Olive Oil facts & myths exposed!

There has never been question about Olive oil being a gift of God, especially due to the numerous health benefits it offers. It is gold standard when it comes to edible oil, so most of the people swear to make it a part of the daily diet to enjoy the myriad of health benefits it brings with itself.

Whether it comes to making the heart healthy or regulating the sugar levels or bringing with vitamins and antioxidants, olive oil is an ideal companion for all of us,who wish to lead a healthy life.

But several times, due to the absence of precise knowledge about this oil, we are reluctant to make it a part of our daily lives.

Part of the lack of knowledge is a result of all the crazy marketing out there: Peruse the olive oils in the cooking oil aisle of a typical grocery store and you'll be greeted by all kinds of terminology.

Some of it is confusing — like "pure" and "extra-virgin" — which is better? Other terms are just pointless — "cold-pressed" for example, doesn’t really mean much; basically, all extra-virgin olive oil is cold-pressed.

And part of it is still a relative lack of popularity.

So, it’s time we debunk all the myths around this beneficial Mediterranean favourite.

# Myth
If olive oil gets cloudy or solidifies in the refrigerator, it is 100% authentic and high quality.
‘Refrigerator test’, where a bottle of extra virgin olive oil is placed in the fridge to see if it solidifies and becomes cloudy. This test has been suggested in the past as a good indicator to determine if a bottle of extra virgin is 100% if it solidifies, this is supposed to indicate that the oil is, in fact, 100% EVOO. If it remains liquid, this suggests adulteration.

Fact
There is NO HOME TEST to check for olive oil authenticity.
Some oils get cloudy in the refrigerator and some don't. Quality is best checked through taste and smell–authenticity is best tested in a properly-equipped lab.
In reality, most oils are comprised of a bit of both: for example, both peanut and canola oil both contain 50-60% of the monounsaturated fat, and can also solidify in the fridge.

# Myth
A very green colour indicates high quality olive oil.

Fact
Colour is not an indicator of olive oil quality.
Quality olive oil isn’t a generic product. Variance based on factors like olive variety, growing conditions and country of origin creates variability in oil colour -from pale yellow to dark green and how fast the oil will cloud or solidify in the refrigerator.

# Myth
Heat diminishes olive oil's health benefits so it is best to use extra virgin olive oil "raw" or straight from the bottle.

Fact
Flavour may change when heated but the health benefits remain.
You can cook with all types of olive oil without losing health benefits because the smoke point is higher than most average cooking temperatures.

# Myth
Many of us believe that only extra virgin olive oil has the healthy elements like MUFA (Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids), antioxidants and poly phenols.

Fact
All olive oils are high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Studies have shown that both extra virgin olive oil and refined olive oils (pure and extra light olive oil) have the same nutrient profile which means that all of these three come loaded with the goodness of nutrients and MUFA.

# Myth
Like wine, olive oil gets better with age.
Wine and olive oil have been partners in our civilisation’s culinary journey since the ancient Rome. In fact, the best varieties of the two share the same farm and agriculture science culminating in similar experiences on a discerning palate.

Fact
Olive oil, like all oils, deteriorates over time.
Extra virgin olive oil is not like wine – it doesn’t get better with age. Actually it’s the complete opposite. You want to consume your extra virgin olive oil as fresh as possible.
Although you can safely consume extra virgin olive oils for about two- years from harvest, the fresher they are the better. You are; however, best to use up your oil within four-six weeks of opening the bottle to ensure you benefit optimally from the health and taste pont of view.
To maintain quality, store your olive oil in a cool, dark place and use the oil within a few months once the bottle is opened.

# Myth
"Lite" or "Extra Light" olive oil differs in calories per serving.

Fact
All olive oils have the SAME CALORIES PER SERVING.
Lite or extra lite indicates a lighter colour, aroma or flavour.
Although olive oil is extremely healthy, it is high in calories. Therefore, it is important to portion control your olive oil. Use it moderately in cooking and dressing food. And if you are using it in a single serving, note that one serving of fat is about one teaspoon of olive oil.
Olive is a pure fat, meaning all the calories in olive oil come from fat only. One tablespoon of olive oil contains about 124 calories and 14 grams of fat. The fat is mostly monounsaturated, around 6.7 grams and polyunsaturated, 4.6 grams.
A small amount of calories come from saturated fat.

# Myth
Olive oil cannot be used for cooking, frying and sautéing
The common myth that olive oils are not suitable for cooking or frying is an unfortunate belief, particularly for those eating out at restaurants who want to avoid toxic GMO cooking oils such as corn, soybean, and canola. This limits most of us from using this oil for everyday cooking specially Indian cooking which involves high heat cooking i.e sautéing, frying.

Fact
You can cook on high heat with olive oil
Here, the answer lies in understanding the various grades of olive oil. In India- one can most certainly find these three grades of olive oil-extra virgin, Classic/Pure & Extra Light and lastly, Pomace which is a chemically extracted variant of olive oil. The difference lies in the taste, aroma and smoking point. While Extra Virgin olive oil has a strong flavor of olives and low smoking point because of it being obtained from cold pressing of olives. Pure olive oil is obtained from refining of olive oil, so its smoking point is high but has flavour of olives, so it can be heated and used for cooking, for pizzas, pastas, sauté vegetables etc. Extra Light which has neutral/no flavour of olives can be used for everyday cooking/ frying in Indian kitchens. Many of us can be found using Pomace variant of olive oil for Indian cooking, this is the last extract from the residue of olives.

# Myth
Cooking of olive oil destroys all nutrients
Different oils have different smoke points. When you heat oil past its smoke point, the structures of the fats start to break down - a process known as denaturing. This can cause the formation of harmful free radicals and is the point at which the oil will lose its nutritional benefit. Free radicals cause oxidative damage to cells, which can prevent the cells from functioning normally, increase nerve cell injury and possibly contribute to disease and illness. Heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fats aren’t unfavorably altered by heat. They survive a sauté intact.

Fact
Olive oils can take the heat without sacrificing nutrition
Studies and several tests have shown that the nutrient profile of olive oil does not undergo much change after it is cooked. The components of the oil which offer anti inflammatory and anti oxidant properties remain intact in the oil even after heating making it ideal fit for cooking on high heat. The elements that likely give olive oils their complex flavour profiles as well as other healthful properties—can also stand up to standard cooking procedures. They’re surprisingly stable, as long as the oil isn’t heated past its smoking point, which for extra-virgin olive oil is pretty high—about 405°F.

# Myth
Olive oil cannot be used for external usage and consumption

Fact
Olive oil’s chemical structure is more close to the skin’s natural oil as compared to that of any other natural oil, making olive oil good for skin.
Olive oil is packed with vitamins, minerals and natural fatty acids. Even, it can be used on sensitive skin. Olive oil is a potent natural ingredient in anti-aging skin care beauty products. Due to its high level antioxidant contents, it prevents skin aging and occurrence of wrinkles and fine lines on the skin. In nutshell it can guard, nourish and rejuvenate your skin.
Olive oil contains vitamins E and A that helps in, hydrating skin and sustaining skin’s elasticity and softness. Moreover, it helps to regenerate skin cells. The list of beauty benefits of olive oil on skin, hair, face, nails and body is very long that makes it a superb natural beauty product for hair, skin, nails and face.
Hence, it is time we all shun our inhibitions about olive oil, its usage in Indian cooking and doubts about its health benefits and start making this nutritive and wholesome oil a part of our daily life.

By: Rajneesh Bhasin
(The writer is a Managing Director, Borges India Private Limited)