Olive Oil
Olive oil Effective against Helicobacter pyloriHelicobacter pylori, a bacteria that burrows into the gastric lining causing chronic inflammation and promoting the development of peptic ulcers and gastric cancer, is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.The search is on for other substances able to fight H.pylori with researchers increasingly turning not only to herbal extracts and essential oils used in traditional medicines, but to polyphenol-rich foods.
Virgin olive oil, one of the few edible oils that is consumed unrefined, contains a number of active phytonutrients. Having run experiments on food-borne pathogens that showed olive oil polyphenols have a very high level of antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens, Concepcion Romero and her colleagues at the University Hospital of Valme, Seville, Spain, decided to in investigate olive oil's effects on H.pylori.
Using conditions that simulated the human gastric environment, Dr. Romero and her team demonstrated that a significant amount of the polyphenols in the olive oil diffused from the oil into the stomach acid and remained stable for several hours, exerting strong anti-H.pylori activity, even against some strains resistant to antibiotics.
Also, only very low concentrations of the olive oil extracts were necessary. Among the polyphenols showing anti-H.pylori activity, one named Ty-EDA was so effective that only <1.5 μg/mL of this compound was needed to kill H.pylori cells in test tube experiments. To put this in practical perspective, Ty-EDA is present in most virgin olive oils in concentrations up to 240 μg/mL.
While these results need confirmation in human studies, they are quite promising, especially given earlier Russian research involving olive oil and gastric ulcer. In this study, when patients with gastric and duodenal ulcers replaced the animal fat in their diet with olive oil, ulcer size was greatly reduced and the percentage of ulcer healing significantly increased. (Taits NS, cited in de la Lastra A, et al.,Current Pharmaceutical Design).
Practical Tip: Promote your gastrointestinal health by replacing the butter and refined oils in your diet with extra virgin olive oil. Since the phenols and vitamin E in olive oil are damaged by light and heat, purchase and store your olive oil in an opaque container. And don't use olive oil for cooking. Steam or lightly sauté foods in a flavorful broth, then dress with olive oil immediately after cooking. You'll get more flavor and more nutrients from your oil.
A Fat That Can Help You Lose FatSubstituting olive oil, a monounsaturated fat or MUFA, for saturated fat in your diet can translate into a small but significant loss of both body weight and fat mass without changing anything else about your diet or increasing your physical activity, suggests a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition. One of the most interesting facts about this research is that it was conducted on eight overweight or obese men, ranging in age from 24 to 49 years. All the men followed one of two diets for 4 weeks each. The first, saturated fat-rich diet provided 24% of calories from saturated fat, 13% from monounsaturated fat, and 3% from polyunsaturated fat, while in the second MUFA-rich diet, 11% of calories came from saturated fats, 22% from monounsaturated fat and 7% from polyunsaturated fat. At the end of the MUFA-rich diet, despite the fact that no significant differences were detected in caloric intake, energy expenditure or physical activity, the men were 2.1 kg lighter and their fat mass had decreased by 2.6 kg.
Additional support for olive oil's fat burning effects comes from another study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, which suggests that the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil cause an increase in the breakdown of fats in fat cells (adipocytes). In this study, 45 laboratory animals were divided into three groups, each of which was fed a diet supplying normal energy but a different type of fat: olive oil, palmitic acid or soybean oil + palmitic acid. At the end of the study, a number of indicators of fat metabolism were measured including body weight, plasma leptin, tissue concentration of fatty acids, fat-cell size, fat cell lipolytic (fat breakdown) activity, and the capacity of insulin to inhibit fat breakdown. In the animals receiving monounsaturated fats, not only was fat breakdown greater, but insulin's ability to block it was lower. Interestingly, in rats given polyunsaturated fat in the form of soybean oil, the opposite effect was noted in adipose (fat) tissue.
Extra virgin olive oil is definitely one of the best food oils available today. Simply adding olive oil to an unhealthy diet that is already soaked in saturated fats or vegetable oils will not lead to any of the benefits listed above and may actually cause more harm than good, but when pure, extra virgin olive oil is used as a primary source of fat in a whole foods, healthy eating plan, the potential goodness of this oil prevails.
