Olive oil is a fantastic anti-inflammatory tool. Its known benefits include:
• Lower "bad" blood cholesterol (LDL)
• Offer protection from ulcers and gastrointestinal discomfort
• Reduce the risk of gallstones
This made me think about the most daunting investigative report on the olive oil industry as first reported in the August 2007 edition of NEW YORKER Magazine titled “Slippery Business” by Tom Mueller. Mueller went on to write the book Extra Virginity which was released in 2011. It is an exhaustive study of the underbelly of the olive oil business.
What you can do?
1) Buy organic oil if you can afford it as these companies must have paperwork to track the oil from field to table.
2) If you cannot afford organic then get to know someone who is in touch with an integral farmer in Europe. I paid a visit to Acropolis Olive Oil farm in Crete, Greece. For generations, the Acropolis Organics family has carried on the legacy of their ancestors, producing some of the purest, most delicious olive oil (both organic and bio-dynamic) "vintages" in the world. Each bottle is packaged with the utmost care with a pressing date. Panagiotis Tsiriotakis brought the generations-old family tradition of olive oil making to the Canadian market in 2003 and their product is available in many fine food stores.
3) Get to know what Olive oil really tastes like. Light olive oil is not olive oil. Real extra virgin has a taste of pepperiness, and fruitiness. If you can’t taste the olives you most likely have deodorized cheap oil that could be soy or canola with some green colour added.
4) Buy oil packed in dark glass. The real stuff degrades in heat and light so avoid the clear plastic bottles that could be leaching plastic into your next meal!
I encourage you to add olive oil and other good oils to your diet as the health of our bodies depend on high quality natural good fats.
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Find more in my book, Meals That Heal Inflammation.
Meals that Heal Inflammation was developed to help people who suffer
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to prepare delicious allergen-free meals that can assist the body's healing
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Comments
Answer:
If you are not buying organic olive oil (usually costing about $18-$20 per liter) then you are most likely buying olive oil that has been cut with peanut, canola, sunflower and/or safflower oil. Standard extra virgin oil will be higher in Omega 6. This issue is not unlike the honey laundering problem worldwide. The oil is seldom labeled properly and the government has only been taking the issue a bit more seriously because of people’s life threatening allergies to nuts.
That said, the Polyphenol and Omega 9 content in pure organic olive oil are proven anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer and would out way the small amount of naturally occurring Omega 6.
A persons own constitution would also come into play. If your insulin levels are chronically high then any Omega 6 content in any oil can cause inflammation. This would not be an argument to reduce your consumption of olive oil, instead balance your blood sugar levels.
You should not cook with olive oil. Olive oil should be added to your food after it has been cooked. You will notice in my recipes that I use it in a low heat sauté but I recommend spritzing it with water while cooking to keep the temperature down.
It is best to use organic extra virgin olive oil. Regular olive oil has been denatured and is often not real. Many cheap 'regular' olive oils are cut up to 80% with other vegetable oils that are rancid. Really olive oil is not cheap because the growing and processing is very intensive. If you do not see a lot # and a expiration date on the bottle, it most likely is not real olive oil.
Hope this helps, Julie
I know! Crazy.
You might appreciate this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rbTXd41vwvQ#!
Cheers, Julie
I have been reading tons on the benefit of olive oil as well as coconut oil. Do you recommend coconut oil? Which oil do you recommend for cooking?
Thanks,
Marisa
Thanks for writing in!
I love coconut oil! For more information on my thoughts on coconut, check out this link: http://www.juliedaniluk.com/food-facts/how-eating-coconut-can-help-you-burn-fat.html
Cheers,
Julie