Every time I go to the store to buy olive oil, I get a little confused looking at all these different bottles and tins and not knowing what to choose. I don't think I'm the only one facing this problem.
AiF.ru agreed to advise on this issue the famous taster and owner of olive groves, Senor Massi Giovanni.
1. Hierarchy of olive oils
Mr Massey: First of all, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that you should not just say "olive oil", but add Extra Virgin before that. In Italy, if you go to a store and just say "olive oil", they will bring you sewing machine oil (laughs).
Extra Virgin means oil that has been obtained by pressing olives (without the use of chemical and biochemical additives). This oil is of the highest quality and is usually added to ready meals. Olive oil extra virgin olive oil - the most natural category of olive oil with a perfect aroma and taste. Acidity does not exceed 0.8%.
The International Olive Oil Council, in addition to Extra Virgin, divides oil into the following categories:
fine virgin olive oil - cold-pressed oil with impeccable taste and aroma and maximum acidity. Acidity from 0.8 to 1.5%. Semi-fine virgin olive oil - cold-pressed oil with a pleasant taste and aroma. Acidity from 1.5 to 3%. Olive oil from unripe olives - oil of the first harvest, produced in a limited volume from fruits collected from the best olives.
Olive oil - consists exclusively of oil obtained from the fruits of olives. Olio virgin - produced by pressing olives mechanically and Olio di sansa di olive - made from leftover pulp and bone fragments, and then mixed with vergine. Due to the fact that such olive oil is practically devoid of a characteristic smell, it is best used for frying. Refined Olive Oil - oil of the category Virgin (virgin), which has undergone purification - refining.
The percentage of natural olive juice (virgin olive oil) in it is small, the inscription on the container "Olive Oil" should not mislead you. Flavored olive oil - is used in almost all national cuisines of the world. It gives a pleasant aroma to dishes.
The last two categories, which will bring you just for the sewing machine, are lamp olive oil of the category vergine (Olio vergine lampante) and refined olive oil (Olio di oliva raffinato) . These two categories are not suitable for human consumption due to organoleptic defects and are intended for refining or for industrial use.
2. Mysterious letters
AiF.ru: Senor Giovanni, what do the DOP/IGP/PDO abbreviations that you see on olive oil bottles mean?
Mr Massey: As for the abbreviations, they denote oil with a protected designation of origin / indication of the geographical area of production. There is also a third category - biological olive oil obtained by the method of "biological" (environmentally friendly) production, which is also confirmed by the corresponding certificate. This category, for example, includes Diavolocane olive oil, where it says so on the bottle. All these gradations apply only to cold-pressed oil -.
AiF.ru: Tell me, how to understand if the oil is of good quality, and are there cases of its fake, as, for example, with alcohol?
Mr Massey: In Italy, this kind of forgery is criminalized, so no. In addition, DOP/IGP/PDO and the name "biological" olive oil are a guarantee against counterfeiting. Oil can be of poor quality only in two cases: due to weather conditions that led to a poor harvest or if it was not harvested on time. In this case, there is little pulp in the olives and the pits give bitterness. Unlike other fruits, olives do not have a clear ripening time: this year the harvest can be harvested in mid-September, and next year - two weeks earlier or later, and it is very important not to miss this moment.
3. We have a road for young people everywhere
AiF.ru: Continuing the theme of wine, is it possible to say about olive oil that it is better not to take a bottle of this year?
Mr Massey: In this sense, olive oil differs from wine. The rule “the older, the tastier” here should be read “the younger, the healthier”. One of the most important things when buying olive oil is the production date and expiration date, so read the label carefully. Conscientious manufacturers always put the date. The shelf life of the oil from the date of production should not exceed 18 months, so look for a "younger" oil.
4. Storage rules
AiF.ru: Are there any rules on how to store olive oil.
Mr Massey: Olive oil should not be placed next to the stove or in the refrigerator. It should be stored in a dry dark place at a temperature of 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. It also does not like light. If you look, all the bottles are made of dark glass. In Italy, olive oil is often stored in the same compartment as the trash can (laughs). Is it the same in Russia?
AiF.ru: No, in Russia olive oil is treated with respect: it is not so cheap to store it in such an unpresentable place.
Mr Massey: And one more rule: olive oil should not be kept open for a long time, so that when combined with air, it does not oxidize. Open the bottle, pour in the required amount of oil and immediately close it tightly with a cap.
Olive oil has firmly entered our lives. Modern housewives fell in love with it for its excellent taste, the ability to decorate any dish and the absolute benefits for the human body.
Olive oil is a valuable source of antioxidants that strengthen the immune system, help keep the body in good shape, improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system, the brain and many other organs. In addition, this product contains other valuable substances, including phosphatides, vitamins E and K, and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
We have compiled a guide for you with 10 valuable rules that will help you choose a quality olive oil.
1. Look at the color of olive oil
The choice of olive oil is advisable to start with an examination of its appearance. It can often tell a lot about the quality of a product. The color of olive oil is influenced by various factors, such as the time of harvest, the ripeness of the olives, and the presence of impurities. Ideally, olive oil should be a beautiful golden color that plays with different hues. In no case should it give off gray and too yellow - this indicates a poor-quality product.
2. Try olive oil
Of course, in the store, you won't be able to choose your olive oil based on this advice. However, the search for the perfect product does not end at the supermarket. At home, you can study the taste characteristics of the oil, see how it manifests itself in the process of preparing a particular dish, and only then make a final verdict.
Pay attention to the taste of olive oil. It can be rich, intense, sometimes bitter, sweet, salty and even sour. A deviation from the norm is considered watery, acetic or metallic taste, rancidity.
3. Look for extra virgin on the packaging
There are 3 main categories of olive oil on store shelves: natural (virgin), refined (refined) and pomace (pomace). To buy a product with a whole bunch of useful properties, you must find the inscription extra virgin on the label - it is she who is the guarantor of perfect quality. This oil has not been chemically processed and is made from the best varieties of olives using mechanical processing (cold pressing). It is ideal for both culinary and cosmetic purposes.
4. Pay attention to abbreviations
The study of the label should not end there. There are other identification marks that will help you choose a quality olive oil. For example, important abbreviations. Look for the inscription DOP (denominacion de origen protegida). She says that the olive oil is made from the best varieties of olives and bottled in the same region where it was produced. And this means that the product is branded and produced according to the highest standards, subjected to constant checks.