Olive oil is made from the crushing and then subsequent pressing of olives. The fact that olives are rich in oil is reflected in the botanical name of the olive tree-Olea europaea-as oleas means oil in Latin.
Olive oil is available in a variety of grades, which reflect the degree to which it has been processed. See How to Select and Store for more information on these different grades of olive oil. History
Olives, one of the oldest foods known, are thought to have originated in Crete between five and seven thousand years ago. Since ancient times, the olive tree has provided food, fuel, timber and medicine for many civilizations, and has been regarded as a symbol of peace and wisdom. The venerable oil of the olive has been consumed since as early as 3,000 B.C.
Olives were brought to America by the Spanish and Portuguese explorers during the 15th and 16th centuries. They were introduced into California by the Franciscan missionaries in the late 18th century. Olive oil has been and still is a staple in the diet of many Mediterranean countries. The recent discovery that the Mediterranean diet, which features this prized oil, may be linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and other health conditions has caused olive oil to become very popular in the United States in the past few decades. Today, much of the commercial cultivation of olive oil is still centered in the Mediterranean region in such countries as Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal and Turkey.
Since olive oil can become rancid from exposure to light and heat, there are some important purchasing criteria you should follow to ensure buying a better quality product. Look for olive oils that are sold in dark tinted bottles since the packaging will help protect the oil from oxidation caused by exposure to light. In addition, make sure the oil is displayed in a cool area, away from any direct or indirect contact with heat.
When you shop for olive oil, you will notice a host of different grades are available, including extra-virgin, fine virgin, refined and pure.
Proper storage techniques for olive oil are very important, not only to preserve the delicate taste of the oil, but also to ensure that it does not spoil and become rancid, which will have a negative effect on its nutritional profile.
Even though olive oil's monounsaturated fats are more stable and heat-resistant than the polyunsaturated fats that predominate in other oils (especially the easily damaged omega-3 fatty acids found in flax seed oil, which should always be refrigerated and never heated), olive oil should be stored properly and used within a few months to ensure its healthy phytonutrients remain intact and available.
Research conducted at the University of Lleida in Spain and reported in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that levels of chlorophyll, carotenoids and antioxidant phenols dropped dramatically after virgin olive oil had been in storage 12 months-even under the best controlled conditions.
Chlorophyll content dropped by as much as 30%; beta-carotene by 40%, and vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) by 100%!
Phenols, which are not only the main antioxidants in virgin olive oil, but are also responsible for its distinctive rich flavor, also dropped precipitously after 12 months storage.
Research published in New Scientist magazine has confirmed that light destroys many of the antioxidants in olive oil. Researchers at the University of Bari, in southern Italy, compared oils stored in the light or in the dark for 12 months. Oils stored in clear bottles under supermarket lighting lost at least 30% of their tocopherols (vitamin E) and carotenoids.
After just two months' exposure to light, peroxide (free radical) levels had increased so much that the olive oil could no longer be classified as extra virgin.
Tinted glass containers screen out some light, but non-reactive dark plastic or metal containers are the best choice for preserving olive oil's beneficial compounds.
If purchasing oil in tinted glass containers, choose those at the back of the grocery shelf out of direct light. Unless you are certain turnover is rapid at your grocery, ask your grocer how long the olive oil has been out on the shelf. Buy your olive oil in smaller containers and store it in the dark. Leaving a bottle of olive oil out on your kitchen counter or dining room table will lessen its health-giving properties.
