Vegetable oils are an excellent source for natural fats and other beneficial substances. The most common types of oils include rapeseed and sunflower. But there is another useful product - olive oil, the benefits and harms of which are of great importance for the human body. It is used not only in cooking, but also in medicine and cosmetology.
Composition of olive oil
This oil is made using cold pressing method. The main ingredients are fresh olives and black olives. They are harvested only from November to March, as these fruits undergo an oxidation process very quickly. The chemical composition of olive oil includes a large number of different vitamins, acids and trace elements, These include:
It is especially useful for pregnant women, as it contributes to the proper formation of the fetus. It also fights the formation of stretch marks on the body and cellulite.
Benefit and harm
Due to the large number of useful elements, this product has a positive effect on health. The benefits of olive oil are very diverse.:
This product is also actively used in cosmetology. Olive oil is often included in various creams, masks and balms. With its help, massage procedures and therapeutic rubbing are carried out, as it is able to moisturize the skin and accelerate the removal of harmful substances from the body. Excessive consumption of the product can lead to some negative consequences. The main negative features are:
- Choleretic effect. That is why doctors do not recommend using it for people suffering from cholecystitis, as the disease can worsen;
- High calorie. 100 grams of the product contains about 1000 calories, so you need to take it in small quantities;
When choosing olive oil, it is important to pay attention to the condition of the packaging and the expiration date, as a low-quality or old product can harm the body.
unrefined product
This oil is very fragrant and rich. Unrefined olive oil is the healthiest kind of olive product. Its difference lies in the fact that during its production it does not undergo a purification process. Key Benefits for Human Health:
Rules of use
To cope with excess weight and improve the functioning of the body, you need to take the product on an empty stomach. One tablespoon is enough for prevent the development of a large number of diseases, especially related to the work of the digestive system.
How to accept, each person decides for himself. Someone uses it during cooking, and someone - for medicinal or cosmetic purposes. It is great for dressing salads, stewing various foods and frying at high temperatures. The usefulness also lies in its regenerating and moisturizing properties, which are actively used to create cosmetics.
Since ancient times, olive oil has been considered one of the most useful vegetable oils in the world, it is called nature's medicine, the gift of the gods. Is it really? Residents of countries where this magical food product is produced and used every day in their diet retain beauty, youth and good health for a long time.
The chemical composition of olive oil
Olive oil is made by pressing the crushed pulp of fresh olives. During the period from November to March, olives are harvested and harvested. It is very important to harvest and process it as quickly as possible in order to obtain pure high-quality oil, since after harvesting, oxidation of olives occurs very quickly. When oxidized, the quality of the resulting product may deteriorate. Olive oil of the highest quality, that is, the first cold pressing, consists of mono-unsaturated fatty acids:
- 60-80% of all fatty acids belong to oleic acid, omega 9
- 4-14% linoleic acid, omega 6
- 15% palmitic and other saturated fatty acids (steatico, palmitelaiko)
- 0.01-1% omega 3
- 0.0-0.8% peanut and fragrant
In addition, the composition of olive oil includes a number of compounds:
- polyphenols, phenols and phenolic acids
- squalia (prevent the development of oncology, especially breast cancer)
- terpene alcohols
- sterols and β-sitesterol (found only in olive oil and they prevent the formation of cholesterol)
- tocopherols
- Extra virgin olive oil contains vitamin E, A, D, K.
Only first cold pressed oil is considered natural, useful and of high quality. To preserve the beneficial properties of this product, it should be used only during the first months after production and it should not be subjected to heat treatment, that is, stew, fry on it. Many professional chefs around the world, of course, widely use it for frying food, it is more stable when frying, but all the useful properties of even 100% high-quality oil are lost. If we are talking about the benefits and harms of olive oil, then only fresh first cold-pressed oil for steamed vegetables and cold dishes has its inherent beneficial properties.
Useful properties of olive oil
All the beneficial properties of the oil are determined by its constituent substances. Since olive oil is mainly composed of unsaturated fats (oleic fatty acid), when using vegetable oil instead of animal fats in a person's daily diet, the level of bad cholesterol in the blood is significantly reduced (see). And also its moderate use serves, obesity, cardiovascular diseases.
- Vitamin E, which is part of it, is a highly active antioxidant, which helps the body in the fight against skin aging, improves hair growth and the condition of nails, and is a prevention of the development of cancer.
