Olive Oil: Benefits of Olive Oil
Olive oil, which is indispensable for Mediterranean cuisine with its centuries-old history, is known as the oil of immortality.
Olive oil, which is one of the most frequently used oil types in salads and meals, takes place in almost all world cuisines, especially in Turkey, Spain, Greece and Italy. The wonderful flavor left by olives on the palate, dating back 39 thousand years, does not end with the benefits of olive oil.
Olive oil, which is one of the first flavors that come to mind when the Aegean and the Mediterranean are mentioned, creates a magnificent table even with delicious thyme and warm bread.
What are the Benefits of Olive Oil?
- Olive oil repairs the hardening of the face, scalp, elbows, heels and knees and nourishes the skin. Olive oil cream makes the skin have a smooth appearance. If you are experiencing dry skin, you can rejuvenate your skin by using olive oil soap. Olive oil, which prevents the formation of wrinkles, is a natural mask for skin care.
- The fatty acids in olive oil have an antioxidant effect. It protects the body against cancer by preventing tumor formation.
- Olive oil, which allows the scalp to breathe, prevents the hair from drying out and falling out. When you use olive oil shampoo regularly, your hair will look lively and shiny.
- Drinking olive oil can be a natural and quick solution for digestive system disorders. So, is olive oil good for constipation? The antioxidant property of olive oil regulates the functioning of the digestive system and helps to clean the intestines. Olive oil can be beneficial in relieving disorders such as hemorrhoids and constipation.
- It plays an active role in the prevention of diabetes.
- It regulates blood pressure and balances cholesterol. It reduces the risk of heart diseases.
- It protects the liver.
- It strengthens the bones.
- Olive oil, which activates the intestines, ensures the full functioning of the digestive system.
- Is olive oil good for cough? Olive oil can be good for a cough when it is heated in a bowl and drunk with a little black pepper in it.
- In addition to all these benefits, excessive consumption can disrupt the body’s fat balance. Olive oil damages are seen as a result of excessive consumption.
What are Olive Oil Calories and Nutritional Values?
Olive oil is among the nutrients with high nutritional value due to its content of vitamins K, A, D, E and calcium, sodium, potassium, iron minerals. Olive oil, which has high fiber content, contains unsaturated fatty acids and oleic acid.
Olive oil, which contains phenol and polyphenol components that are vital for body cells, does not contain cholesterol because it is of vegetable origin. 100 grams of olive oil contains approximately 880 calories. So 1 tablespoon of olive oil is around 80-90 calories.
The high-calorie content of olive oil, which must be included in nutrition programs due to its unsaturated fatty acid content, requires careful consumption.
Although it is more nutritious than other oils, it has the same calories as butter, for example. It is important to control daily consumption. Although it is said by some dietitians that it helps to lose weight due to its accelerating effect on the digestive system, its high caloric value is frightening. Although the positive effects in terms of health cannot be ignored, it is not possible to give a clear answer to the question of whether olive oil weakens.
How Is Olive Oil Made?
Each stage begins in the field of olive oil production, which requires effort. Olives from the olive tree branch are harvested by machine, by hand or by pole and picked in one place. Foreign materials such as stones, soil and leaves in the collected olives are removed. Olives that are ready for squeezing should not be crushed or damaged. In the past, olives were crushed between two stones. However, in recent years, huge machines have been easily crushing olives.
- It is important to completely sort the olives at this stage. Even a small foreign substance can impair the quality of the oil, make it bitter or cloud its color.
- The next process is washing. The olives, which are completely cleaned, are thoroughly washed, dried and sorted.
- Next is the crushing process. With this process, where the oils are released more quickly, the olives become semi-paste. Half dough olives are kneaded and turned into a full dough. The dough, which is kneaded for 20-40 minutes, is given water to separate the olive oil so that the olive oil rises to the top due to its density. Oils are filtered and liquefied by tanks and olive oil is obtained with the help of a pump.
Refined olive oil, which is the result of the separation and preparation of olives that are not of high quality, is more suitable in terms of price compared to natural. Refined olive oil, which is heat resistant, is used in grilled dishes and pastries. Riviera olive oil, which is obtained by mixing natural and refined olive oil, has high acidity. Although it is recommended to be used in marinating processes, it can be easily used in all kinds of meals and pastries. It is also the most affordable type of olive oil.
What is the Olive Oil Types?
Olive oil according to its production
- natural,
- refined,
- It is divided into three classes, namely the riviera.
In addition, according to the tightening technique
- cold,
- hot,
- grouped as lithographs.
In the cold-pressed olive oil variety, the olive paste must be kneaded and the temperature must be 27 degrees. If a heat of 50-60 degrees is applied during kneading to release more oil, hot pressed olive oil is obtained. Squeezing olives among old-fashioned stones is lithographic olives.
The type of olive oil that is known as the most valuable olive oil and has almost zero fatty acids is natural olive oil. The extra virgin olive oil produced as a result of the early harvest and preparation of immature olives is very valuable. It is recommended to dip your bread in extra virgin olive oil and add natural olive oil to your olive oil dishes.
How Is Olive Oil Used?
If you use olive oil, which flavors our meals, salads, desserts, and salty foods, only for its flavor, you are making a mistake. Olive oil is one step ahead of other oils with its different uses.
- You can use olive oil as a furniture polish. You can remove the scratches on your furniture with a few drops of olive oil.
- You can clean your make-up brushes with 1 teaspoon of olive oil that you will mix into anti-bacterial soap.
- You can rub away the stubborn paint residues on your hands with olive oil.
- You can shine your shoes, apply some olive oil to the hinges of your squeaky door and get rid of the noise that upsets your nerves.
- You can get rid of the jam by treating your jammed zipper with a few drops of olive oil.
Tips for Olive Oil
The olive oil produced by squeezing the fruit of the olive tree does not undergo any chemical treatment and is in liquid form at room temperature. The most frequently asked questions to determine the quality of olive oil when purchasing:
- “How should olive oil color be?” The answer to the question is that the quality of olive oil cannot be understood from its color. Three factors that determine the quality of olive oil are aroma, burning, and astringency.
- “Does olive oil freeze?” Let’s get to the question. If it is quality olive oil, it should be frozen when stored in the refrigerator. Another question asked about olive oil is
- “Does olive oil go bad?” Olive oil, which has a shelf life of 18 months, can deteriorate if exposed to the sun and not sealed.
The olive oil bottle must be a dark glass bottle. The components in olive oil stored in pet packages have a solvent effect on the chemicals that combine pet bottles. Therefore, it is not conducive to health. Transparent glass bottles, on the other hand, pass the sun’s rays, so the chlorophyll-containing parts in olive oil can cause the oil to deteriorate.
The last trick is to increase the delicious taste of olive oil. By adding olive leaves to olive oil, you can enrich its aroma even more.
