Olive Oil — In a Group of Its Own
Olive oil is often referred to as “the liquid gold of the Mediterranean.” Olive oil in a group of its own is a departure from the traditional USDA Food Guide Pyramid. Olive oil is this diet's primary source of fat, and is made up mostly of an unsaturated fat called monounsaturated fat. A monounsaturated fat is often described as a healthful fat to consume. It is the fat thought to protect individuals from a host of chronic diseases, including heart disease. The traditional Mediterranean diet can be made up of as much as 40 percent fat; however, it is important to keep in mind that the American Heart Association recommends a diet including no higher than 30 percent fat. The Mediterranean diet, unlike a typical American diet, is very low in saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and cholesterol. Cholesterol, a fatlike substance, is thought to promote heart disease when consumed in high quantities. Cholesterol can be found in abundance in animal products.
What's in It?
Olive oil, besides containing fat, is a well-known source for vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. Olive oil is also rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, and K, and iron. It is important to note that olive oil should always replace other types of fat, not be added to other types of fat. Butter is very rarely used in the Mediterranean regions, and margarine is a newcomer on the block! Most margarine contains oil that is hydrogenated. Hydrogenated oil is a very unhealthful fat. It is thought to cause clogging of the arteries and to promote heart disease.
There are two main types of dietary fat, unsaturated fat and saturated fat, determined by the chemical composition of the fat. Unsaturated fat is further broken down into two different categories: monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Although all unsaturated fats are a healthy choice, monounsaturated fat — the type of fat that's found in olive oil — is thought to offer the most health benefits. Monounsaturated fat is also found in abundance in avocados and walnuts.
Keep in mind that another way to increase olive oil in the diet is to include olives, the source of olive oil. Many of the recipes included in this book rely on the taste of olives for their delectable flavor.
Types of Olive Oil
The “juice” that comes from pressing olives is olive oil. There are three main types of olive oil — extra-virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, and “pure” olive oil. The virgin olive oils are made from the first pressing of the olive. Extra-virgin olive oil contains less than 1 percent acidity, and virgin olive oil contains up to 2 percent acidity. The two have the same nutritional content; however, the difference lies in the taste, aroma, and cooking properties. Extra-virgin olive oil has a much fruitier taste and aroma, making this the oil of choice for salad dressings and food items in which the oil is not cooked. Pure olive oil is typically an oil that is refined or extracted using various filters in the production process. This has a higher burn point than the virgin or extra-virgin olive oils, and so it is preferred for cooking at high temperatures.
There is also a variation of olive oil called extra-extra virgin, which contains less than .5 percent acidity.