- Vitamin A, K, D in combination with vitamin E help strengthen tissues, intestinal muscles, and the skeletal system. Therefore, it is very useful for children.
- Phenols, which are present in the composition of the oil, strengthen the immune system and slow down the aging process.
- Linoleic acid has a very positive effect on vision, improves coordination of movements, tissue regeneration, rapid healing of wounds and burns.
- Scientists have proven that oleic acid is able to stimulate a gene that inhibits the active growth of cancer cells, which reduces the risk of cancer.
- Olive oil is very well, almost 100% absorbed by the human body.
Olive oil is very useful for the digestive system - it has a mild laxative effect, which allows many people to deal with constipation (see), and hemorrhoids. Also, having a moderate healing property, it has a positive effect on the stomach, helping to alleviate gastritis or heal gastric and duodenal ulcers. When following a diet to reduce weight, this oil is ideal for weight loss, replacing saturated fats, it helps speed up metabolism and reduces appetite.
One dessert spoon of oil, taken in the morning on an empty stomach, helps to cure gastritis or stomach ulcers at the healing stage, as part of complex therapy.
Olive oil has a weak choleretic effect, so it is useful for preventing disorders of the biliary tract. Its use contributes to the normalization of blood pressure in hypertensive patients, so many pressure remedies are made from olive leaves. In folk medicine, olive oil is used for back pain, if you add it to melted wax and apply it to painful places (see).
The benefits of olive oil for pregnant women and children are also undeniable. During pregnancy, fatty acids are very necessary for the ideal growth of the fetus, its nervous and skeletal systems, and the brain of the baby. In addition, the fatty acids of olive oil are similar to the fats of mother's milk (8% linoleic acid) and when transferring the baby to the general table and adult food, it is necessary to add it to mashed potatoes and cereals. One of the causes of various skin diseases in babies is a deficiency in the body of linoleic acid - the use of olive oil can make up for it.
Also, such a product is very useful for the skin - it does not cause allergic reactions, is easily absorbed, but does not clog pores, has a rejuvenating effect due to vitamin E, is very suitable for dry, inflamed skin, helps in the fight against stretch marks and cellulite, relieves pain after excessive physical activity, favorably affects the hair, gives it shine, prevents hair loss and dandruff, normalizes the condition of brittle and thin nails. However, for cosmetic purposes, it is better to use natural olive oil, stirring it with cream, since low-quality oil is added to cosmetics.
Perhaps the benefits of olive oil for the people of Russia are somewhat exaggerated.
It is better for a Russian to use mustard, linseed and sunflower oil
It has long been known that those products that grow in the area where a person was born, where his ancestors grew up are best absorbed and bring more benefits. In Russia, the olive tree does not grow, and oil from flax, sunflower, mustard is more useful for a Russian. In addition, olive oil practically does not contain omega-3 fats, when, as in flaxseed, mustard, and there are quite a lot of them, they are useful for both metabolism and the cardiovascular system.
There is more vitamin E in sunflower oil than in olive oil.
Without exception, all vegetable oils contain vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant), as well as vitamins A, K and D. Moreover, there is more vitamin E in sunflower than in olive oil. However, the benefits of sunflower are high, provided that it is unrefined, and on the shelves of our supermarkets it is mostly refined. It is better to purchase high-quality unrefined sunflower oil.
It is also important which olive oil you buy, because its quality and the amount of vitamins depends on many factors - the place of origin of olives, production technology, and most importantly, whether it is enriched with artificial additives, mixed with low-grade, low-quality oil or not. And for sure, cheap olive oil cannot be natural; accordingly, it contains fewer vitamins than native, not expensive sunflower oil.
In unrefined sunflower oil oleic acid 45%
Doctors explain the easy digestibility of olive oil by the fact that it contains more oleic acid - 70%, it is very useful and has a positive effect on metabolism, but unrefined sunflower oil also contains a large amount of it - about 45%.
Contraindications and harm of olive oil
- The most significant negative effect, the harm from olive oil can be when it is consumed by people with gallstone disease. The pronounced choleretic effect of olive oil is dangerous in the presence of gallstones, and people with cholecystitis should use it with caution (do not consume large amounts, on an empty stomach).
- Russians should not completely abandon native vegetable oils and it is better to use extra virgin olive oil in combination with native traditional unrefined oils - linseed, sunflower.
