Benefits and Ways to Use Olive Oil Correctly for Cooking
Olive oil is touted as the best type of oil for cooking. Indeed, what are the benefits of this oil for health? Come on, find out more about the nutritional content, benefits, manufacturing processes, to how to use olive oil properly in the following review.
What is Olive Oil?
Olive oil or also known as olive oil is a type of oil derived from olives ( Olea europaea ). The oil content is indeed known for cooking food. However, not only that, but the oil can also be used as cosmetic ingredients for beauty, medicine, and traditional lighting fuels. This oil is most widely produced in Spain, Italy, and Greece.
Unlike the fruit that is more delicious to consume if it is ripe, the choice of olives for oil is not too ripe aka half-ripe. The reason, olives that are too ripe do not contain the best oils. So, farmers do not need to wait for the olives to fall from the tree because they are ripe, but are taken earlier before the fruit falls to the ground.
Then, the fruit will be cleaned of leaves or twigs and washed to remove dirt. The next process is drying olives to take the oil.
The process of making olive oil
After cleaning, the olives will be processed to take the oil. There are two ways to make olive oil, namely:
Processing olive oil traditionally
This traditional method starts with breaking the olives into a paste or dough. The goal, to release oil from fruit flesh. You do this by inserting fruit in a grinding container made of granite. When the grinding wheel is pulled, the olives will be crushed.
The process of making pasta ( malaxing ) from olives is carried out for 20 to 45 minutes. Its function, so that the amount of oil collected will be more and enzymes in the fruit produce the desired aroma and taste.
The longer this process is carried out, it will indeed produce more oil. However, the risk of causing an increase in oxidation so that the quality and resistance of oil decreases.
After the malaxing process, the paste is placed in a container made of jute. Then, the filled containers will be arranged and pressed with a hydraulic press machine. The pressure applied will compress the paste because the oil and water contained in the paste will flow to the side of the disc. After that, oil and water will be separated by decantation or centrifugation.
Processing olive oil in a modern way
The modern method no longer uses a granite crusher. The tool used is made of stainless steel which can rotate at high speed.
Olives will be added and crushed with a hammermill or jagged discs. This process can produce a very soft olive paste. Fortunately, this tool is equipped with an inert gas to reduce oxidation and produce high-quality oil.
Then, the olive paste will be placed in the bottle for centrifugation in three phases. This is done to remove water and oil from the olive paste.
In addition, there are also other modern ways to extract olive oil, the method. Initially, the olives are ground into a paste. Then, metal discs will be dipped many times to separate oil from water. The collected oil will be stored in a stainless steel tank covered with nitrogen to protect it from oxygen.
To make extra virgin olive oil, it is usually refined before placing it in the container. Well, the recommended container for storing olive oil is made of glass because it is not translucent in oxygen and blocks UV rays.
Benefits of consuming olive oil for health
Besides being drunk directly, olive oil is also often used to cook food. Well, there are some benefits that you will get if you consume this oil properly, namely:
1. Rich in antioxidants and contains a single unsaturated fat
This natural oil extracted from olives contains 73% of the acid oil of the total oil content. In addition, this oil also contains antioxidants, vitamin E, and vitamin K which are useful for protecting cholesterol in the blood and reducing heart disease.
The antioxidant effect on oils from olives is also used for the world of beauty, which is used in antiaging products.
2. Has antibacterial properties
Studies show that the nutritional content of olives can inhibit and kill harmful bacteria, such as Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium lives in the stomach and can cause stomach ulcers and stomach cancer.
As many as 10 to 40% of study participants who drank 30 grams of extra virgin olive oil every day for 2 weeks, experienced a decrease in infections caused by Helicobacter pylori.
3. Potential to reduce the risk of cancer
Cancer is a deadly disease. Because it can spread to other healthy tissue if not treated immediately. Antioxidants are known as compounds that can reduce the risk of abnormal cell growth.
Well, olive oil which is rich in antioxidants is believed to reduce oxidative damage due to free radicals, which are the main factors in the emergence of cancer. However, further research is needed regarding the potential of olive oil to reduce risk and prevent cancer.
4. Has strong anti-inflammatory properties
Chronic inflammation in the body can increase chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease.
Research has found that extra virgin olive oil contains anti-inflammatory, oleocanthal. This compound has been shown to work similarly to ibuprofen - a type of anti-pain and anti-inflammatory drug. In addition, oleic fatty acids also work to reduce levels of inflammation such as C-reactive protein (CRP).
5. Potential for preventing stroke
In addition to cancer, stroke is a debilitating disease that can even cause death in a person. This condition occurs due to interruption of blood flow to the brain, as a result of blood clots or bleeding.
A study showed that 140,000 pesetas who consumed olive oil had a lower risk of stroke than those who did not. The researchers believe that olive oil contains monounsaturated fat, thereby reducing inflammation and blood circulation to the brain.
