There are real legends about the benefits of olive oil . It not only relieves the body of cholesterol and prevents the development of cardiovascular failure, but also prolongs youth. That is why the Greeks and Italians, who are considered pioneers and the best manufacturers of such a unique product, live much longer than ordinary people. And they use it both for deep-fried cooking, baking, and for heating food in a pan. But how to choose the cooking oil (olive)? And what to look for when buying a product?
Look for butter with a good pedigree
If you decide to purchase a really high-quality oil, pay attention to its “pedigree”. In particular, some Italian manufacturers transfer their business to their family members, therefore, their company has a long history. For example, the Monini clan is considered the most famous.
Representatives of this family own several large olive groves located in Umbria. It is known that Monini not only produce the best olive oil for frying, muffins and salads, but also carefully monitor its quality.
According to the producers themselves, they personally, almost manually, select each crop and test the finished product before it gets into the bottles.
Read the label carefully
If you pay attention to the oil label, you can learn more not only about its composition and manufacturer, but also about which category it belongs to. For example, the following words may be present on a bottle:
- extra virgin;
- virgin;
- refined
- pomace.
Extra virgin from this list is considered the most elite. This is an olive oil for frying, which is better to spend a little. The fact is that this product is first-pressed oil and is considered the most concentrated. If you taste it, you can catch vivid notes of astringency and perspiration in the larynx. Moreover, it is precisely these taste qualities that indicate the freshness and value of a product for the preparation of which heat treatment has not been used.
And although extra virgin can be used for frying, it is still better to use it for salads, baking or when added to cosmetics to improve skin and hair. By the way, the price of such a high-quality oil is very biting. For example, in Italy you need to pay at least 10 euros for such a product.
Features and differences of virgin and refined oils
Virgin is also one of the best plant foods. However, it is somewhat inferior in taste, color and aroma described above. In general, frying in olive oil of this type will bring you complete pleasure, as it does not foam and does not splash. And most importantly, you can fry (in contrast to sunflower oil) several times in the same oil.
Refined, or refined oil, takes an honorable third place in the above line. It is also considered good and is classified as a high-quality herbal natural product.
That's just, unlike the two previous types, a certain cleaning technology was used in its preparation, which somewhat reduces the characteristics of the oil. In addition, according to well-known manufacturers, during the preparation of such a product, not selected olives are used, but everything in a row, including spoiled ones. Therefore, it is suitable for frying oil (olive, and everything else - refined).
What is pomace oil made from?
According to many oil producers, olive has virtually no waste, since literally all of them go into business. This statement perfectly reflects the essence of the product marked pomace. It turns out that for the production of such a product, oil is extracted from the remains of olives, which were previously squeezed and used to prepare another variety. At the same time, such a cake is additionally treated with a special solution, placed under a press or subjected to a centrifuge.
And although a small amount of useful antioxidants is present in such oil, it is significantly inferior to all other types of product in terms of taste. In addition, for greater effect, manufacturers can add cotton and sunflower oil to pomace . Despite all this, such olive oil for frying (you can find out how to choose it from this article) is suitable. Least of all is it for salads. But for baking flour products, you can use it.
Look at the geography of production
Almost always, the product packaging contains information not only about the country of manufacture, but even about the region. So, such countries as Greece, Italy and Spain are considered the best suppliers and manufacturers of oil. It is there that there are all the necessary geographical and climatic conditions for good growth and ripening of olive fruits.
Meanwhile, each of these countries has its own regions, which are leaders in the production of high-quality olive products. Moreover, each particular city has its own taste and other features. For example, in Liguria (northern region of Italy) they produce transparent cooking oil (olive oil is best suited for this process) of light light green color.
The Umbrian product, according to numerous reviews, has a special aroma and dark color. In addition, many housewives claim that it is in Sicily that they produce dark, sometimes cloudy and thick oil, which is distinguished by excellent taste and a wealth of nutrients.
Which oil is considered ideal?
Such olive oil for frying and for salads is called ideal, in which the whole process of harvesting, processing and squeezing fruits, including production itself, took place in one region and in one country. In addition, the manufacturer of the finished product should also be the packer. How can I find out?
In order to find out such information, you should again look at the label. For example, it may be marked with PDO / DOP. It means that the entire process of manufacturing the product was carried out in the same place.
IGP - this marking means that the product was manufactured in one place, but, for example, packaged in another. At the same time, this oil meets all European standards. And finally, there is a third type of labeling - Bio. It shows that no genetically modified foods were used in the manufacture of this oil. Moreover, the processing of olive from pests was carried out using exclusively natural remedies.
Olive frying oil: look at the level of acidity
Another important point to consider when choosing olive oil in a store is the so-called acidity indicator. It is noteworthy that such information is also on the label. What is acidity in oil?
The whole thing is in its composition, that is, in each product there is a certain number of free fatty acids that contribute to the destruction of the cells of our body. And the less such acids, the higher the quality of the oil. For example, in extra virgin such substances - a little less than 0.8%.
In refined, this figure corresponds to the mark of 0.5%. But here is the paradox: this percentage, although it looks less than the previous one, is associated with the loss of an important nutrient. So, in the process of heat treatment, this oil loses oleic acid, which is an irreplaceable participant in the proper metabolism in our body.
User reviews and cooking recommendations
It is enough to read the reviews of the housewives, who are regularly cooked in olive oil. For example, many women buy exclusively virgin. According to them, it can be fried "at least 10-20 times." It gives salads a unique aroma and taste. There are also lovers of the product marked refined. For them it is an excellent ratio of quality and price. It is added to pastries, salads, vegetables are fried on it.
Some users recommend refined for frying meat and vegetables, and pomace for fish. Salads, according to them, are better prepared in virgin or extra virgin.
When to opt out of olive oil?
At the moment, the number of manufacturers of the described product is off the charts, so many buyers have a problem with which olive oil for frying, baking or salads to choose for home. And if you carefully study all our tips, this problem will be exhausted. But only occasionally there are times when it is still worth abandoning the purchase of oil. For example, if it indicates the country of origin in which a priori olive trees do not grow.
It is necessary to refuse the purchase even if the manufacturer’s address is not on the label. Companies that have nothing to fear are usually given a full address with contact numbers and even email. The same goes for products with too small a font, which may cause problems when reading. Do not buy oil whose acidity exceeds 0.8% or is absent altogether.
Do not purchase a product with a dubious odor and floating third-party elements. For example, even high-quality oil when placed in the cold can get white flakes. And, of course, you do not need to choose a product, despite the tempting reduced price, which has expired (or is about to expire) expiration date.
In a word, be vigilant. And do not hesitate to study the label for a long time, despite the seller’s disapproving looks and sighs.