- With the abuse of any vegetable oil, the load on the digestive system increases and excess consumption of olive oil is fraught with the development of obesity, increases or fatty infiltration of the liver (see). Therefore, you should not use more than 2 tbsp. tablespoons of olive oil per day.
- Olive oil, despite all its beneficial properties, is very high in calories - per 100g. 900 kcal (1 tbsp 120 kcal) should be taken into account for those who are on a diet.
- Regardless of which oil is used for frying, if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle, you should avoid fried foods. When frying, any vegetable oil loses its beneficial properties, and the use of any fried food excessively loads the entire digestive system.
The quality of olive oil depends on the variety and how it is obtained.
Its usefulness and quality depend on the method of industrial production:
First cold pressed - on the label it is Extra virgin olive oil
This oil is made from fresh olives without the use of chemicals and heat treatment, so all its healing properties are preserved. First cold-pressed oil cannot be cheap, this is the most expensive way to obtain a product and the main indicator of its quality is the content of fatty acids no more than 1%.
Second cold pressing - Virgin olive oil
This oil is obtained during the second cold pressing, also without chemicals, it is significantly inferior in quality, aroma, useful properties of the first pressing product.
Chemical extraction is Olive oil, Pure olive oil, Pomace oil
- Olive oil is a pomace oil obtained from a substrate (extract) using hexane, gasoline and other chemical solvents, under the influence of heat treatment, therefore it does not represent any nutritional or useful value. This oil is used to make mayonnaise and sauces (moreover, this "unappetizing technology" is not written on mayonnaise labels). To give more value, manufacturers add a small percentage of first and second pressing oils to it, however, this has almost no effect on the taste and healing properties.
- Pure olive oil is the same non-natural oil, with the use of chemicals (gasoline, quastic soda, etc.), this marking only indicates that neither rapeseed nor sunflower oil was added to such a product, and it is made from a substrate, distilled from the pulp after the first or second pressing. It also has no useful properties and is much cheaper.
- Pomace oil is also a chemical extraction, unlike Olive oil, high-quality oil is never added to it and is used only in technical industries, for the production of soap, cosmetics, creams, hair balms, lamp lighting, etc.
How to choose the right quality olive oil?
According to the consumption of olive oil, Russia is already among the 12 largest buyers of olive oil in the world. Today, the majority of the population is well informed that unrefined olive oil is a healthy food product, the use of which has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract and is the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and even oncology. However, due to its high cost, it is not accessible to everyone, and there is an opinion that it is better to buy traditional sunflower oil than cheap low-quality and unhealthy olive oil.
Don't Buy Refined Olive Oil for Salad Dressings
Refining is a process of bleaching, neutralization and deodorization, after such cleaning, nothing will remain of the beneficial properties of olive oil, there will be no smell, no color, no taste, no benefit. But it is better to fry on refined oil (see below about the smoke point of oils)
Cheap olive oils in our stores - blends of refined and unrefined
High-quality oil cannot be expensive, olives are harvested in winter, manually, from 1 tree the harvest is only 8 kg, and 5 kg is required to produce 1 liter of oil. olives. You should read the markings on the label well, sometimes it is indicated in very small print that olive oil is a mixture with other oils and it is not indicated in what ratio - this is a marketing ploy and a real deception of the consumer. If, upon opening the bottle, there is no intense natural aroma of olives, this is not a quality product.
What can be learned from the label
Usually the oil is filtered before bottling, but unfiltered is more valuable. Acidity is also considered one of the important indicators of quality, the lower it is, the higher the quality of the oil, acidity is determined by the content of 100 g. oleic acid. The Extra Virgin product must have an acidity of no more than 0.8%. Olive oil is considered medicinal with an acidity of 0.5%.
If the label is marked BIO or Organic, this means an organic product that is produced according to strict requirements, without the use of pesticides, fertilizers, GMOs or growth regulators. There may also be a special PDO marking, which indicates that the olives were produced in a certain area, and confirms that both the collection and production of olive oil were in the same place, so olives of a certain variety with their inherent aroma and unique bouquet.
Which oil is the best, Spanish, Greek, Italian?
There are over 700 varieties of olives in the world, growing from Australia to America, the aroma, color and taste of which are influenced by the nature of the soil, dryness, sun, stone, solitude, silence, climatic conditions. Greek olives and oil are considered the strongest, with a strong taste.
