Olive oil has a history of thousands of years in the countries along the Mediterranean. It is known as "liquid gold", "vegetable oil queen", and "Mediterranean nectar" in the West. The reason lies in its excellent natural health benefits, beauty effects and ideal cooking. use. The edible high-grade olive oil is natural fruit oil juice extracted from the first ripe or mature olive fruits through physical cold pressing process. It is the only woody vegetable oil in the world for human consumption in its natural state.

Virgin olive oil, or natural olive oil, is the oil obtained directly from fresh olive fruits by mechanically cold pressing, filtering and other treatments to remove foreign matter. The cold pressing method is to directly squeeze the olive fruit through physical machinery. The principle is the same as that of some families using juice squeezers to squeeze juice. The olive oil extracted by this method is natural and pure, and the nutrition is not damaged in any way.

According to different acidity, it can be divided into different grades. Extra Virgin olive oil (Extra Virgin): It is the highest grade and highest quality olive oil, and it is a pure natural product. The taste is excellent, with a delicate and pleasant plant fragrance, and the acidity does not exceed 1%. Extra virgin olive oil with an acidity of no more than 0.8% is the best quality olive oil. It is the first time to squeeze the purely physical and mechanical squeezing method directly from the ripe fresh olive fruits. After filtering and other treatments to remove the foreign matter, the juice is obtained without any chemical treatment during the processing process, without any preservatives and additives. This kind of olive The oil has a unique fragrance and is suitable for direct consumption or as cold dishes.

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, namely oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, as well as vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K and antioxidants. Olive oil is considered to be the most suitable for human nutrition among the fats and oils found so far.

 At present, among the main olive oil producing countries, Spain accounts for one-third of the world's total output, Italy one-fourth, Greece one-fifth, and other oil-producing countries include Turkey, Syria, Portugal, France, Egypt and so on. According to statistics, Greece’s extra-virgin olive oil accounts for 75% of the country’s olive oil production, Italy’s 50%, and Spain only 30%. The reason for the good quality lies in the tree species, climate, latitude and other geographical conditions.

How to identify

1. Good olive oil has the following characteristics: 　

The properties of olive oil are closely related to the oil production process. High-quality olive oil is produced by cold pressing and needs to be separated from low pressure to high pressure. The low-pressure first virgin olive oil is light yellow in color and is the most ideal oil for cold dressing and cooking.

View: The oil body is translucent, thick, light yellow, yellow-green, blue-green, blue, to blue-black. The dark olive oil has high acid value and poor quality. The pigment and other nutrients in the refined oil are destroyed.　

Smell: There is a fruity fragrance, and different tree species have different fruit flavors. The taster can even distinguish 32 different olive fruit fragrances such as licorice, cream, fruit, chocolate, etc.　

Taste: The taste is smooth, with a slight bitterness, and spicy taste. There is a clear sensation at the back of the throat, and the spicy taste is lagging behind.

2. Bad olive oil has the following characteristics:

View: The oil is mixed and lacks translucent luster, indicating that it has been left for a long time and begins to oxidize. The color is light, feels very thin, not thick, indicating that it is refined oil or blended oil.

Smell: There are stale smell, musty smell, muddy smell, wine sour taste, metallic taste, hala taste and other peculiar smells. It means that the quality of the olive fruit has gone bad, or there is a problem with the raw material of the olive fruit, or it has been improperly stored.

Taste: There is a peculiar smell, or there is no smell at all. Explain the deterioration, or refined oil or blended oil.

Preserved olive oil　

If olive oil is stored in a cool and dark place (the best storage temperature: 5～15℃), the shelf life is usually 24 months. The preservation of olive oil should pay attention to four aspects:

1) Avoid strong light, especially direct sunlight.

2) Avoid high temperatures.

3) Be sure to cover the bottle cap after use to avoid oxidation.

4) Do not store in ordinary metal utensils, otherwise, over time, olive oil will react with metals and affect the oil quality.