Be Sure to Choose Extra Virgin (or at least Virgin) Olive OilA study published in the European Journal of Nutrition indicates that virgin olive oil provides significantly greater protection against free radical damage to LDL cholesterol-one of the first steps in the initiation of atherosclerosis. In this double-blind, cross-over, randomized clinical trial, 30 healthy volunteers were given three similar olive oils whose concentration of antioxidant phenols ranged from 0 to 150 mg/Kg. The three olive oils were each given for 3 weeks, preceded by a 2-week washout period. After each 3-week phase, the amount of oxidized (damaged) LDL in volunteers' blood was analyzed, and in test tube studies, their LDL's ability to resist damage was evaluated. Not only did consumption of virgin olive oil result in less oxidized LDL, and LDL that was more damage resistant, but virgin olive oil was also more effective in raising levels of HDL, the protective form of cholesterol, than the other oils.
The take home message:
Since you phytonutrients are more concentrated in extra virgin olive oil found in opaque, airtight glass bottles or tins, this is your best bet when purchasing olive oil for both your taste enjoyment and your health.
Purchase only as much as you will use in three to four months and store away from light and heat. Protect your olive oil's flavor and antioxidants by transferring a week to 10 days' worth of oil to a smaller bottle to lessen the oxidation that occurs when the oil is exposed to air. Leave this small bottle at room temperature for easy use, but refrigerate the rest. When chilled, olive oil will solidify slightly and turn cloudy, but once restored to room temperature, it will regain its normal appearance, and its quality will be better maintained. Although it may be convenient, definitely don't store your olive oil near the stove as the heat will damage it.
How to EnjoyDifferent manufacturers list different smoke points for their olive oils, and some manufacturers list a temperature very close to smoke point as their maximum limit for safe heating of the oil. When these temperatures might be correct for avoiding large amounts of some harmful substances that can be created through heating of the oil, they are not correct limits for preserving the unique nutrients (especially polyphenols) found in high-quality, extra virgin olive oil. Oxidation of nourishing substances found in extra virgin olive oil, as well as acrylamide formation, can occur at cooking temperatures very closer to the 300F range. For these reasons, we recommend a much stricter heating standard involving very little or no heating when enjoying this delightful oil.
If You're Going to Stir Fry Your Broccoli in Oil, Use Extra Virgin Olive or Sunflower OilBroccoli is known to be a rich source of cancer-preventive glucosinolates, phenols, vitamin C and minerals (potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, and copper). Stir-frying methods that would best maintain broccoli's rich array of nutrients were investigated by Spanish researchers.
When they stir-fried freshly harvested broccoli florets in various edible oils (extra virgin olive oil, refined olive oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, and safflower oil), they discovered that levels of vitamin C and phenolic compounds were more affected than those of minerals and glucosinolates. Only broccoli lightly stir-fried in extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil retained the same glucosinolate and vitamin C levels as uncooked broccoli. J Food Sci. 2007 Jan;72(1):S064-8. While we recommend cooking your broccoli by using either George's healthy sauté method (in which a few tablespoons of broth are used during cooking instead of oil, and the vegetable dressed with oil immediately afterwards), or light steaming, if you must use oil, select an organic extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil, and be sure to stir fry for the shortest amount of time.
A Few Quick Serving Ideas:Use extra virgin olive oil in your salad dressings.
Purée roasted garlic, cooked potatoes and extra virgin olive oil together to make exceptionally delicious garlic mashed potatoes. Season to taste.
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over healthy sautéed vegetables before serving.
Purée extra virgin olive oil, garlic and your favorite beans together in a food processor. Season to taste and serve as a dip.
Instead of putting the butter dish out on the table, place a small cup of extra virgin olive oil out instead to use on your bread or rolls. For extra flavor, try adding a little Balsamic vinegar or any of your favorite spices to the extra virgin olive oil. Individual Concerns
Olive oil is not a commonly allergenic food and is not known to contain measurable amounts of oxalates or purines. Nutritional Profile
Olive oil is a concentrated source of monounsaturated fats and vitamin E. Extra-virgin olive oil also contains polyphenolic phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity.
Introduction to Food Rating System Chart
In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling."