5. If you want to save money, then opt for a mix
It is no secret that olive oil, especially of high quality, is quite an expensive product. If you don't mind saving, then buy a mix of refined oil and cold pressed oil - this is a healthy alternative to the extra virgin category. It does not heal and rejuvenate the body as much as the product of the aforementioned variety, but can be safely used for frying, stewing and boiling.
6. Find out which country the butter was made in
Be sure to check the country of origin. This information must appear on the label without fail. The leaders in the production of olive oil are Spain, Greece, Italy, as well as Turkey, Israel and Syria. Try to buy oil from these countries. Check for the barcode of the country of origin. If the oil was made in a country within the European Union, then also look for the presence of the EU mark.
7. Not all categories of olive oil are suitable for frying.
If you are going to cook olive oil, then you should be aware that not all varieties are suitable for these temperatures. oil. So, the most useful extra virgin olive oil for frying is not at all suitable. Valuable substances that, when dressing salads, heal the body, when heated, turn almost into carcinogens.
Refining removes useful substances from olive oil, but at the same time makes it safe for heat treatment. Refined oil is suitable for frying, stewing, boiling and other thermal processing. Pomace oil is also suitable for this purpose, although it is most often used for baking.
My friends, hello everyone!
Let's talk with you today about one of the MOST valuable vegetable oils for our body - olive oil and how to choose the most delicious and healthy olive oil.
Olive oil is truly unique.
It is mega healthy! And they call it nothing but "liquid gold"!
And the point here is not at all in its “golden” price, but in its USEFUL properties. Why is it so useful?
From this article you will learn:
What is the benefit of olive oil?
Hippocrates spoke about the wonderful properties of olive oil for our body, Aristotle was the first to use it to treat his patients.
And the beautiful queen Cleopatra took a spoonful of this nectar on an empty stomach all her life for health and youth! And famous for its timeless beauty! ☺
- First of all, it is rich in useful fatty acids, the most important of which is oleic.
- It lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood and is necessary to improve the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract: for the health of the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, and intestines.
For those who have a sick heart, ONLY this oil should be on the table and in dishes! It is not for nothing that among the inhabitants of the Mediterranean, where its consumption is the largest in the world, cases of heart attacks, strokes and other diseases of the heart and blood vessels are very rare.
- Very important! It is absorbed by the body at 100%!!! For example: sunflower - only 80!
- Also, it is great for healing and clearing the skin.
We can talk about the benefits for a very long time. And this is a topic for a separate and larger post.
In this article, the question is different: how to choose the “right” olive oil? How not to buy a fake instead of real "liquid gold"? The price, after all, is not small now ...
The right question ☺ It's worth it to deal with it thoroughly.
What is the healthiest olive oil?
The most useful class is Extra Virgin (or Extra Vergine) - this is the first cold pressing.
It is unrefined, of the highest quality. It is obtained by cold pressing and does not use any chemicals.
In fact, it turns out pure juice from olives.
Therefore, the entire spectrum of useful substances remains safe and sound.
Its color is green, the taste is tart, with bitterness.
It is used exclusively in cold dishes, salads, sauces that do not require heat treatment.
What other types of oils are there?
Pure olive oil is a fairly high quality oil. This is a mixture of refined olive (85%) and Extra Virgin (15%).
Just perfect for frying. It is believed that with this ratio in the composition when heated, no carcinogens are released.
So, let's look at the main points on how to choose olive oil:
- Bottle
I think it's superfluous to say that the bottle should never be plastic ☺Of course, it should only be made of glass and only dark!
- Label
First of all, you need to study the composition on the label.
- 1. Determine the composition of fatty acids, and, first of all, of course, the most important - oleic.
See how much is in there. It must be at least 55%. Great if it is 83%!
- 2. Determine the acid number.
The acid number tells about the presence of free fatty acids. The higher this number, the worse for quality.
For Extra Virgin, this is no more than 1.5. Ideally, if 0.5!
- 3. Determine the peroxide value.
For Extra Virgin - no more than 20 mmol / kg.
What does it say? On the oxidation of fats when exposed to oxygen from the air.
Why is this oxidation harmful? Simply put, air-oxidized oil is pure poison.
And the higher the peroxide number, the more there is a susceptibility to oxidation.
The lower the peroxide value, the higher the quality.
- 4. Determine the mass fraction of moisture.
This is a very important indicator! The lower the proportion of moisture in the product, the greater the concentration of nutrients.
A good indicator is 0.1%. Ideal - 0.06%.
- 5.Pay attention to the expiration date.
Buy the freshest oil.
After 6 months of storage, the process of loss of useful properties begins!
Do not buy oil that is more than a year old!
- 6. Another check you can do at home.
Put the purchased bottle in the refrigerator. If you see that white flakes have formed at the bottom of the bottle, then you have in your hands the “original” of the best quality. Congratulations! ☺
This is the “olive information” for today, friends ☺
Write, information on how to choose olive oil will be useful to you.
I really hope that this information will be useful to you in order to easily choose a really high-quality product!
Alena Yasneva was with you, Bye, see you soon! We have a lot of exciting things ahead of us!
photo@stevepb
What brand of olive oil is best? The answer to this question requires preliminary study. After all, the olive tree is not grown in Russia. That is why any olive oil is imported. But, as with sunflower or corn, we know that the best product comes from the first pressing. We also know that vegetable oil is purified from impurities - refined. Is this good in the case of olive oil? There are also ways of pressing - cold and hot. Which product is of better quality? In this article, we will comprehensively study this issue. Below we will talk not only about which brand of olive oil is better, but also consider the products of producing countries, explain briefly what the process of processing olives is. On the shelves of stores you can see various types of containers with this imported product. Glass, plastic or metal - in which packaging should I buy olive oil? It is important to learn how to read the label correctly. And in this article we will tell you what the words Eextra Virgin mean. In Mediterranean cuisine, where olive oil is one of the main foodstuffs, it is used very widely and for various purposes. You need to know these subtleties in order to properly season salads or make dough.
