How to Spot Fake Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Olive oil is a hot topic in the media, on the internet and in the health and foodie communities. You've probably heard about the health benefits of this healing oil but then you find out that many of the bottles in the grocery store contain fake extra virgin olive oil. You know that not all olive oil is created equal, so here are a few tips on how to spot the fake and the real extra virgin olive oil.
- Look for a harvest date on the bottle and the words ‘first, cold pressed'. First pressed means that the olive has only been pressed once. Cold pressed means that no heat has been used, which will lower the nutritional value of the oil.
- Look for the % of full fatty acids on the label. To be classed as Extra Virgin Olive Oil, this level must be lower than 0.8% but the lower it is, the better the quality of oil.
- Do a taste test. Although this is difficult to do in a grocery store, when you open your bottle and sample your oil for the first time, look out for the peppery kick at the back of your throat. This is the sign that there are anti-oxidants in your grand aroma olive oil and these will bring life and health to your body!
- Finally trust your senses, if the oil smells and tastes greasy, flavorless or rancid, it’s definitely not real. Real Extra Virgin Olive Oil will enhance your meals and bring out the flavor of the ingredients.
Watch Vitina in the video below as she walks you through a simple taste test for real Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil increases the nutrient content of your food.
Most nutrients (vitamins and minerals) are fat soluble. In other word, adding fats facilitates absorption.
Most nutrients (vitamins and minerals) are fat soluble. In other word, adding fats facilitates absorption.
What is Oleocanthal?
Oleocanthal is one of thirty phenolic compounds found in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, that is responsible for the bitterness, pungency and what we like to call ‘the peppery kick’, as this liquid gold hits the back of your throat. Since its discovery, numerous studies have been performed to find out the health benefits of oleocanthal and its beneficial effect on human wellbeing.
Esther Milne
Author