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1.00 tbs
14.00 grams
126.00 caloriesNutrientAmountDV
(%)Nutrient
DensityWorld's Healthiest
Foods RatingWorld's Healthiest
Foods RatingRuleexcellentDV>=75%ORDensity>=7.6ANDDV>=10%very goodDV>=50%ORDensity>=3.4ANDDV>=5%goodDV>=25%ORDensity>=1.5ANDDV>=2.5%References
Olive oil Effective against Helicobacter pyloriHelicobacter pylori, a bacteria that burrows into the gastric lining causing chronic inflammation and promoting the development of peptic ulcers and gastric cancer, is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.The search is on for other substances able to fight H.pylori with researchers increasingly turning not only to herbal extracts and essential oils used in traditional medicines, but to polyphenol-rich foods.
Virgin olive oil, one of the few edible oils that is consumed unrefined, contains a number of active phytonutrients. Having run experiments on food-borne pathogens that showed olive oil polyphenols have a very high level of antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens, Concepcion Romero and her colleagues at the University Hospital of Valme, Seville, Spain, decided to in investigate olive oil's effects on H.pylori.
Using conditions that simulated the human gastric environment, Dr. Romero and her team demonstrated that a significant amount of the polyphenols in the olive oil diffused from the oil into the stomach acid and remained stable for several hours, exerting strong anti-H.pylori activity, even against some strains resistant to antibiotics.
Also, only very low concentrations of the olive oil extracts were necessary. Among the polyphenols showing anti-H.pylori activity, one named Ty-EDA was so effective that only <1.5 μg/mL of this compound was needed to kill H.pylori cells in test tube experiments. To put this in practical perspective, Ty-EDA is present in most virgin olive oils in concentrations up to 240 μg/mL.
While these results need confirmation in human studies, they are quite promising, especially given earlier Russian research involving olive oil and gastric ulcer. In this study, when patients with gastric and duodenal ulcers replaced the animal fat in their diet with olive oil, ulcer size was greatly reduced and the percentage of ulcer healing significantly increased. (Taits NS, cited in de la Lastra A, et al.,Current Pharmaceutical Design).
Practical Tip: Promote your gastrointestinal health by replacing the butter and refined oils in your diet with extra virgin olive oil. Since the phenols and vitamin E in olive oil are damaged by light and heat, purchase and store your olive oil in an opaque container. And don't use olive oil for cooking. Steam or lightly sauté foods in a flavorful broth, then dress with olive oil immediately after cooking. You'll get more flavor and more nutrients from your oil.
A Fat That Can Help You Lose FatSubstituting olive oil, a monounsaturated fat or MUFA, for saturated fat in your diet can translate into a small but significant loss of both body weight and fat mass without changing anything else about your diet or increasing your physical activity, suggests a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition. One of the most interesting facts about this research is that it was conducted on eight overweight or obese men, ranging in age from 24 to 49 years. All the men followed one of two diets for 4 weeks each. The first, saturated fat-rich diet provided 24% of calories from saturated fat, 13% from monounsaturated fat, and 3% from polyunsaturated fat, while in the second MUFA-rich diet, 11% of calories came from saturated fats, 22% from monounsaturated fat and 7% from polyunsaturated fat. At the end of the MUFA-rich diet, despite the fact that no significant differences were detected in caloric intake, energy expenditure or physical activity, the men were 2.1 kg lighter and their fat mass had decreased by 2.6 kg.
Additional support for olive oil's fat burning effects comes from another study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, which suggests that the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil cause an increase in the breakdown of fats in fat cells (adipocytes). In this study, 45 laboratory animals were divided into three groups, each of which was fed a diet supplying normal energy but a different type of fat: olive oil, palmitic acid or soybean oil + palmitic acid. At the end of the study, a number of indicators of fat metabolism were measured including body weight, plasma leptin, tissue concentration of fatty acids, fat-cell size, fat cell lipolytic (fat breakdown) activity, and the capacity of insulin to inhibit fat breakdown. In the animals receiving monounsaturated fats, not only was fat breakdown greater, but insulin's ability to block it was lower. Interestingly, in rats given polyunsaturated fat in the form of soybean oil, the opposite effect was noted in adipose (fat) tissue.