Health benefits of olive oil
Did you know that Mediterranean cuisine has been included in the UNESCO list of intangible heritage of mankind? Do you know why? That's right: it is built on the active use of olive oil. Thus, Mediterranean cuisine is not only amazingly delicious, but also very healthy. Olive oil (the reviews of gourmets and chefs in this matter are almost the same) will not only give the most ordinary dish a noble shade - it will also saturate the body with valuable vitamins and minerals. And most importantly, it will not leave any extra centimeters on the hips and waist. After all, olive oil is completely processed by the stomach. Have you noticed what luxurious hair Italians, Spaniards, Greek women have? Strong, thick, silky, shiny ... And this is the result of daily use of olive oil. It strengthens bones, nails and teeth. Vitamin E, which is found in excess in olive oil, prevents aging, alleviates pain from ulcers and gastritis, heals hemorrhoids, and breaks down cholesterol plaques. And even, as recent studies have shown, it is a good tool for the prevention of cancer. Therefore, the ancient Greeks, who cultivated olive trees in ancient times, called olive oil "the gift of the gods." As you can see, this is not only a poetic metaphor.
Product manufacturing process (in brief)
To understand which brand of olive oil is better, you need to at least superficially understand the technology for producing this product. It would seem, what difficulties can there be? After all, olive oil has been made since ancient Egypt. The olives were placed under the press and squeezed. But modern equipment and chemicals allow you to squeeze more oil out of the olive. For this purpose, the cake goes to secondary processing. It is on this basis that olive oil is divided into two types. At the first pressing, "virgin" or Virgin Oil is born. And when the olives are recycled, that is, they are heated and chemical reagents are passed through the cake, Pomace Oil is obtained. Based on the foregoing, we ask: is it worth saying which olive oil is better? Of course, "virgin". But if we want to taste the very best olive oil, we must take into account where the olives ripen best. After all, trees have a wide range of growth. But they do not give a good harvest everywhere. The most reputable olive oil producing countries are Greece, Italy, Spain and Tunisia. The first of these, once called Hellas, accounts for eighty percent of Virgin Oil's global sales. Greek oil is purchased by importers for the further production of the product.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Key Features
Regardless of the country of origin, this product is the best possible. The very word "extra", mentioned in the title, indicates that the raw materials for it were of exceptionally high quality. Olives for this oil are harvested by hand. Next, the crop is sorted. For "Extra Virgin" only fully ripe, large and undamaged olives of the highest grade are selected. Next, the berries are sent under the press. No other processing effect occurs. This process is called cold pressing. Thanks to this minimal processing, all useful substances are preserved in the oil. This is a slightly greenish product. Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a rich aroma of olives. But he has a specific taste. People who have tried Extra Virgin Oil for the first time may think that the oil has gone rancid. But just this taste testifies to the highest quality of the product. Raw olives are also bitter. But the free acidity of extra virgin olive oil has a very low - 0.8 percent. That is, one hundred grams of the product contains less than a gram of substances undesirable for the body. But this indicator - acidity - is not the main one in determining a quality product. The refining method also reduces it.
Other types of olive oils
There are many more denominations between Extra Virgin and Pomac Oil. Let's consider them briefly.
Virgin Olive Oil is also a very high quality olive oil. The only difference with "Extra" is not as thorough casting of the crop. Under the press are olives of different sizes, ripeness and type. But the rest of the process is exactly the same as in the production of Extra Virgin Oil. That is, the berries are cold pressed, after which the liquid is immediately poured into containers for sale. This oil is remarkable in that it is almost not bitter. If you want to take it in its pure form for medical reasons, but cannot tolerate a specific taste, get this particular type. The acidity of Virgin Olive Oil is higher. Two percent allowed. But if this figure exceeds the norm, the batch is sent for purification. And here it is necessary to explain the difference between refined olive oil and unrefined olive oil. In the production of the first product, chemicals are already used that cleanse it of excess acidity. This figure for Refined Olive Oil drops to 0.3 percent. On sale there is also such a view as "Pur Olive Oil". The name translates as "pure olive oil". But this cold-pressed product is still a mixture of Virgin and Rafinide. The acidity of this olive oil does not exceed one percent. Well, Pomace Oil in Greece and Spain lubricates the doors. Sometimes the product obtained from the heat pressing of cake is refined.
Application in cooking
In the art of cooking, one should know for what specific purposes one or another type of olive oil should be used. Especially in northern countries, where this product is imported, and therefore very expensive. So, you need to take only Extra Virgin olive oil for salads. By the way, in dishes it loses its bitterness. Yes, over time too. But the shelf life of a bottle of Extra Virgin is one and a half to two years (depending on the container). At the end of this term, the oil does not lose its extremely beneficial properties, but becomes softer, velvety in taste. For the preparation of cold sauces and marinades, we use the usual "Virgin". This olive oil reviews are called very tasty and healthy. Meat lubricated with Virgin Oil will quickly soften and become tender after baking. For stews, Pur Olive Oil is used. And for frying food, you should take the type of Refined Olive Oil. This oil has a high smoke point due to refining. It does not splatter, does not fade, and fried foods do not form large amounts of carcinogens. This product is also ideal for making dough. It is not bitter and can be used instead of corn or sunflower. Buns and bread based on Olive Oil do not get stale for a long time.
How to choose a good olive oil, not a surrogate
Supermarket shelves are littered with various brands of this product. This is where it gets lost. How to make the right choice? Rule one: carefully study the label. It is desirable that the product be packaged by the manufacturer. Olive oil from Greece bottled at Deribasovskaya is likely to be of dubious quality. The label indicates the name, often reflecting the type of product. That is, in capital letters it is written, for example, "Extra Virgin" or "Pur Olive Oil". Sometimes the name contains the brand of the manufacturer or the name of the area where the olives were collected. But the product variety must also be present on the label. In oils that do not belong to the elite Virgin, the type of processing is indicated. This also gives us the opportunity to choose the best product. It is better to buy cold-pressed oil than refined oil made from pomace after heat treatment. The shelf life of the product is also important. It's not a wine that gets better with age. Extra Virgin has a shelf life of up to two years, other varieties - one year. But the color doesn't matter. Yes, often it is not visible due to the fact that the oil is poured into cans or dark glass bottles. In plastic containers, only the product of the low price segment is sold.
