Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil – What You Need To Know
If you were to look for a single natural ingredient that is considered most pure when it comes to extra virgin olive oil production, you would only find a handful of choices. But what if I told you that there are several super high-quality extra virgin olive oils available today that come from organic sources? And now that I have your attention, let me tell you a little about each of the super high-quality certified organic extra virgin olive oil that is starting to appear on store shelves. (You can find all of them online.)
How the extra virgin olive oil is produced?
Extra virgin olive oil is produced from extra virgin olive pulp that has not been processed or added any chemical additives. It is the most highly regarded olive oil that is made organically. One of the most beneficial characteristics of this extra virgin oil is that it is extremely good for cooking. The properties that make it so versatile making it a truly great cooking oil. I recommend it for all types of recipes including meat and fish.
Organic extra virgin olive oil is produced by specialized olive oil-producing farms in Spain, Greece, and Italy. Unlike the regular kind, organic extra virgin olive oil does not use any solvents to remove impurities. Organic farmers grow their trees in their natural forms, without destroying or burning the tops. The trees’ stalks and branches are also harvested and used for the oil. There are a lot less pressure and heat when using organic olive oil than with regular olive oil, making it less expensive to purchase. It has also been tested repeatedly to be free of harmful contaminants, such as mercury, lead, and benzene.
Why regular olive oil is not a good choice?
Regular grocery-store olive oils are full of contaminants, such as hydrogenated vegetable oils (which make the oil sticky), detergents, petroleum-based products, lanolin, and various preservatives. Even if the label says “extra virgin”, it may not be 100% pure. In fact, olive oil production is often far more polluted than traditional methods because of the availability and use of solvents in the harvesting process.
So what makes organic extra virgin olive oil different? It’s better for your health. The main differences come from the process used to extract the oil. Regular olives are heated, making the oil rancid and affecting its quality. The extra virgin variety avoids this problem.
What does extra virgin oil mean?
Extra Virgin means that the extra virgin variety is the purest form of olive oil available. Pure olive oil undergoes further treatment to improve its shelf life and maintain its flavor. Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil has undergone the same process, but there’s no heating, no additional processing, and no additional flavor. This is the type of olive you want to buy if you want to be reassured of healthy, pure oil.
If you want extra virgin olive oil that’s truly an extra virgin, look for a company that advertises it as “extra virgin olive oil with added natural antioxidants”. In order to get high-quality antioxidants, it’s necessary to extract the oil straight from the olive fruit. A company that advertises it as “essential oils” on the other hand, only gets their oil from the fruit and does no further processing. Look for companies that specify the source of their oil.
Where to buy the best extra virgin olive oil?
There are also companies that make olive oil from a variety of other trees. Grapes, passion fruit, and palm are all grown differently. The main advantage of buying extra virgin oil is that it is derived exclusively from high-quality, clean, renewable resources. A buyer should also look for a label that says something like “freshly pressed”, “unrefined” or “ultra-refined”. This extra care in the process significantly increases the price. If you are looking forward to buying the best and certified organic extra virgin olive oil then you can check out websites like allyorganic.com.