The world's leading olive oil producers:
- Spain - 540,000 tons/year, but offers only 20% of the first cold-pressed oil
- Italy - 420,000 t/year
- Greece - 280,000 tons/year, offers 80% Extra Virgin oil with the best price and best quality
- Tunisia - 180,000 tons / year
- Türkiye and Syria - 90,000 tons / year
- Morocco and Portugal – 50,000 t/year
- Algeria - 20,000 tons / year
- Libya - 10,000 tons / year
If you still use oil for frying, it is better to purchase refined Italian varieties, because when frying in unrefined products, the specific taste and aroma of olive oil acquires, and refined oil has a less pronounced aroma, for example, Gracia del Oro or Del Cecco. For salads, of course, unrefined Greek Extra Virgin is better.
What oil is best for frying?
Fried food is unhealthy - everyone knows about it. But if you really want to ... Here it is important to know about such a characteristic of oils as the smoke point. The higher the temperature at which the oil "smokes", the later the process of formation of carcinogens and toxins during frying begins, which means that it is less harmful.
After refining, this temperature of the oil rises, so it is recommended to fry in refined oil.
Tips for storing and choosing a good olive oil
- Black ripe olives give it a yellowish color, and unripe olives give it a yellow-green tint, the smell should be pleasant, herbaceous-fruity, moderately thick in texture, with a slight sediment. If the oil is not homogeneous, it stratifies - this is a mixture with a low-grade one.
- If you try and hold it in your mouth, you should feel the taste of olives, piquancy, bitterness, fruity aftertaste. If mustiness, woody taste or rancidity is felt, this is not the best olive oil, but a stale or poor-quality product.
- On the label of natural extra virgin olive oil, there are always 2 Naturel signatures and 100% olive oil.
- Do not buy too much, the oil oxidizes very quickly, it is better to buy it more often, store it in a well-corked dark glass bottle up to + 12C, in a dry, dark place.
- If the labels say "no cholesterol" - this is a marketing ploy, there is not and cannot be any cholesterol in olive oil.
- You can check the manufacturer for conscientiousness in this way, put the bottle in the refrigerator, the contents should become cloudy, and at room temperature it should be transparent golden yellow - this is a good oil.
Aug-19-2019
Dietary properties:
What is the calorie content of olive oil, what dietary properties does it have, all this is very interesting for those who are trying to lead a healthy lifestyle, monitor their health and figure. So we will try to answer these questions in the next article.
Swap saturated protein sources like butter in your diet for a monounsaturated fat source like olive oil. It promotes satiety, helps curb your appetite so you eat less, and boosts gut production of the appetite-regulating hormone CCK. Combined with carbohydrates, this oil helps keep blood glucose and insulin levels low, preventing the body from storing fat.
Olive oil can not only protect the thighs from fat deposits; it can actually increase the body's ability to burn fat. Studies show that foods cooked in olive oil are much more likely to promote fat oxidation than foods rich in saturated fats. Experts suggest that monounsaturated fatty acids turn on genes associated with fat burning and storage.
Olive oil composition:
Vitamins:
By the way, it helps to get rid of excess weight. Extra virgin olive oil contains a lot of antioxidants - polyphenols, which suppress inflammatory processes. Inflammation is the body's natural response to infection or injury, but over time it can become chronic and contribute to other diseases such as metabolic syndrome. Scientists say that by replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats, you can feel more energetic.
If you're unsure which oil to choose, take a look at our recommendations and compare them to what's on the shelves.
- extra virgin oil. The best that can be. Extra virgin olive oil is worth the money they charge for it. It is indispensable in salads, where its rich taste and aroma are especially noticeable. It is made from the freshest olives and contains the maximum amount of beneficial antioxidants.
- virgin oil. It is produced using the same technology as the first, but it may be a little worse. For example, the extraction may not go as fast after harvesting the olives, the acidity of the oil may be higher. Nevertheless, such oil is also tasty and healthy for the waist, and it also saves money.
- Other grades of olive oil. If you need oil for frying, stewing or other cooking options, choose these standard and inexpensive varieties. They are more heavily processed and contain perhaps fewer antioxidants, but they withstand heat better than elite varieties. And the taste in the composition of the dish, most likely, will not be too noticeable.
How many calories are in olive oil?
And here's how much:
The calorie content of olive oil, per 100 grams, is 898 kcal.