Which brand of olive oil is best
Olives grow in the warm countries of Europe and Asia Minor, in North Africa. But the leaders in the supply of olive oil to the world market are still only four states. These are Greece, Spain, Italy and Tunisia. Oil of which country of origin to choose? You should know that breeders have bred many varieties of olives. And in Italy there are more than forty. Therefore, different companies have the opportunity to produce single-sorted oils, as well as refined "cocktails" with an amazing taste.
The producers of Spain are adherents of the good old olive, which was cultivated in Iberia in ancient times. Therefore, in this country there is not such a variety of olive oil. Spain prescribes labels in its own language. Therefore, you need to coordinate Olive Oil with Aceite de Oliva. It should be taken into account that Aceite de Orujo means an oil of secondary extraction, from pomace, created by means of heat treatment.
Olives in Greece grow in regions with different climatic characteristics. Terroir affects the taste properties of olive oil, even if it belongs to the same type.
A product from Tunisia is very rare to find on the shelves of our stores. But this does not mean that the olive oil from this country is bad. On the contrary, the alternating influence of the winds from the Sahara and the breezes of the Atlantic allows you to grow olives with a special taste and aroma.
The best brands of olive oil from Greece
Any product from sunny Hellas will be good. The choice before the buyer is truly huge. You can buy oil both from the oil groves near Thessaloniki and made on the islands. And it's just a little, but it will affect the taste. The world's largest trader, which supplies olive oil not only to importing countries, but even to Spain and Italy, is Oliko. However, this company buys crops from various farms in the country and produces a certain mix (albeit of good quality). But the company "Elinika Eklikta Ale" was specially created in order to produce the best varieties of olive oil. As wine tours thrive in France, so in Greece you can visit small family businesses. Companies such as Xylouris and Kidokinatis not only harvest the olives by hand, but also press them through a traditional press.
Olive oil from Spain and Tunisia: what are their features?
About fifty items of products from this country are represented on the Russian market. What are the best Spanish brands of olive oil? Look at the terroir. The climate of the south of the country, with its long vegetative period, makes it possible to grow the most juicy, fatty olives. The Andalusian "Baena" and "Lucena" are considered the best brands, as well as "Forest Garrigues" and "Siurana" from Cordoba. On the other side of the Mediterranean, in Tunisia, African Dream Products is considered the best producer of olive oil. And his best brand is Chemlali.
Italian product varieties
In this country, food is treated with reverence. No wonder Italian cuisine is considered one of the best in Europe. By default, the products of this state are equated to the standard. Therefore, food products that are produced in Italy quite often become participants in all sorts of competitions for the title of the best. Do not stand aside and manufacturers of olive oil. They have their own competition - Ercole Olivario. Only elite varieties (Extra Virgin or at least cold pressed oil) can take part in it. What manufacturers have become - and repeatedly! – winners of this most prestigious competition in Italy? These are brands such as Azienda Agricola Giorgio, Oliveto di Contesse Gertrude and Fattorie Greco.
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Olive oil is a unique gift of nature. This fragrant, filled with the bright southern sun, the product is able to benefit in any of its qualities. The oil is actively used to prepare delicious and nutritious dishes, it is used in cosmetology, alternative medicine and dietetics. Due to its composition, which is dominated by oleic acid, olive juice can significantly strengthen the human body, prolonging its performance and youth for many years. In addition, the oil contains such vital fatty acids as Omega-3 and Omega-6, as well as phytosterols, vitamins A, D, E, K.
Of all the characteristics of "liquid gold", only one can be conditionally called a disadvantage - this is the price. Indeed, olive oil is the most expensive vegetable oil, and this is explained not only by its high demand, but also by the laborious process of collecting and processing fruits, as well as by the large amount of raw materials needed for cooking.
Olive oil is not produced in Russia, so only foreign bottling products are on sale. How to understand the variety of bottles with the inscription "Olive Oil", because in the supermarket you are unlikely to be allowed to taste the product. Here are some tips to help you navigate and choose the best olive oil for your table.
- processing type. The highest quality is the first cold-pressed oil, extracted by mechanical processing of olives (that is, manually). On the label, this variety is indicated by the phrase Extra Virgin.
- Package. The sun's rays negatively affect the quality of any fats, worsening their organoleptic characteristics. Choose olive oil packaged in opaque glass or tin containers.
- Production region. Despite the fact that the olive growing area is quite extensive, experts identify three countries in which the best olive oil is produced. These are Greece, Spain and Italy. The following positions are occupied by France, Tunisia, Turkey and Egypt.
Our review of olive oils includes the most popular brands, the reputation of which allows you to be sure of the quality of the products they sell. When compiling the rating, we took into account such characteristics as composition, ecological cleanliness, taste, color, smell, consistency, country of origin, and also took into account the ratio of volume and cost of the finished product.
The best olive oil produced in Spain
Spain is one of the leaders in the production and export of extra virgin olive oil. There are about 30 regions in the country in which this high-quality product has been produced for many hundreds of years, and this happens under strict state control. The taste of Spanish oil is as close as possible to natural, it is the most intense and spicy, has a bright aftertaste.
4 IBERICA OLIVE POMACE OIL
The most economical version of Spanish oil. Ideal choice for deep frying
The IBERICA trademark produces products, many of which have no analogues on the Russian market. A large assortment includes premium products and products from a more budget segment, but the price difference in no way affects the quality characteristics.
One example of a product with a democratic value can be IBERICA OLIVE POMACE OIL - oil, which contains 85% refined and 15% Extra Virgin. This fresh juice is obtained by combining the second pressing of the olive tree, which uses a technology that allows high-temperature processing, and unrefined Extra Virgen oil. As a result of this process, the overall acidity of the liquid decreases, and the necessary vitamins and minerals return to the composition, but in a slightly smaller amount.
This oil is ideal for use in large volumes. For example, to fry vegetables or deep-fried cheese, for which you would regret spending a more expensive product.
3 MAESTRO De OLIVA EXTRA VERGINE 
Quality marked by experts. Authentic taste and recognizable aroma
Maestro de Oliva is a brand of the renowned Spanish food company Olive Line International S.L. Products of this brand can be bought in almost all regions of Russia. Their assortment is quite wide and includes, in addition to natural vegetable fats, a wide variety of Mediterranean snacks, seafood delicacies, various varieties of canned olives and black olives.
