Extra virgin olive oil is excellent to keep on hand because of its versatility, rich flavor, and health benefits. Compared to other cooking oils, extra virgin olive oil has a polyphenol compound to help with chronic and degenerative diseases.
There have been many studies conducted on extra virgin olive oil and its proven health benefits. According to ABC News, researchers from Harvard say extra virgin olive oil may help lower your risk of dying from Alzheimer’s, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Did You Know?
Did you know that extra virgin olive oils can have unique styles and flavors? They do when you find a credible source for pure, fresh extra virgin olive oil. Perhaps you’ve become accustomed to a big box store variety. Take a challenge to go deeper! A fresh and recently harvested crop of olives can produce an extremely high polyphenol make-up. (Polyphenols are antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that aid in the prevention of disease.)
If you’re looking for a product that contains health benefits, extra virgin olive oil is the best choice for you.
Extra virgin olive oil is an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acid, which has been shown to decrease someone’s risk for heart disease. The National Library of Medicine performed a study and concluded that consuming olive oil daily can lower the burden on the arteries, causing improvements in cardiovascular health.
Studies have shown that extra virgin olive oil seems to prevent cancer by killing cancer cells in the body without harming the healthy cells.
A 2011 study indicates that people who regularly consume extra virgin olive oil have a lowered risk of developing certain types of cancers, such as breast cancer.
According to a 2017 study, extra virgin olive oil protects memory and learning ability by clearing out toxins in the brain.
Extra virgin olive oil positively impacts mental wellness in a variety of ways, including:
-Enhancing the working memory
-Enhancing learning abilities
-Decreasing the risk of depression
A healthy immune system can help you avoid illness. Consuming extra virgin olive oil has been shown to increase the growth and activation of T-cells and immune cells that attack viruses or bacteria.
Extra virgin olive oil contains healthy fats that can improve cell function and increase your body’s energy. These fats can help your body lower bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol). Other benefits of consuming healthy fats include:
-Helps your body absorb nutrients
-Regulates the production of hormones
-Lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke
-Increases good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol)
-Lowers blood pressure
Adding more healthy fats to your daily diet provides many health benefits, including helping you feel more full after eating a meal. Therefore, it promotes weight loss.
A pure extra virgin olive oil is named for the olive it is pressed from. Flavors such as Arbequina, Picual and Chetoui are actually the names of olives. Just as the peppery flavor and finish increase by going from mild to robust, the health benefits increase as well. The more robust the oil, the more benefit to your body. Polyphenols increase as you move toward the more robust varieties. The key is to find flavors that you love and add them into your daily routine!
The extra virgin olive oils we carry always include a mild, medium and robust intensity. Our current mild Arbequina is the base extra virgin olive oil for our wide variety of fused and infused olive oils. (Fused means pressed with the olive, infused means an essential oil of an herb or fruit is added after pressing.)
Currently we carry:
–Arbequina: A mild intensity extra virgin olive oil with a creamy almond and berry center with delicate pepper notes on the back end. Arbequina is perfect for baking and is a crowd favorite among those who enjoy mild extra virgin olive oil. It also complements salads, vegetables, and bread.
–Picual: A medium intensity extra virgin olive oil from Chile. This extra virgin olive oil is aromatic and complex with classic green tomato leaf and herb notes. Picual is the perfect complement to sauces, salads, bread, or sauteing. It is an excellent choice as your go-to all-purpose oil.
–Chetoui: This extra virgin olive oil is from the Mediterranean and has super robust intensity. It contains a peppery punch but also has notes of green tea and hints of malt. Those who love an intense flavor enjoy Chetoui.
If you aren’t sure which product sounds right for you, we offer taste testing at each of our locations! You may also request a free sample with your online order.
Visit us at our Kansas City, MO or Lee’s Summit, MO store to taste the variety of olive oils and balsamic vinegars that we offer. If you can’t visit, check out our online store!