6. Can protect heart health
Research has shown that extra virgin olive oil contains monounsaturated fat. The content can reduce inflammation, protect bad cholesterol from oxidation, maintain blood pressure, increase the lining of blood vessels, and prevent excessive blood clots.
All of these benefits turned out to be very good for heart health. If you have heart problems and want to benefit from olive oil, consult your doctor about safe ways to take it.
7. Prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes
Being overweight (obesity) develops various chronic diseases, such as rheumatism, diabetes, and heart disease. Well, olive oil is known to prevent obesity if included in the diet menu.
This oil is known to have healthy fat content which, if consumed properly, can reduce weight and increase antioxidant levels in the blood. Besides helping to control weight, olive oil also has a good effect on blood sugar and insulin sensitivity which is closely related to preventing type 2 diabetes.
This disease makes it difficult for the body to control blood sugar levels, causing symptoms of fatigue, easy hunger, frequent drowsiness, itchy skin, and easily injured, and even cause nerve damage.
9. Potential against Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer 's disease is a disease that is vulnerable to attack the elderly. This disease causes a decrease in brain function that affects a person in thinking and doing activities. The main cause of this disease is the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques in brain cells. This makes the cells in the brain more and more damaged.
A mouse-based study shows that olive oil can help reduce plaque that consumes cells in the brain. This means that the nutritional content of olive oil maintains normal brain function and has the potential to be a cure for Alzheimer's disease in the future. Need further research to prove the effectiveness of olive oil to fight Alzheimer's.
10. Potential to treat rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by pain and swelling in the joints so that a person cannot move freely. Health experts believe that this condition occurs due to the body's immune system attacking normal healthy cells accidentally and causing inflammation.
Studies show that olive oil supplements have the potential to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in people with RA. The benefits are maximized when combined with fish oil, which is a source of omega 3 fatty acids which are also rich in anti-inflammatory compounds.
The wrong way to use olive oil
There is a myriad of benefits of olive oil that you can reap to maintain health. However, be careful how the wrong use of olive oil may turn around to harm you.
Therefore, avoid various mistakes on how to use the wrong olive oil so that your property remains durable and useful. Here are some ways to use olive oil that are often done, but are wrong and you should avoid, such as:
1. It has been stored too long
Just like other foods, olive oil that is stored for too long can be damaged and smell rancid. This is marked by the taste that is not good. This oil should only be stored for no more than 6 weeks. You should immediately finish it after the seal is opened.
Besides the taste that is no longer good, the nutrients contained in olive oil can be damaged. You certainly will not get the maximum benefits of olive oil.
2. Fry the oil with a temperature that is too hot
Although it may seem trivial, many people do not know that heating olive oil above 180º Celsius is the wrong thing to do. The method of frying with much oil above 180º Celsius, even more than 200º Celsius is called deep-frying technique.
Well, this technique will quickly damage the components of olive oil and eliminate the antioxidant content, especially in extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil may be heated, but only to saute vegetables that do not need fire at high temperatures.
3. Store it in a hot place
In addition to paying more attention to how to use olive oil, you also need to know how to properly store it. Do not store this oil in hot temperatures, near a fire (for example near a stove) or indirect sun exposure. This will damage the content and nutrition of olive oil before you can use it.
For this reason, you should store this oil in a glass container with a dark and closed color. Exposure to air can make oil rancid more quickly.
Then, place the oil in a closed cupboard to avoid direct sunlight. It is better to choose a cupboard that is not on the stove because of exposure to hot temperatures when cooking can be about the cupboard.
4. Too much use of oil
Olive oil is healthy. However, this oil still contains high fat and calories. In 100 grams of olive oil can contain about 800 calories and 100 grams of fat.
Most consuming olive oil is the same as increasing calorie intake. This can cause excessive calorie intake. To maintain health, you actually only need 1-3 tablespoons (tablespoons) of olive oil per day, both for direct consumption and for cooking food.
The above measurements are enough to help meet your daily needs for fat, vitamin E, and vitamin K while fighting inflammation in the body.
5. Originally choose olive oil
There are several types of olive oil that you can find on the market. In general, there are types of refined (for example ordinary olive oil and light olive oil ) and unrefined (for example extra virgin olive oil / EVOO). So, before buying this oil, first, know what the functions and how to use each type.
Olive oil is unrefined oil which is really pure because it does not go through so many manufacturing processes. Therefore, this oil contains more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Meanwhile, o refined live oil has gone through more manufacturing processes so that it affects the oil's texture, taste, and color.
This difference automatically also affects how to use it. EVOO oil is not suitable for high-temperature cooking, such as frying, baking, or burning. This type of oil is usually only used as a splash of salad or saute vegetables for a while.