Olive oil Maestro De Oliva Extra Virgin unrefined for its high quality and original taste has been awarded the prestigious award given by the International Institute of Taste and Quality (iTQi). Information about this fact is located directly on the label and confirms that the biological composition complies with all international norms and standards. The raw material for the production of oil are olives of the Blanqueta variety, which is grown in Valencia and Alicante. Maestro De Oliva Extra Virgin does not have a bitter aftertaste, although, like any "live" product from natural raw materials, it can change its taste characteristics within acceptable limits.
Available in glass and tin packaging. The price depends on the volume and starts from 700 rubles. for 500 ml.
2 ITLV CLASICO 
The best blend of oils. Versatile product for frying and dressing dishes
The ITLV (Industrial Technologica Laintex Veterani) brand was specially developed by Borges for the sale of olives and vegetable fats in the Russian, CIS and Baltic markets. The goal of the company is long-term cooperation, therefore, in order not to lose the love and respect of the Russian consumer, the quality of products supplied by ITLV is always close to perfection.
ITLV Clasico is a mixture of refined and unrefined oils. The liquid has a universal character, it can be used as an additive to ready meals, as well as directly for frying meat, fish or vegetables. This is a natural ecological product without artificial additives, flavors and preservatives. It has a high smoke point temperature, thanks to which an appetizing crust is formed during cooking without the risk of burning.
The combination of two types of oils helped to reduce the natural bitterness of vegetable raw materials, so ITLV Clasico is ideal for people who do not like the astringency of natural olives.
1 BORGES EXTRA VIRGIN 
A taste of the Mediterranean. Cold soft pomace
Borges brand products occupy about 60% of the Russian olive oil market. Established in 1914, the company has successfully developed over the years, and is now one of the world's leading manufacturers of natural food products.
BORGES EXTRA VIRGIN oil is an unrefined variety obtained from a mechanical first pressing. During its production, the raw materials were not exposed to high temperatures, which made it possible to preserve all the benefits and freshness of olives as much as possible. The taste of the product may vary depending on the type of fruit and the weather conditions of the region where it was collected and pressed. Most often it varies from neutral to bitter.
BORGES EXTRA VIRGIN is ideal for salad dressings and ready meals. Packed in glass bottles of 250, 500, 750 ml, cans of 1 l, and plastic containers of 1.3 l.
The best olive oil produced in Italy
Producers of Italian olive oil are confident that it is their products that are the reference and differ significantly from products from other countries in their high quality and rich flavor bouquet. The reason for such a statement can be not only the experience of local craftsmen, but also a huge variety of varieties of olive trees grown in the country, which allows each province to have its own unique taste of olive oil.
3 BIONATURAE ORGANIC EXTRA VERGINE OLIVE OIL 
Organic food. Advantages and benefits of natural production
The hallmark of BIONATURAE ORGANIC EXTRA VERGINE OLIVE OIL is its authenticity. The product is made strictly according to old recipes and technologies, which are carefully passed down from generation to generation, allowing a modern person to enjoy the truly natural taste of olive fruit.
The only disadvantage of ORGANIC EXTRA VERGINE OLIVE OIL is its high cost. For a bottle of 750 ml, you will have to shell out more than 3,000 rubles from your pocket.
2 ALCE NERO EXTRA VERGINE DI OLIVA DOP 
Cold pressed vintage oil. One collection and bottling region
Alce Nero is a well-known Italian company engaged in the manufacture of natural food products. The company has a European quality certificate, which allows it to use the EU Organic Bio label on its products. The company does not use genetic engineering techniques in its production, and it is forbidden to use harmful chemicals in the fields of Alce Nero. fertilizers and pesticides.
EXTRA VERGINE DI OLIVA DOP ALCE NERO Italian oil is made from olives that have been grown, harvested and processed in the same geographical region. The absence of transportation and the minimum period of time elapsed from collection to bottling guarantees a high quality product that does not lose even a fraction of its value.
Oil with an exciting-bitter shade of fresh herbs perfectly meets the needs of the most demanding gourmets. The liquid is supplied in tinted glass bottles with a volume of 750 ml.
1 MONINI EXTRA VIRGIN PESTO 
Refined seasoning with basil and pine nuts. The right base for pesto sauce
The history of one of the flagships of the Italian food industry begins in 1920, when its founder, Zefferino Monini, returned from military service to his small town in the Umbria region. Started as a family business, today Monini is a globally renowned brand that manufactures around 20 product variants and exports its products to more than 50 countries.
The highlight of the company's product range can be called a special line of flavored olive oils, in which natural spices, dry vegetables, mushrooms, nuts or herbs are added for greater piquancy. MONINI EXTRA VIRGIN PESTO is a cold-pressed oil containing crushed basil sprigs and pine nuts along with the juice of high-quality olives. Additional natural ingredients give the product a unique refined taste, and allow it to be successfully used to prepare traditional homemade pesto sauce, a classic of Italian cuisine.
Like any delicacy, flavored oil is produced in small quantities. On sale you can find bottles of 250 ml at a price of 530 rubles.
The best olive oil produced in Greece
Greece is the small homeland of olive oil. The inhabitants of this particular country were once the first to appreciate its exceptional taste and noticed the ability to have a beneficial effect on the human body as a whole. Due to the variety of climatic conditions inherent in different regions of Greece, the structure of the manufactured product can vary greatly depending on the region where the olive grows. The best oil from Greece has a bright rich taste with honey-fruity undertones.
3 KURTES EXTRA VIRGIN PDO 
Farm product with low acidity. Can be used for medical purposes
It is known that the ancient Greeks revered olive juice not only as a delicious food supplement, but also attributed to it the ability to cure a lot of ailments, especially those associated with the activity of the digestive system. Until today, the use of high-quality olive oil for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes is no less important.
A small family manufactory called KURTES is located on the island of Crete and focuses on the production of exclusive, environmentally friendly products that can be used both in cooking and for general health improvement. Oil KURTES EXTRA VIRGIN has a PDO certificate, which means that the entire process of its manufacture was carried out strictly at the place of collection of raw materials. The acidity level declared by the manufacturer is 0.2-0.3%, which is significantly lower than the recommended rate of 1% and characterizes the oil as a high-quality product, ideal for people with gastrointestinal problems.