Extra virgin olive oil is definitely one of the best food oils available today. Simply adding olive oil to an unhealthy diet that is already soaked in saturated fats or vegetable oils will not lead to any of the benefits listed above and may actually cause more harm than good, but when pure, extra virgin olive oil is used as a primary source of fat in a whole foods, healthy eating plan, the potential goodness of this oil prevails.
Olive oil is made from the crushing and then subsequent pressing of olives. The fact that olives are rich in oil is reflected in the botanical name of the olive tree-Olea europaea-as oleas means oil in Latin.
Olive oil is available in a variety of grades, which reflect the degree to which it has been processed. See How to Select and Store for more information on these different grades of olive oil. History
Olives, one of the oldest foods known, are thought to have originated in Crete between five and seven thousand years ago. Since ancient times, the olive tree has provided food, fuel, timber and medicine for many civilizations, and has been regarded as a symbol of peace and wisdom. The venerable oil of the olive has been consumed since as early as 3,000 B.C.
Olives were brought to America by the Spanish and Portuguese explorers during the 15th and 16th centuries. They were introduced into California by the Franciscan missionaries in the late 18th century. Olive oil has been and still is a staple in the diet of many Mediterranean countries. The recent discovery that the Mediterranean diet, which features this prized oil, may be linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and other health conditions has caused olive oil to become very popular in the United States in the past few decades. Today, much of the commercial cultivation of olive oil is still centered in the Mediterranean region in such countries as Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal and Turkey.
Since olive oil can become rancid from exposure to light and heat, there are some important purchasing criteria you should follow to ensure buying a better quality product. Look for olive oils that are sold in dark tinted bottles since the packaging will help protect the oil from oxidation caused by exposure to light. In addition, make sure the oil is displayed in a cool area, away from any direct or indirect contact with heat.
When you shop for olive oil, you will notice a host of different grades are available, including extra-virgin, fine virgin, refined and pure.
- Extra-virgin is the unrefined oil derived from the first pressing of the olives and has the most delicate flavor.
- Virgin is also derived from the first pressing of the olives but has a higher acidity level than extra virgin olive oil (as well as less phytonutrients and a less delicate taste)Chemically, the difference between extra virgin olive oil and virgin olive oil involves the amount of free oleic acid, which is a marker for overall acidity. According to the standards adopted by the International Olive Oil Council, "virgin" can contain up to 2% free oleic acid, while "extra virgin" can contain up to 0.8% of free oleic acid.
- Pure oil is a bit of a misnomer. Don't be fooled if you see the term "pure" on the label; it means the oil is a blend of refined and virgin olive oils.
Proper storage techniques for olive oil are very important, not only to preserve the delicate taste of the oil, but also to ensure that it does not spoil and become rancid, which will have a negative effect on its nutritional profile.
Even though olive oil's monounsaturated fats are more stable and heat-resistant than the polyunsaturated fats that predominate in other oils (especially the easily damaged omega-3 fatty acids found in flax seed oil, which should always be refrigerated and never heated), olive oil should be stored properly and used within a few months to ensure its healthy phytonutrients remain intact and available.
Research conducted at the University of Lleida in Spain and reported in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that levels of chlorophyll, carotenoids and antioxidant phenols dropped dramatically after virgin olive oil had been in storage 12 months-even under the best controlled conditions.
Chlorophyll content dropped by as much as 30%; beta-carotene by 40%, and vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) by 100%!
Phenols, which are not only the main antioxidants in virgin olive oil, but are also responsible for its distinctive rich flavor, also dropped precipitously after 12 months storage.
Research published in New Scientist magazine has confirmed that light destroys many of the antioxidants in olive oil. Researchers at the University of Bari, in southern Italy, compared oils stored in the light or in the dark for 12 months. Oils stored in clear bottles under supermarket lighting lost at least 30% of their tocopherols (vitamin E) and carotenoids.
After just two months' exposure to light, peroxide (free radical) levels had increased so much that the olive oil could no longer be classified as extra virgin.
Tinted glass containers screen out some light, but non-reactive dark plastic or metal containers are the best choice for preserving olive oil's beneficial compounds.