Proteins, fats and carbohydrates (BJU) in gr. per 100 grams:
Proteins - 0.0
Fats - 99.8
Carbohydrates - 0.0
The calorie content of 1 tablespoon of olive oil is 153 kcal.
Proteins, fats and carbohydrates (BJU) in grams:
Proteins - 0.0
Fats - 17.0
Carbohydrates - 0.0
Olive oil for weight loss:
And further:
Olive oil, if stored improperly, loses some of its healthy antioxidants and can quickly go rancid.
- Buy a little. Of course, oil is cheaper in large bottles, but in this case it is better not to chase cheapness. Olive oils can be stored for about 6 months.
- Keep it away from stove (heat) and direct sunlight; under the influence of both, it deteriorates faster.
- The nose is a wonderful instrument. If the oil smells bitter, discard it. It will taste just as good as the smell.
The total calorie content of olive oil per 100 grams is 899 kcal. 100 g of the product contains:
- proteins - 0 g;
- carbohydrates - 0 g;
- fat - 99.9 g.
The product is characterized by a high content of vitamins E, A, K, D.
A full tablespoon holds 16 grams of olive oil. Thus, the calorie content of a tablespoon of olive oil is 144 kcal. The daily intake of the product for an adult should not exceed 1 - 3 tablespoons.
Calories in a teaspoon of olive oil
One teaspoon holds approximately 4.6 g of product.
The total calorie content of a teaspoon of olive oil is 41 - 42 kcal. It is recommended to eat no more than 3 - 7 teaspoons of the product per day.
The benefits of olive oil
The well-known benefits of olive oil are as follows:
- the product is almost 100% unsaturated fatty acids that help reduce bad cholesterol;
- the rich vitamin composition of olive oil makes it indispensable for the prevention of heart disease, blood vessels, excess weight, diabetes;
- oleic acid in the composition of the product helps to strengthen the walls of blood vessels;
- the healing properties of the oil are known to improve vision, normalize the functioning of the digestive tract, strengthen bones, maintain muscle tone;
- olive oil phenols strengthen the immune system;
- oil is an effective natural laxative that helps normalize stools and prevent constipation when used on an empty stomach;
- nutritionists recommend olive oil for the prevention of stomach ulcers.
Harm of olive oil
Usually the harm of olive oil occurs in the following cases:
- if the consumption norms of the product are not observed, the body is saturated with a large number of calories, which, in turn, leads to weight gain;
- due to the strong choleretic effect, the product is contraindicated in people with cholelithiasis;
- overeating vegetable oil increases the likelihood of diabetes;
- when frying vegetable oil, carcinogenic compounds harmful to health are formed.
Sometimes, in pursuit of ideal forms, we forget that our body is a complex mechanism that needs both proteins, carbohydrates and, of course, fats for its normal operation. All types of vegetable oils are an excellent source of natural fats that are well absorbed and bring many benefits to a person.
Perhaps the most popular variety of this product in our latitudes can be considered sunflower or rapeseed oil. In addition, despite the higher price, the olive product is also popular, which we will discuss in more detail in this material.
So what are the benefits and harms of olive oil? What is it made from? And what is more useful olive or sunflower oil for our health? This is just a small list of questions that we will try to answer further. And we will start with general points that relate to this topic.
The composition and useful properties of olive oil
Vegetable fats are a product of processing:
- oil plants, or rather their fruits or seeds (mustard, rapeseed, hemp, sunflower, soybean, linseed, poppy, sesame, olive or palm oil);
- nuts (coconut, almond, pistachio, cedar, walnut oil);
- cake (processing waste) of vegetable raw materials (corn, rice, grape, apricot, tomato, sea buckthorn, pumpkin oil).
The benefits and harms of vegetable oil
In the chemical composition of vegetable oils, in addition to fatty (triglycerin)acids present sterols , phospholipids , wax, phytosterols , as well as a complex of indispensable for health .
Fats are a complete source of energy necessary for an active and fulfilling life. It is due to them that our body is charged like a battery and works using fats as fuel until the next “recharge”.
In addition, it is from fatty acids that the body receives vitamins and essential polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega 3 (alpha linolenic acid ) And Omega 6 (linoleic acid ). Fatty acids are involved in the synthesis of membranes at the cellular level, in cholesterol metabolism, strengthen vascular walls, reducing their permeability and increasing elasticity.