The oil is supplied in glass and tin containers of 100, 250, 500, 1000 and 3000 ml. Price - from 210 rubles. for the smallest bottle.
2 GAEA GREEN & FRUITY 
Fruity bouquet with an aftertaste of ripe olives. For true connoisseurs of gourmet cuisine
Greek olive oils produced by GAEA are among the most "titled" in the world. The products of this brand have won many awards, including such prestigious ones as a gold medal at the International Competition in Japan and Germany, the title of the most innovative product in Greece, first prizes and encouragement of many other international competitions.
GAEA GREEN & FRUITY oil is mechanically produced from selected fruits of the Koroneiki variety. Trees growing in the Sitia region, where weather conditions are optimal for olive growth, bear fruit with delicious oilseed berries. The olives are harvested and processed by hand, resulting in a thick, high quality juice with a high concentration of beneficial compounds. The taste of the liquid is very rich, tart, with a slight bitterness. The consistency is thick, the color is emerald green.
Oil is poured into half-liter containers made of dark thick-walled glass. The original design of the bottle creates the feeling of owning a real rustic product.
1 MINERVA KALAMATA EXTRA VIRGIN 
Olive juice from the Peloponnese. The best combination of price, volume and quality
Minerva entered the Greek market in 1900. Within a few years, the range of brand products went beyond domestic trade and began to conquer the hearts and stomachs of residents of several continents at once. Minerva Olive Oil is the benchmark of traditional Greek cuisine, combining ancient recipes with innovative technologies.
Minerva Kalamata Extra Virgin comes to our shelves from the Peloponnese, Kalamata region, which is considered one of the priority places in the world for growing the best varieties of olives. The main advantages of oil, according to buyers, are that it tastes good, does not taste bitter, and is great for both frying and cold dishes, side dishes, pasta and fresh vegetables. Healthy food lovers also noted the affordable cost of the product, which does not affect its high quality at all.
The oil is poured into opaque tin containers with a volume of 750 ml or more. This creates ideal conditions for storage and transportation. Price - from 650 rubles. for the bank.
Comparison table of olive oil and sunflower seed oil
Olive oil is a real elixir of health and youth, but our native sunflower oil is in many ways not inferior to the foreign “guest”. We have compiled a comparison table where we have indicated the most important characteristics of these two herbal products.
Attention! The above information is not a buying guide. For any advice, you should contact the experts!
Olive oil is one of the most expensive among vegetable oils: for 250 ml of bitter oil from extra-virgin olive oil, you will have to pay from 200 to 600 rubles. With this money you can buy from 3 to 10 bottles of classic sunflower oil.
We decided to find out if it makes sense to pay that kind of money. Don't they sell cheap fakes made from the same sunflower under the guise of healthy Mediterranean oil with the image of a healing product? Experts from the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights (OZPP) purchased eight bottles - from Spain, Italy, Greece and Tunisia - and sent them for examination to the Sergiev Posad branch of the FBU "CSM of the Moscow Region".
"Wooden" oil
Olive oil is also referred to as Provence or wood oil. It is the basis of Mediterranean cuisine, goes to the production of soap, is part of the most expensive cosmetics and some medicines. Yes, and in itself it is a medicine. This was known in antiquity. "Olive oil is beneficial due to its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid," says nutritionist Alexey Kovalkov. - This acid actively reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol and at the same time maintains the desired level of "good". Therefore, Provence oil is recommended for the prevention of atherosclerosis. And it is also useful for those who suffer from diseases of the liver and gallbladder, because it perfectly stimulates the production of bile. In baby food, olive oil is indispensable because it promotes bone growth.”
However, all of these properties are exclusively unrefined cold-pressed oil. It can be tart, slightly bitter, has a greenish color. It is obtained by pressing, without the use of chemical reagents, which easily “pull out” the oil from the crushed pulp of olives. Refined oil is much worse in terms of healing qualities - after all, it is purified using various physical and chemical processes to eliminate the sharp taste and smell. Pomace oil (on the packaging of this it says "pomace olive oil") is obtained from the pomace using chemical solvents, and often under the influence of high temperature. There is no benefit in it. This is usually reflected in the price - such a product costs 3-4 times cheaper than the valuable "extra-virgin olive oil".
Laboratory work
To be sure that we really have olive oil, we need to examine its fatty acid composition. In the laboratory, we tested ten basic acids in each sample. The most important of them is oleic. In accordance with GOST 30623-98 "Vegetable oils and margarine products", it should be from 56 to 83%. “But if its trans isomer (the same acid, but with a modified molecule that arose under the influence of high temperature. - Ed.) elaidic acid is detected in a composition in large quantities, most likely, the oil was obtained not by “cold” pressing, but with the help of temperature or chemical extraction, - tells Roman Gaidashov, OZPP food expert. - Transisomers are present in the product in negligible amounts. But in Russian GOSTs there are no standards for transisomers, and such extended studies are mandatory, for example, when verifying the authenticity of a product.” By the way, it is precisely because of the formation of trans-isomers of fatty acids with carcinogenic properties during heating that you cannot fry in unrefined olive oil - only refined olive oil is suitable for this.
So, judging by the amount of oleic acid (see table), oils are indeed made from olives. The less elaidic acid in the sample, the better (we defined it as between 0.2 and 0.4%). No dangerous concentration of heavy metals was found in the laboratory in any oil (they checked for the presence of cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury, copper and iron).
It is also important that the purchased oil is fresh. Indeed, during long-term storage, the product oxidizes, and the benefits literally disappear. You can determine the freshness of the oil in the laboratory by two indicators: acid number and peroxide number: the closer their values \u200b\u200bare to the upper limit of the norm, the older the oil. In our table, we have arranged the oils in order of deterioration in quality. The main outsider is a product from Tunisia. Firstly, the real acid number does not match the one stated on the package (which means that the oil is not of such an “extra-class” as promised!), Secondly, the peroxide number is 10 - this is the allowed maximum, the oil is not so fresh. Not the best was oil from Greece. But the product from Italy and Spain is the highest quality.
How to choose the best olive oil?
When choosing olive oil in the store, carefully inspect the packaging! Look for the following information on it:
Variety
There are six varieties of olive oil (they were defined by the IOC, the International Olive Council; all exporting countries included in it are required to label products with the appropriate inscriptions):
■ Extra-virgin olive oil - natural, the best and most expensive, the first cold press, only under pressure - no chemicals. Acidity no more than 0.8%.