If you want to use olive oil for baking, burning, or other cooking methods, you can use light olive oil. This type of oil has a higher boiling point so it is safer when heated.
What is Olive Oil?
Olive oil or also known as olive oil is a type of oil derived from olives ( Olea europaea ). The oil content is indeed known for cooking food. However, not only that, but the oil can also be used as cosmetic ingredients for beauty, medicine, and traditional lighting fuels. This oil is most widely produced in Spain, Italy, and Greece.
Unlike the fruit that is more delicious to consume if it is ripe, the choice of olives for oil is not too ripe aka half-ripe. The reason, olives that are too ripe do not contain the best oils. So, farmers do not need to wait for the olives to fall from the tree because they are ripe, but are taken earlier before the fruit falls to the ground.
Then, the fruit will be cleaned of leaves or twigs and washed to remove dirt. The next process is drying olives to take the oil.
The process of making olive oil
After cleaning, the olives will be processed to take the oil. There are two ways to make olive oil, namely:
Processing olive oil traditionally
This traditional method starts with breaking the olives into a paste or dough. The goal, to release oil from fruit flesh. You do this by inserting fruit in a grinding container made of granite. When the grinding wheel is pulled, the olives will be crushed.
The process of making pasta ( malaxing ) from olives is carried out for 20 to 45 minutes. Its function, so that the amount of oil collected will be more and enzymes in the fruit produce the desired aroma and taste.
The longer this process is carried out, it will indeed produce more oil. However, the risk of causing an increase in oxidation so that the quality and resistance of oil decreases.
After the malaxing process, the paste is placed in a container made of jute. Then, the filled containers will be arranged and pressed with a hydraulic press machine. The pressure applied will compress the paste because the oil and water contained in the paste will flow to the side of the disc. After that, oil and water will be separated by decantation or centrifugation.
Processing olive oil in a modern way
The modern method no longer uses a granite crusher. The tool used is made of stainless steel which can rotate at high speed.
Olives will be added and crushed with a hammermill or jagged discs. This process can produce a very soft olive paste. Fortunately, this tool is equipped with an inert gas to reduce oxidation and produce high-quality oil.
Then, the olive paste will be placed in the bottle for centrifugation in three phases. This is done to remove water and oil from the olive paste.
In addition, there are also other modern ways to extract olive oil, the method. Initially, the olives are ground into a paste. Then, metal discs will be dipped many times to separate oil from water. The collected oil will be stored in a stainless steel tank covered with nitrogen to protect it from oxygen.
To make extra virgin olive oil, it is usually refined before placing it in the container. Well, the recommended container for storing olive oil is made of glass because it is not translucent in oxygen and blocks UV rays.
Benefits of consuming olive oil for health
Besides being drunk directly, olive oil is also often used to cook food. Well, there are some benefits that you will get if you consume this oil properly, namely:
1. Rich in antioxidants and contains a single unsaturated fat
This natural oil extracted from olives contains 73% of the acid oil of the total oil content. In addition, this oil also contains antioxidants, vitamin E, and vitamin K which are useful for protecting cholesterol in the blood and reducing heart disease.
The antioxidant effect on oils from olives is also used for the world of beauty, which is used in antiaging products.
2. Has antibacterial properties
Studies show that the nutritional content of olives can inhibit and kill harmful bacteria, such as Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium lives in the stomach and can cause stomach ulcers and stomach cancer.
As many as 10 to 40% of study participants who drank 30 grams of extra virgin olive oil every day for 2 weeks, experienced a decrease in infections caused by Helicobacter pylori.
3. Potential to reduce the risk of cancer
Cancer is a deadly disease. Because it can spread to other healthy tissue if not treated immediately. Antioxidants are known as compounds that can reduce the risk of abnormal cell growth.
Well, olive oil which is rich in antioxidants is believed to reduce oxidative damage due to free radicals, which are the main factors in the emergence of cancer. However, further research is needed regarding the potential of olive oil to reduce risk and prevent cancer.
4. Has strong anti-inflammatory properties
Chronic inflammation in the body can increase chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease.
Research has found that extra virgin olive oil contains anti-inflammatory, oleocanthal. This compound has been shown to work similarly to ibuprofen - a type of anti-pain and anti-inflammatory drug. In addition, oleic fatty acids also work to reduce levels of inflammation such as C-reactive protein (CRP).
5. Potential for preventing stroke
In addition to cancer, stroke is a debilitating disease that can even cause death in a person. This condition occurs due to interruption of blood flow to the brain, as a result of blood clots or bleeding.
A study showed that 140,000 pesetas who consumed olive oil had a lower risk of stroke than those who did not. The researchers believe that olive oil contains monounsaturated fat, thereby reducing inflammation and blood circulation to the brain.
