The Origins of Olive Oil

What is the Origin of Olive Oil?

Olive oil is one of the most essential items used for the Keto diet for Indians. The Olive oil that we use today didn’t come to existence in one day. There is a broad history behind this. Keep reading this article to find out. 

The Olive Oil History

Historians usually agree that the olive tree originated in ancient Greece and spread across the Mediterranean world as the Greeks and Phoenicians conquered the area. In his writings around the second century B.C.E., Cato, a Roman philosopher, identified the agricultural methods used to grow olives. This olive grove in Campania near Massa Lubrense, reveals rolled up black netting on the Amalfi coast. Such netting is used to protect the olives as they are picked so that they are not damaged and on such heavily sloped land as a realistic precaution.

Mythology

Athens is named after the goddess Athena, who gave the Greeks the olive as a gift. Zeus had vowed to send the god or goddess Attica, who created the most valuable discovery. Athena's olive offering, useful for light, fire, fruit, medicine, and perfume, was selected as a more friendly creation than Poseidon's horse, believed to be a swift and strong weapon of war. Athena planted the first olive tree on a rocky hill which is known as the Acropolis today. It is said that the olive tree that grows there today grew from the roots of the original tree. 

How to Grade Olive Oil?

Olive oil is rated according to the pressing conditions and the oil content. The finest quality is Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and the quality is given to oil from the first pressing. The process used in Italian is cold pressing (in which no heat is added above 60 degrees Fahrenheit). Air kills antioxidants and the safest are the cold-pressed oils. Virgin Olive Oil is the same as Extra Virgin Olive Oil but with a higher acidity for all purposes. Virgin olive oil must be less than 4 percent acidic. Fine Virgin Oil, Superfine Oil, Olive Oil, and Plain Olive Oil are all lower quality oils, and although you may like to hear about them, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is the only vendor. 

What does it mean by "Spremitura a Freddo?"

The term "spremitura a freddo" in Italian means "stretched hard" Because it requires ambient heat to extract the oil from the olives, no industrial heat or additives are used in cold pressed oil. Therefore, Extra Virgin Olive Oil acidity can not reach 1%. Olio2go.com offers Olive Oil Extra Virgin only. Olio2go.com also often has oils with an acidity of less than 0.5%, and these are known as Low Acidity Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

Would I choose a Blended vs Single Variety oil?

Several oils are mixed to create a distinctive flavor from many olive varieties, much as a vintner mixes grapes to make fine wine. Many producers of olive oil press oils from a single estate or a single variety and can produce a fine oil. The name for olive oil with a single origin is the mono cultivar. Such single state oils and homemade oils are among the finest in the world and are only available in very limited numbers.

What does D.O.P. stand for?

Italy has a well-known grading scheme of wines,  the mark D.O.C. Olive oil is also classified in a system with the D.O.P. label under the same classification criteria, indicating Protected Label of Origin. To receive this award, the manufacturer must apply for and pass requirements of approval that regulate the origin of the crude. Furthermore, certain regions have a national qualification, such as that of Toscana (see details on the Consorzio dell'Olio Toscano), which increases quality assurance criteria. 

Were the oils better off unfiltered?

Many fine oils go unfiltered, making the oil murky. This attribute suggests the oil's freshness because with time the sediment would sink to the container's rim. Yet not all oil is sold unfiltered and this attribute is not automatically a standard measure.

What does the hue of the Olive Oil say us?

Color is also a freshness predictor but not always a reliable predictor. Quite fresh oil can vary from glossy green to black gold in color. Many varieties of olives can yield a greener golden-green oil. It is safe to assume the olive oil would be a warm golden color past its age. Glue it out at that point. The color depends on the age of the olives at harvest time, too. Quite ripe olives contain oil that is yellower than green olives.

How do you recognize Olive Oils?

Above everything, the consistency of Extra Virgin Olive Oil is demonstrated by the flavor. The flavor standard developed by the International Council for Olive Oil is used by EU countries as well as other Mediterranean nations. An assagiatore or assagiatrice is an oil registering specialist. Our own assagiatori's taste buds are professional, ask them to teach you. For example, the best consultants for your oil options are your own taste buds.

Note the characteristics such as when there is a clear and enticing fragrance of olive fruit, bitterness (a favorable characteristic), and pungency or peppery snap when you taste an oil. Olive oil tend to vary by area, due to the variations in olives, soils and microclimates. The Ligurian oils are usually less peppery than the Tuscan oils, which are beautifully fruity. One perfect way to test oil is by grilling a slice of bread, coating it with a little garlic and sprinkling some butter. Healthy bread makes a huge difference and any chopped tomato and basil does not hurt, of course.

Where do they store the Olive Oil? What color the glass will be?

Olive oil lasts between 18-24 months. If stored in a sunshine location, expect under 12 months. When stored in a dark spot, the oil will last a long time at less than room temperature. Find a spot in your kitchen nearby but away from heat and light for better safety. The need to show off the finest oils and the need to shield them hidden from light may have to be balanced. Light and heat exposure will make olive oil rancid. It wrecks the oil's safe, antioxidant effects. Many Olio2go oils are sold in bottles with dark tinted paint. Several extremely fine oils are being sold in glass bottles. Find a quiet, cold cupboard at home.

Are you fully confused about hydroxytyrosol?

We get lots of calls about who has the most hydroxytyrosol in olive oil. Most of the virgin oils extra produce hydroxytyrosol. Italian producers do not check for the chemicals and we do not have the knowledge one wants the most about. However, if you want the peppery flavor, we suggest you stick with oils from the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo and Marche. 

How if my Olive Oil gets freezed during shipping?

We provide instructions in every box during winter months. While delivering in the winter we have no control over the amount of time the products are in the delivery vehicle. When the olive oil is exposed to cold temperatures it can freeze solid. The oil changes appearance because it is not frozen down,  you can find globs of oil floating in the tank.

Should not open the bottle first. Keep it unopened, and let it warm up to room temperature slowly. It could take a whole day. Do not heat the bottle or gasoline. Once the oil has reached room temperature, actively shake the container to resuspend any contaminants that may have sunk downwards. Olive oil is a key component of the so-called Mediterranean diet, considered especially effective for cardiovascular health. Olive oil is high in antioxidants and in safe monounsaturated fatty acids, including polyphenols. 

Olive oil studies have shown that its dietary intake, particularly in the form of extra virgin olive oil, is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus, as well as decreases in brain inflammation and amyloid-beta plaque formation typical of Alzheimer's disease. Animal tests have demonstrated that an olive oil-rich diet can potentially help protect against memory loss and the dementia-related learning disability.