Health value
1. Promote blood circulation 　

Olive oil can prevent arteriosclerosis and complications of arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, heart disease, heart failure, kidney failure, and cerebral hemorrhage. In the book "Omega Health. A Simple and Easy Longevity Plan" written by Dr. Artemis Simopoulos, it is mentioned that the omega-6 fatty acids in edible oil will shrink the arteries, thereby forcing the heart to overload. Work, causing high blood pressure. The omega-3 fatty acids in olive oil can increase the amount of nitric oxide, an important chemical substance, which can relax your arteries and prevent arterial damage caused by high blood pressure. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids can also prevent the formation of blood clots in two ways. First, it can reduce the viscosity of platelets, making it difficult for platelets and fibrinogen to entangle; second, omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the amount of fibrinogen, which greatly reduces the chance of thrombosis.

2. Improve the function of the digestive system

Olive oil contains more unsaturated fatty acids than any vegetable oil, rich vitamins A, D, E, F, K, carotene and other fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants. It does not contain cholesterol, so the human body The digestion and absorption rate is extremely high. It has the function of reducing gastric acid and preventing the occurrence of gastritis and duodenal ulcer; it can stimulate bile secretion, stimulate the activity of pancreatic enzymes, degrade oil, and be absorbed by the intestinal mucosa to reduce the occurrence of cholecystitis and gallstones. It also has the function of moisturizing the intestines, and long-term consumption can effectively relieve constipation.

3. Protect the skin

Olive oil is rich in squalene and essential fatty acids with excellent skin affinity. It is absorbed quickly and effectively maintains skin elasticity and moisturizing. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamins E, K, A, D, etc. Phenolic antioxidants can be absorbed by the skin, moisturize and nourish the skin, make the skin smooth and elastic, promote blood circulation and skin metabolism, help lose weight, reduce wrinkles, delay aging, eliminate facial wrinkles, and prevent skin aging. It has the functions of skin care and hair care and prevention of hand and foot chapped. It is a beauty and skin care product that can be "eaten". In addition, applying olive oil to the skin can fight ultraviolet rays and prevent skin cancer. It has excellent permeability and contains extremely high vitamins and minerals. Accelerate the treatment of skin damage and eczema, suitable for dry and aging skin. Olive oil is obtained by squeezing the oil. It contains a lot of unsaturated fatty acids. Edible (referring to edible olive oil) has a good effect on heart disease and has a function of alleviating sunburn. It can be used for weight loss, aging and sunburn. deal with.　

4. Improve the function of the endocrine system

Olive oil can improve the metabolism of organisms. This is because olive oil contains more than 80% monounsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids, and the DHA in omega-3 fatty acids can increase insulin sensitivity. When the content of unsaturated fatty acids in the cell membrane is higher, the double The greater the number of keys, the greater their mobility. DHA, which has 6 double bonds, is the most unsaturated fatty acid, so it makes the cell membrane the most active. The more active cell membrane insulin receptors are, the more sensitive they are to insulin. When the human body consumes an appropriate proportion of fatty acids, the metabolism becomes more normal, and the chances of obesity and diabetes are reduced. The latest research results show that after healthy people consume olive oil, the glucose content in the body can be reduced by 12%. Therefore, olive oil has become the best edible oil for the prevention and control of diabetes.　

5. Benefits to the skeletal system

The natural antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids in olive oil help the human body to absorb minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, zinc, etc., which can promote bone growth. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids help maintain bone density and reduce free radicals. (Highly active molecules) cause bone loss.　

6. Anti-cancer effect

Because olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, the omega-3 fatty acids in polyunsaturated fatty acids can reduce the amount of linoleic acid extracted from the blood by the cancer, so that the cancer can get rid of one Very much needed nutrients. Omega-3 fatty acids can also compete with omega-6 fatty acids for the enzymes needed in cancer metabolism, making the cell membranes of cancer cells more unsaturated and easily destroyed, inhibiting the growth of tumor cells and reducing the incidence of tumors. Therefore, it can prevent certain cancers (breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, uterine cancer): In addition, omega-3 fatty acids (polyunsaturated fatty acids) can also increase the efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy use free radicals ( The burst of highly active molecules attacked the cell membrane to kill the cell. When the cell membrane is damaged enough, cancer cells will self-destruct. Omega-3 fatty acids make cell membranes more susceptible to free radical attacks, thereby increasing the efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.　 olive oil is the main component of olive oil. Studies by scholars at Northwestern University in Chicago have shown that this substance can not only reduce the risk of malignant tumors, but also increase the cure rate even if you get malignant tumors.　

