The Mediterranean diet has attracted a lot of attention because of the lower incidence of coronary heart disease and other degenerative diseases in populations that consume it. Health experts believe that it is the combination of grains, fresh vegetables, and the best extra virgin olive oil in their diets that prevents cell damage and inflammation, two leading causes of many diseases.

Virgin oil sources

Olive oil comes from the olive, a round green fruit that grows well in areas with warm summers and wet winters.

Olives are considered fruits that grow well in areas with a sub tropical climate particularly in Mediterranean countries and in Queensland Australia.. While there are over 800 hundred types of olives planted around the world, only a few can be used for making virgin olive oil.

To get the best extra virgin olive oil, the highest standards of selection and production are used.

Fruit selection

The olives are carefully selected using the following criteria:

1. Appearance: Only those that are not damaged or bruised will be picked for production.
2. Maturity: The fruit must neither be under-ripe nor too ripe and it must secrete some fluid at the stem end when squeezed.

3. Free stone effect: An optional but better test of maturity entails making a cut around the fruit and twisting it in half to see if the stone is readily released. A free stone effect is the best sign of maturity.

Production

The olives are immediately washed and the oil is extracted under low temperatures to avoid over processing or the application of high heat which may destroy its plant chemicals. High quality oil is produced only if it is immediately extracted after harvest, avoiding high temperature and chemical additives during processing.

Some producers resort to adding enzymes and chemicals to yield more oil from the fruit. Oils resulting from over-extraction no longer contain the antioxidants that olives are known for and are considered low quality. Often marketed as “pure” or “light” oils, these types contain the least amount of essential fatty acids and polyphenols that experts no longer consider as healthy.

What makes virgin oil the best

Polyphenols or antioxidants that occur naturally in plants are abundantly found in virgin oil. These compounds that are responsible for protecting the oil from oxidation also work against oxidative stress in the human body, a leading cause of cell damage and most degenerative diseases.

A growing number of studies show its protective effects against diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, coronary heart disease, and sunburn which are why health experts recommend only consuming the best extra virgin olive oil.