If purchasing oil in tinted glass containers, choose those at the back of the grocery shelf out of direct light. Unless you are certain turnover is rapid at your grocery, ask your grocer how long the olive oil has been out on the shelf. Buy your olive oil in smaller containers and store it in the dark. Leaving a bottle of olive oil out on your kitchen counter or dining room table will lessen its health-giving properties.
Be Sure to Choose Extra Virgin (or at least Virgin) Olive OilA study published in the European Journal of Nutrition indicates that virgin olive oil provides significantly greater protection against free radical damage to LDL cholesterol-one of the first steps in the initiation of atherosclerosis. In this double-blind, cross-over, randomized clinical trial, 30 healthy volunteers were given three similar olive oils whose concentration of antioxidant phenols ranged from 0 to 150 mg/Kg. The three olive oils were each given for 3 weeks, preceded by a 2-week washout period. After each 3-week phase, the amount of oxidized (damaged) LDL in volunteers' blood was analyzed, and in test tube studies, their LDL's ability to resist damage was evaluated. Not only did consumption of virgin olive oil result in less oxidized LDL, and LDL that was more damage resistant, but virgin olive oil was also more effective in raising levels of HDL, the protective form of cholesterol, than the other oils.
The take home message:
Since you phytonutrients are more concentrated in extra virgin olive oil found in opaque, airtight glass bottles or tins, this is your best bet when purchasing olive oil for both your taste enjoyment and your health.
Purchase only as much as you will use in three to four months and store away from light and heat. Protect your olive oil's flavor and antioxidants by transferring a week to 10 days' worth of oil to a smaller bottle to lessen the oxidation that occurs when the oil is exposed to air. Leave this small bottle at room temperature for easy use, but refrigerate the rest. When chilled, olive oil will solidify slightly and turn cloudy, but once restored to room temperature, it will regain its normal appearance, and its quality will be better maintained. Although it may be convenient, definitely don't store your olive oil near the stove as the heat will damage it.
How to EnjoyDifferent manufacturers list different smoke points for their olive oils, and some manufacturers list a temperature very close to smoke point as their maximum limit for safe heating of the oil. When these temperatures might be correct for avoiding large amounts of some harmful substances that can be created through heating of the oil, they are not correct limits for preserving the unique nutrients (especially polyphenols) found in high-quality, extra virgin olive oil. Oxidation of nourishing substances found in extra virgin olive oil, as well as acrylamide formation, can occur at cooking temperatures very closer to the 300F range. For these reasons, we recommend a much stricter heating standard involving very little or no heating when enjoying this delightful oil.
If You're Going to Stir Fry Your Broccoli in Oil, Use Extra Virgin Olive or Sunflower OilBroccoli is known to be a rich source of cancer-preventive glucosinolates, phenols, vitamin C and minerals (potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, and copper). Stir-frying methods that would best maintain broccoli's rich array of nutrients were investigated by Spanish researchers.
When they stir-fried freshly harvested broccoli florets in various edible oils (extra virgin olive oil, refined olive oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, and safflower oil), they discovered that levels of vitamin C and phenolic compounds were more affected than those of minerals and glucosinolates. Only broccoli lightly stir-fried in extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil retained the same glucosinolate and vitamin C levels as uncooked broccoli. J Food Sci. 2007 Jan;72(1):S064-8. While we recommend cooking your broccoli by using either George's healthy sauté method (in which a few tablespoons of broth are used during cooking instead of oil, and the vegetable dressed with oil immediately afterwards), or light steaming, if you must use oil, select an organic extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil, and be sure to stir fry for the shortest amount of time.
A Few Quick Serving Ideas:Use extra virgin olive oil in your salad dressings.
Purée roasted garlic, cooked potatoes and extra virgin olive oil together to make exceptionally delicious garlic mashed potatoes. Season to taste.
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over healthy sautéed vegetables before serving.
Purée extra virgin olive oil, garlic and your favorite beans together in a food processor. Season to taste and serve as a dip.
