Extra Virgin Olive Oil for My Sweet Heart

A new study shows extra virgin olive oil, which contains more antioxidants than more refined olive oil, may offer better protection against heart disease. Extra virgin olive oil is made from the first pressing of olives and contains higher levels of a class of antioxidants known as polyphenols than more refined olive oils that come from later pressings.


Researchers say these polyphenols may provide another way to reduce the risk of heart disease in addition to the heart-healthy benefits attributed to the monounsaturated fatty acids found in olive oil. Recent studies have suggested that the bulk of olive oil's heart-healthy benefits comes from good fatty acids (monounsaturated fatty acids), but researchers say polyphenols may also contribute to those benefits and further reduce the risk of heart disease.
Extra Virgin olive oil also produced another healthy antioxidant effect. It increased the level of substances in the body that prevent the oxidation of bad, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Oxidation of this type of cholesterol is linked to the formation of clots in blood vessels, which could lead to heart attack or stroke.


For Extra Virgin Olive Oil, olives are hand-picked. Cleaned with pure water, then crunched and malaxated and finaly cold pressed. Extra virgin olive oil is derived from the first cold pressing of olives without refining. The oil is extracted from the olives by mechanical means (pressure) which do not modify it's basic properties. This results in a completely natural product which maintains the taste plus chemical and biological characteristics of the olive.


It is characterized by an acidity level of less than one percent. It is considered the finest and fruitiest olive oil and is therefore also the most expensive. It can range from pale champagne to greenish-gold to bright green in color. In general, the deeper the color, the more intense the olive oil flavor. Extra virgin olive oil's naturally intense taste is especially complimentary when drizzled over seafood just off the grill, to dress salads, the finishing of sauces and anywhere that richly flavored olive oil will enhance the finished dish.