6. Can protect heart health
Research has shown that extra virgin olive oil contains monounsaturated fat. The content can reduce inflammation, protect bad cholesterol from oxidation, maintain blood pressure, increase the lining of blood vessels, and prevent excessive blood clots.
All of these benefits turned out to be very good for heart health. If you have heart problems and want to benefit from olive oil, consult your doctor about safe ways to take it.
7. Prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes
Being overweight (obesity) develops various chronic diseases, such as rheumatism, diabetes, and heart disease. Well, olive oil is known to prevent obesity if included in the diet menu.
This oil is known to have healthy fat content which, if consumed properly, can reduce weight and increase antioxidant levels in the blood. Besides helping to control weight, olive oil also has a good effect on blood sugar and insulin sensitivity which is closely related to preventing type 2 diabetes.
This disease makes it difficult for the body to control blood sugar levels, causing symptoms of fatigue, easy hunger, frequent drowsiness, itchy skin, and easily injured, and even cause nerve damage.
9. Potential against Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer 's disease is a disease that is vulnerable to attack the elderly. This disease causes a decrease in brain function that affects a person in thinking and doing activities. The main cause of this disease is the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques in brain cells. This makes the cells in the brain more and more damaged.
A mouse-based study shows that olive oil can help reduce plaque that consumes cells in the brain. This means that the nutritional content of olive oil maintains normal brain function and has the potential to be a cure for Alzheimer's disease in the future. Need further research to prove the effectiveness of olive oil to fight Alzheimer's.
10. Potential to treat rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by pain and swelling in the joints so that a person cannot move freely. Health experts believe that this condition occurs due to the body's immune system attacking normal healthy cells accidentally and causing inflammation.
Studies show that olive oil supplements have the potential to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in people with RA. The benefits are maximized when combined with fish oil, which is a source of omega 3 fatty acids which are also rich in anti-inflammatory compounds.
The wrong way to use olive oil
There is a myriad of benefits of olive oil that you can reap to maintain health. However, be careful how the wrong use of olive oil may turn around to harm you.
Therefore, avoid various mistakes on how to use the wrong olive oil so that your property remains durable and useful. Here are some ways to use olive oil that are often done, but are wrong and you should avoid, such as:
1. It has been stored too long
Just like other foods, olive oil that is stored for too long can be damaged and smell rancid. This is marked by the taste that is not good. This oil should only be stored for no more than 6 weeks. You should immediately finish it after the seal is opened.
Besides the taste that is no longer good, the nutrients contained in olive oil can be damaged. You certainly will not get the maximum benefits of olive oil.
2. Fry the oil with a temperature that is too hot
Although it may seem trivial, many people do not know that heating olive oil above 180º Celsius is the wrong thing to do. The method of frying with much oil above 180º Celsius, even more than 200º Celsius is called deep-frying technique.
Well, this technique will quickly damage the components of olive oil and eliminate the antioxidant content, especially in extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil may be heated, but only to saute vegetables that do not need fire at high temperatures.
3. Store it in a hot place
In addition to paying more attention to how to use olive oil, you also need to know how to properly store it. Do not store this oil in hot temperatures, near a fire (for example near a stove) or indirect sun exposure. This will damage the content and nutrition of olive oil before you can use it.
For this reason, you should store this oil in a glass container with a dark and closed color. Exposure to air can make oil rancid more quickly.
Then, place the oil in a closed cupboard to avoid direct sunlight. It is better to choose a cupboard that is not on the stove because of exposure to hot temperatures when cooking can be about the cupboard.
4. Too much use of oil
Olive oil is healthy. However, this oil still contains high fat and calories. In 100 grams of olive oil can contain about 800 calories and 100 grams of fat.
Most consuming olive oil is the same as increasing calorie intake. This can cause excessive calorie intake. To maintain health, you actually only need 1-3 tablespoons (tablespoons) of olive oil per day, both for direct consumption and for cooking food.
The above measurements are enough to help meet your daily needs for fat, vitamin E, and vitamin K while fighting inflammation in the body.
5. Originally choose olive oil
There are several types of olive oil that you can find on the market. In general, there are types of refined (for example ordinary olive oil and light olive oil ) and unrefined (for example extra virgin olive oil / EVOO). So, before buying this oil, first, know what the functions and how to use each type.
Olive oil is unrefined oil which is really pure because it does not go through so many manufacturing processes. Therefore, this oil contains more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Meanwhile, o refined live oil has gone through more manufacturing processes so that it affects the oil's texture, taste, and color.
This difference automatically also affects how to use it. EVOO oil is not suitable for high-temperature cooking, such as frying, baking, or burning. This type of oil is usually only used as a splash of salad or saute vegetables for a while.
If you want to use olive oil for baking, burning, or other cooking methods, you can use light olive oil. This type of oil has a higher boiling point so it is safer when heated.
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