Instead of putting the butter dish out on the table, place a small cup of extra virgin olive oil out instead to use on your bread or rolls. For extra flavor, try adding a little Balsamic vinegar or any of your favorite spices to the extra virgin olive oil. Individual Concerns
Olive oil is not a commonly allergenic food and is not known to contain measurable amounts of oxalates or purines. Nutritional Profile
Olive oil is a concentrated source of monounsaturated fats and vitamin E. Extra-virgin olive oil also contains polyphenolic phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity.
Introduction to Food Rating System Chart
In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling."
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1.00 tbs
14.00 grams
126.00 caloriesNutrientAmountDV
(%)Nutrient
DensityWorld's Healthiest
Foods RatingWorld's Healthiest
Foods RatingRuleexcellentDV>=75%ORDensity>=7.6ANDDV>=10%very goodDV>=50%ORDensity>=3.4ANDDV>=5%goodDV>=25%ORDensity>=1.5ANDDV>=2.5%References
- Aguilera CM, Ramirez-Tortosa MC, Mesa MD, Gil A. [Protective effect of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids on the development of cardiovascular disease]. Nutr Hosp 2001 May-2001 Jun 30;16(3):78-91 2001. PMID:11620.
- Alarcon de la Lastra C, Barranco MD, Motilva V, Herrerias JM. Mediterranean diet and health: biological importance of olive oil. Curr Pharm Des. 2001 Jul;7(10):933-50. 2001. PMID:11472248.
- Beauchamp GK, Keast RS, Morel D, Lin J, Pika J, Han Q, Lee CH, Smith AB, Breslin PA. Phytochemistry: ibuprofen-like activity in extra-virgin olive oil. Nature. 2005 Sep 1;437(7055):45-6. 2005. PMID:16136122.
- Bond R, Lloyd DH. A double-blind comparison of olive oil and a combination of evening primrose oil and fish oil in the management of canine atopy. Vet Rec 1992 Dec 12;131(24):558-60 1992. PMID:11330.
- Bondia-Pons I, Schroder H, Covas MI, Castellote AI, Kaikkonen J, Poulsen HE, Gaddi AV, Machowetz A, Kiesewetter H, Lopez-Sabater MC. Moderate consumption of olive oil by healthy European men reduces systolic blood pressure in non-Mediterranean participants. J Nutr. 2007 Jan;137(1):84-87. 2007. PMID:17182805.
- Caponio F, Bilancia MT, Pasqualone A, Sikorska E, Gomes T. Influence of the exposure to light on extra virgin olive oil quality during storage. European Food Research and Technology, 2005 July; 221(1-2):92-98. 2005.
- Carluccio MA, Siculella L, Ancora MA et al. Olive oil and red wine antioxidant polyphenols inhibit endothelial activation antiatherogenic properties of mediterranean diet phytochemicals. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2003 Apr 1; 23(4):622-9 2003.
- Covas MI, de la Torre K, Farre-Albaladejo M, Kaikkonen J, Fito M, Lopez-Sabater C, Pujadas-Bastardes MA, Joglar J, Weinbrenner T, Lamuela-Raventos RM, de la Torre R. Postprandial LDL phenolic content and LDL oxidation are modulated by olive oil phenolic compounds in humans. Free Radic Biol Med. 2006 Feb 15;40(4):608-16. Epub 2005 Oct 18. 2006. PMID:16458191.
- Covas MI, Nyyssonen K, Poulsen HE, Kaikkonen J, Zunft HJ, Kiesewetter H, Gaddi A, de la Torre R, Mursu J, Baumler H, Nascetti S, Salonen JT, Fito M, Virtanen J, Marrugat J. EUROLIVE Study Group. The effect of polyphenols in olive oil on heart disease risk factors: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2006 Sep 5;145(5):333-41. 2006. PMID:16954359.
- Covas MI. Olive oil and the cardiovascular system. Pharmacol Res. 2007 Mar;55(3):175-86. Epub 2007 Jan 30. 2007. PMID:17321749.
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