Olive acid can inhibit the activity of a cancer gene called "female nerve sheath-2". After certain processing of the protein that can cause breast cancer, it was found that the chance of breast cancer was reduced by 46%. For those who unfortunately suffer from breast cancer, olive oil can also prevent its deterioration-olive oil can improve the therapeutic effect of breast cancer treatment drugs. If there is only a small amount of oleuric acid in action, then the cancer cells will gradually adapt to the environment of oleuric acid and continue to grow, but if the amount of oleuric acid reaches a sufficient amount, the tumor cells will be killed.

7. Anti-radiation effect　

Because olive oil contains polyphenols and lipopolysaccharides, olive oil also has the function of preventing radiation, so olive oil is often used to make food for astronauts. People who use computers often regard it as a good product for health care and skin care. Before using the computer for a long time, you can massage your face and eye corners with olive oil, or you can use a bath product rich in olive oil to achieve the same effect. Please note that due to the different content of olive oil and laurel oil, the radiation protection effect achieved is also different.

8. Make baby food

According to its composition and digestibility, olive oil is the most suitable oil for infants. Half of the baby's calories come from the fat in the mother's milk. After weaning, the calories needed are obtained from the fat in the diet. The ratio of linoleic acid and linoleic acid, which cannot be synthesized by the human body, in the nutritional components of olive oil is similar to that of breast milk. Postpartum and lactation are good tonics.

9. Anti-aging 　

Among the many ingredients in olive oil, carotene and chlorophyll give olive oil a yellow-green color, while chlorophyll plays a role in metabolism, promotes cell growth, and accelerates wound healing. It also helps to beautify people's appearance and reduce wrinkles. Experiments have shown that the antioxidants contained in olive oil can eliminate free radicals in the body, restore the health of human organs, prevent brain aging, and prolong life.

10. Prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases　

Olive oil can protect the cardiovascular system from many aspects. ① It prevents inflammation by reducing homocysteine ​​(an amino acid that can damage the walls of coronary arteries) and reduces damage to the arterial walls. ② Relax arteries by increasing the content of nitric oxide in the body and lower blood pressure. ③The monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil can reduce the oxidation of LDA cholesterol. ④ A substance called squalene contained in olive oil can increase the content of HDL (good cholesterol) in the body and reduce the content of LDL (bad cholesterol). The more HDL cholesterol in the body, the more oxidized the arteries. The lower the amount of LDL cholesterol. The latest research proof. After middle-aged men took olive oil, their average cholesterol dropped by 13%. Among them, the dangerous "bad" cholesterol dropped by 21%. ⑤ Olive oil can reduce the speed of blood clot formation by increasing the content of omega-3 fatty acids in the body.

11. Olive oil and blood pressure　

Hypertension refers to arterial hypertension. When the human blood pressure reading continues to stay above 140/90 mmHg, it is high blood pressure. Hypertension is one of the main risk factors in the development of arteriosclerosis. Together with high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and diabetes, it is called the main health problem in developed countries. Like other risk factors, lifestyle has a direct impact on high blood pressure. One in four adults has high blood pressure. Due to its damage to the arteries of the human body, especially the arteries that supply blood to the heart, kidneys, brain and eyes, high blood pressure increases the risk of premature death. It is not particularly certain what ingredients in the Mediterranean diet have an effect on lowering blood pressure. However, there is evidence that adding olive oil to the diet (without changing any other form) does have the effect of lowering blood pressure. Regular consumption of olive oil will lower the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Recently, there is evidence that when olive oil is consumed, the daily dose of antihypertensive drugs that needs to be taken can be reduced. This may be due to the reduction of nitric acid caused by polyphenols.