In most Mediterranean countries, everyone, from the elderly at home to the chef, knows the health benefits of using olive oil, whether it's for cooking or adding extra delicious flavor when finishing a dish.
Extra virgin olive oil is not only a condiment that adds flavor to every dish, it is also an essential element of maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
In particular, extra virgin olive oil – an essential ingredient of the Mediterranean diet – is more than just a condiment: it is a valuable fuel for our body, it is a source of vitamin E, rich in antioxidants that help protect the body from free radicals, and its unique fat composition helps the body maintain normal blood cholesterol levels. Therefore, as part of a balanced diet, it is important to consume the right amount of extra virgin olive oil (about 20 grams) every day: it will satisfy the taste and be healthy.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="4" > many of the health benefits of using extra virgin olive oil</h1>
1. Studies have shown that the fatty acids and antioxidants contained in extra virgin olive oil have great health benefits.
2. They protect arteries by helping to maintain normal levels of cholesterol in the blood.
3. The highly phenolic antioxidants contained in extra virgin olive oil have the potential to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and arthritis.
4. Consuming olive oil has a positive effect on the thickness of the bones and can fight osteoporosis diseases.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="13" > why you should use olive oil in your cooking</h1>
1. Unlike other oils, most vegetable oils (sunflower oil, soybean, rapeseed oil, margarine are just a few of them) cannot be produced naturally. They must be industrialized and chemically colored, flavored and deodorized. Last but not least, they are also toxic when they reach high temperatures. That's why refined vegetable oil is definitely one of the most harmful substances you can eat.
2. On the contrary, real olive oil is obtained by mechanical cold pressing, because olives are the only fruit with oil content: oil can be obtained as long as it is squeezed. Extra virgin olive oil is mainly used to blend raw and cooked vegetables, meat, fish, pasta or rice for cooking and frying, but can also be used to make bread and desserts.
3. Extra virgin olive oil is probably the healthiest cooking oil and is quite resistant to high temperatures. Before buying extra virgin olive oil, be sure to check the label well and not be fooled by the words "Italy" written on it, as there are many counterfeit olive oils on the market. Quality olive oil is made with only the best olives, comes from the same place, most of the time there is a guarantee of quality on the label, PDO (Protected Appellation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication), and the price is not cheap. But it has a strong flavor, only a small amount is needed at a time, a bottle can be used for a long time, and another benefit is that you use less fat when cooking and seasoning.