the mono-unsaturated fats present in olive oil. Furthermore, experiments involving Mediterranean olive oil have shown positive results in regards to a reduction in human body weight.
Metabolism: Olive oil boosts the metabolism, the growth of great bone structure, and brain development in children. It is an incredible source of vitamin E, which is very beneficial for older people.
Anti-inflammatory: The phenols present in olive oil have anti-inflammatory properties.
Digestion: Olive oil is known to aid in the digestive process. It is used as a medicinal oil to clean the digestive tract and to improve bowel movements.
Aging Process: Rich in antioxidants, olive oil slows the natural aging process of the human body. Used in cosmetic products and natural herbal therapy, it does wonders for the skin, which gets a natural shine and glow from the enriching oil.
Prevention of Gallstones: Olive Oil is also effective in preventing gallstones.
Healthy Cell Walls: Olive Oil contains polyphenol which helps in stronger cell walls. It also increases the elasticity of arterial walls, protecting against various heart conditions.
Cancer: Olive oil is said to protect the human body against cancerous growth, especially bowel cancer.
Medical research done at the prestigious Oxford University has shown positive signs that the acidic content of this oil can prevent the commencement of rectum and bowel cancer.
Breast cancer: Recent research study suggests that hydroxytyrosol, a major component of olive oil may help prevent breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
Hypertension: Recent research study suggests that Mediterranean diet comprising of food rich in unsaturated fats (found in olive oil and nuts) and nitrite and nitrate (found in leafy green vegetables) may help protect you from hypertension.
There are several grades of olive oil, according to the flavor, aroma, acidic value and color. Readers are advised to purchase authentic oil with proper evaluation for cooking or medicinal purposes.