■ Virgin olive oil - also natural, but permitted acidity - up to 2% (pressing may not be the first, but the absence of chemistry is also guaranteed).
■ Pure olive oil - usually a mixture of refined and natural oils, chemical pressing may be used.
■ Olive oil - a mixture of natural and refined oil, acidity not more than 1.5%, usually odorless, chemically pressed.
■ Olive-pomace oil - refined oil extracted from the pomace of olives (the use of chemical solvents and high temperatures is acceptable). Most often it is used in restaurants for baking.
■ Lampante oil (lamp oil) - olive oil, not intended for human consumption.
Refined (refined) oil is marked "refined".
the date
Production date. Take only the freshest oil. Useful substances are stored in it for the first five months from the date of production. After the first year of storage, it is better to use olive oil exclusively for cooking (stewing and frying), but not for seasoning dishes. In addition, over time, the oils deteriorate and exhale. One year old oil may still taste good, but it is less aromatic than fresh oil.
Package
■ Indication of acid number on the package. For "extra virgin" it is no more than 0.8%, while the lower the value, the better.
■ The packaging material matters. It is best to buy oil in dark glass - green or brown. After all, it is important not to allow contact of olive oil with air, and also to protect from light - they spoil the product. Packages made of plastic or metal are considered cheaper.
Compound
Be sure to pay attention to this line. There are oils with herbs and spices (for salads), and cheap options may even contain impurities of other vegetable oils. Such oils are labeled "mixed oil" or simply "mix". Usually this is honestly written on the package, but not in large letters on the front of it, but small and inconspicuous.
Coming to shops for shopping, especially to large supermarkets, each customer is faced with a wide range of products and, accordingly, with the problem of choice. This information on olive oil varieties will help you choose the best for your purposes and navigate the counter well. After all, when we go to buy a certain product, we know approximately how we will use it and in what dishes we will use it.
The gastronomic properties of olive oil depend on its retail variety. So, for example, if you need to improve your diet and take full advantage of the medicinal properties of olives, then you should be interested in the best olive oil. If you want to use it for stewing and frying foods, then here you must correctly choose the right one for these purposes.
It should be noted that the quality of this product depends on many indicators, and the most important of them is free acidity, indicating the content of oxidizable organic acids in the final product. Acidity is usually expressed as a percentage by manufacturers, although it is actually stated in grams per 100g of ready-to-drink olive oil.
The lower this figure, the more expensive the oil and the more useful it is for the life of our body, although this point should also be taken into account: manufacturers can artificially lower acidity. This is especially true of refined varieties, where chemical solvents and reagents are used.
Let's first look at the varieties of olive oil - for a better orientation in their labeling. After all, the gastronomic properties of the oil also depend on the variety - its taste, smell and ability to withstand temperature effects, while retaining useful substances.
All varieties can be divided into 3 classes:
natural - Virgin, cleaned - Refined and secondary extraction of cake - Pomace.
Quality control and labeling of products is carried out by the International Olive Council, which has compiled a classification of olive oil varieties and their designations on packages.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a first pressing product.
This is the best olive oil ever! This olive product has a free acidity of 0.8%, i.e. not more than 0.8 g of oxidizable organic acids per 100 g of the finished product. The processing process is carried out exclusively by mechanical methods of cold pressing olives, excluding temperature effects, leading to any changes in their properties.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the highest quality oil obtained using technologies dating back to the times of Ancient Egypt (the only difference is the use of modern equipment). For pressing, only intact, ripest olives are taken, which are harvested from the trees only by hand.
virgin olive oil
Virgin Olive Oil is also a first press product.
A product with a free acidity of not more than 2%, which is obtained only by mechanical pressing and purified without the addition of chemical reagents. For this extraction, fruits of different degrees of ripeness can be used, but if as a result of the extraction an acidity index of more than 2% is obtained, then the entire extraction is sent for refining as not meeting the requirements for the Virgin class.
Refined Olive Oil
Refined Olive Oil - refined pressing of olives. Recycled and refined with minimal change in its composition. It has an acidity of not more than 0.3%.
Olive Oil or Pure Olive Oil
Olive Oil or Pure Olive Oil is pure olive pomace.
This blend of Refined Oil and Natural Virgin, with a free acidity of 1%.
Olive-pomace Oil
Olive-pomace Oil - secondary extraction from the remaining olive pomace.
This product is obtained from the pomace of olives, which is processed both in various physical ways and with natural solvents. It is acceptable to use not only natural solvents, but also chemical ones, as well as high temperatures.
Refined Olive pomace Oil
Refined Olive pomace Oil is a refined analogue of a pomace product.
This product is obtained from raw cake by processing methods that do not lead to changes in the main properties of the final product. Free acidity - no more than 0.3%.
Olive pomace oil
Olive pomace oil is a mixture of refined pomace oil and a blend of various olive oils (unrefined and refined).
This product has a free acidity of about 1%. Approved for sale to consumers in some countries. This product cannot be called olive oil, although it cannot be called unsuitable for human consumption either. Widely represented in our retail chains, especially under the brands of large retail supermarkets.
It is not difficult to understand which olive oil is the best by analyzing the classification of the expert International Olive Council, which is used by all leading olive oil producers.
Having studied all the oil labels, we can already move on to the question of using each retail grade. Remember, we said that oils should be chosen for specific purposes?
The healthiest way to consume olive oil is as a salad dressing. It can also be used as a main ingredient in marinades and cold sauces. For these purposes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is more suitable than other varieties - a pure organic product with an impressive range of useful properties.
It should be noted that the fresher Extra Virgin, the more bitter it is and not vice versa! The product will have a distinct olive taste, but with different flavors as it comes from different varieties of olives, degrees of maturity, and areas where the crop is cultivated. Within six months after the spill, the oil gradually loses its bitterness and becomes softer in taste. The shelf life of Extra Virgin is 1.5-2 years.
For stewing and frying food, the Olive Oil variety is used - an excellent quality oil, which can also be used for dressing salads and sauces. This type of product is ideal for the heat treatment of meat and vegetables, since it does not form carcinogenic substances. This is due to the presence of stable fatty acids in it, which raises the smoke point, which becomes much higher than the usual frying temperature.
