The goodness of olive oil lies in extraction

There is no lack of variety as there are about 700 varieties of olives grown. There are different grades of olives and they vary in their anti-oxidant content. Interestingly, it has been found that the superior and more popular varieties of olives also tend to be high in their antioxidant content.

The quality of the oil can also be gauged by the extraction process. The first grade of olive oil, more commonly referred to as virgin oil, is produced using only physical means and no chemical processes. It is more like squeezing the juice from a fruit rather than through an industrial process.

The second grade olive oil, known as refined oil, is chemically treated to neutralise the strong tastes (characterised as defects) and to also neutralize the acid content. Refined oil is commonly regarded as lower quality than virgin oil. If the retail labels mentions virgin olive oil, it should not contain any refined oil.

The third grade, “pomace olive oil” is extracted from the pulpy residue left behind after the two prior processes. The extraction process requires chemical solvents and the application of heat. This explains why the “pomace” oil is not much sought after. Today, we know that olive oil is the only edible oil where seventy per cent of its fatty acids are of the monounsaturated kind. Canola oil, mustard oil and peanut oil are the other oils with a high monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) ratios, but not as high as olive oil.

Those suffering from diabetes and coronary heart disease do benefit from consumption of a MUFA rich oil in the prescribed amounts. There is some new evidence regarding the benefits of this oil. It seems that olive oil has a role in getting rid of Helicobacter pylori infections, which is a common bacterial infection of the gut with symptoms such as heartburn, acidity, pain in the abdomen.

There are also some studies to show that consumption of olive oil may retard gallstone formation. All in all, a good oil to use in its pristine and virgin form!

(Next week: Common queries on olive oil)

nsingh.rxpress@ expressindia.com