Olive Oil also does not have a pronounced taste and smell of olives, it is not bitter, therefore, all over the world it is preferred to be used in cooking more than others.
If you still want to switch to cooking with olive oil instead of the usual sunflower oil, but Olive Oil is too expensive for you, then Pomace Olive Oil may be an acceptable option for your family. Although it does not have such a rich composition as Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Olive Oil, it has quite acceptable quality. It contains the same monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, but in smaller quantities.
Pomace Olive Oil is suitable for frying and stewing, and also shows its best qualities in baking. Flour products do not stale for a long time, remaining lush.
For cleansing procedures (oil intake on an empty stomach), only Extra Virgin Olive Oil should be used. For the preparation of oil infusions of medicinal herbs and other ingredients (infusions or macerates), only the highest grade of the product is also suitable.
In home cosmetics, as well as in factory cosmetics, only bottling from the first cold pressing is used - Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Only this and nothing else!
So let's sum it up:
In the markets of post-Soviet countries, you can find olive oil of three retail varieties:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil– natural product of the highest quality
- olive oil– a mixture of natural Virgin oil and refined Refined Olive Oil
- Pomace Olive Oil– blend of Refined pomace and Pure Olive Oil
The main producers of the olive product are Spain, Italy, Greece and Tunisia. The largest volume (up to 80%) of Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced in Greece. Greek production volumes are purchased by foreign companies for further use in the mass production of the product.
by name
The name can indicate not only the actual retail variety, but also the brand name of the manufacturer. Also, natural olive oil can often be labeled by the variety of the olives themselves or the province of their growth. One way or another, the retail grade must be specified.
By label
The label must necessarily indicate the manufacturer, as well as the importer and exporter with phone numbers and addresses. High-quality olive oil is bottled by the manufacturer, so if it is produced in one country and bottled in another, then the quality of such a product may not correspond to the declared one.
Also pay attention to the date of bottling. Olive oil is not wine! Over time, it loses its healing qualities, especially for the Olive Oil variety. The maximum shelf life from the date of bottling is 12 months, except for Extra Virgin.
by color
The correct choice of olive oil by color is impossible! The color of the product depends on various reasons and can range from light yellow to dark green, even brown. First of all, the color of the product is given by the condition of the olives themselves, i.e. their ripeness. If green olives are used to press the oil, the color will vary in different shades of green.
Such a product has a pronounced taste of olives and bitterness. If ripe olive fruits are pressed, the color will be yellow, often with a purple tint. A brown color is obtained if the pressing is obtained from the ripest olive fruits (often such an oil has a slightly sweet taste).
Packing
The traditional packaging is a dark glass bottle to protect the product from light and damage. Disadvantages - fragility, weight and incomplete protection from exposure to light. Advantages - you can visually view and evaluate the content.
More modern and technologically advanced packaging is a tin can. The used metal sheet has a special coating that completely eliminates the oxidation of the product. Advantages: does not let light through, lightness and cheapness. Disadvantage: the inability to rate the content.
We hope that after reading our detailed information on how to choose olive oil, and which is the best of all on our market, the choice will no longer be so difficult for you.
We wish you to consciously choose what to eat and how to eat!
Many housewives no longer imagine their kitchen without good olive oil. There is no need to talk about the benefits of this product. But does everyone know how it is obtained and how to use olive oil correctly?
Regardless of whether it is a modern production, or an artisanal home, the harvested olives are first cleaned of branches and leaves, washed, then crushed, and this crushed mass is pressed. From the juice pressed in this way, the oil is separated.
For this, different equipment is used - crushers and presses at handicraft dairies, modern centrifuges at industrial enterprises. The meaning of the processes from this does not change very much, in contrast to the taste and quality of the oil.
What is the first cold pressing?
High-quality olive oil, the oil that only makes sense to buy, is produced in Europe according to fairly strict regulations. One of the main points in them is that the first extraction of high-quality oil is always made from cold berries. Their temperature should not exceed 27 degrees.
If the acidity of the finished oil is below 1%, then this is a top quality product - olio extra vergine di oliva. If the acidity is within 1-2% - olio vergine di oliva, everything else does not interest us.
What is hot pressing?
The cake left from the first pressing still contains a lot of oil to just throw it away. The oldest method is to heat the cake, for example, by mixing it with hot water, or whatever, often to a fairly high temperature, up to 100 degrees, and then process further.
This method allows you to increase the yield of the finished oil, but the taste and quality of it will be completely different. And it's very noticeable. Such oil is usually not bottled as it is, it is refined, if the quality is not very good, or mixed into the refined one.
Why does artisanal olive oil taste better?
The entire olive harvest is in close proximity to the dairy. They are processed quickly, they do not rot, do not sour. Often these manufacturers have their own special original recipes.
Large firms are forced to buy raw materials wherever they can, it takes time. A major manufacturer's hands are tied - everyone needs to like the product, and such an oil is always some kind of average, without its own specific taste.
How does the variety and ripeness of olives affect the flavor of the oil?
Each olive variety is different, just like with grapes and wine. The more ripe the berry, the more oil it contains, and its taste becomes more and more neutral and soft. Usually from November to mid-December, green, still very bitter olives are harvested, from which bright green fruit-herbal, spicy “young” oil is pressed. At this time, it is still quite warm, and the oil must be squeezed out on the day of collection or on the same night, otherwise fermentation may begin in the mass, which adversely affects the quality. And the local manufacturer here has serious advantages.
Later, from mid-December, and even in January, the most mature, black olives are harvested, rich in fat, which give the oil a more familiar yellow color with a mild, neutral taste. Each region of Italy has its own style of olive oil, Tuscany is known for its young, peppery varieties. In neighboring Lombardy, for example, this is not used at all - only soft and delicate.
Can I fry or not with extra virgin olive oil?
The answer will be simple - it is possible, but it is blasphemy. Frying does not make extra virgin olive oil harmful, as many believe, but its taste and aroma are irrevocably lost. It is simply too good for such a utilitarian use, and the bright spicy taste is not combined with all products, for example, fish should not be fried on it. It is much better to add it to the finished dish, especially to cold appetizers or salads, where it will fully manifest itself, and all the useful substances will be preserved in it.
