How To Choose Olive Oil

Which olive oil is the best? Spanish? Greek? Or maybe Italian? How to choose it? What should you pay attention to when you have a battery of bottles with different labels in front of you in the store? And which olive oil is suitable for salads, and which can be used for frying?

Let's start with the country of manufacture. First, Greek, Spanish and Italian oils are radically different in taste from each other.

Greek olive oil is very bright and rich in taste, which is characterized by the presence of honey notes and some fruity aromas. Spanish oil has a pungent aroma and a bitter, peppery taste. It can be said that it more than others resembles the taste of olives themselves. Italian olive oil is soft, slightly sweet in taste, with a barely perceptible aroma of herbs. It is in Italy that oil is produced with the addition of various spices and herbs - basil, oregano, chili, rosemary, garlic and other aromatic additives.

And yes, in addition to Greece, Spain and Italy, olive oil is also produced in Turkey, Israel, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, Portugal, the USA and France. They all differ in taste, as it all depends on the variety of olives, as well as on the climate in which they grow. Arguing about which oil is the best and tastiest is a waste of time, it is determined by your taste preferences. And here's how to choose a good olive oil in the store, read on.

The inscription Extra Virgin on the label

This oil is considered the best because it comes without any additives or preservatives. It can be compared with fresh fruit juice, in fact it is a kind of fresh olive oil: the oil is obtained by pressing olives exclusively mechanically, that is, without the use of chemical and biochemical additives.

Decide what you need the oil for

Enriched with vitamins , extra virgin oil is ideal for dressing salads, but it is not at all suitable for frying and other types of heat treatment.

Beneficial substances under the influence of high temperatures turn practically into poison. If you buy olive oil for frying or adding it to baking, then you should choose refined olive oil - refined olive oil, also known as Pure.

Proper packaging plays a very important role. Ideally , olive oil should be in a darkened glass bottle. Such measures should protect olive oil from the harmful effects of external factors. That is why it is recommended to store olive oil in a dark and somewhat cool place. If the bottle is transparent, then the oil in it, accordingly, is not of very good quality.

Acidity

Another important parameter that must be taken into account in order to buy a good olive oil is the level of acidity in it. It is determined by the content of oleic acid in the oil . Your task is to buy olive oil with the lowest possible acidity.

Color

As we have already said, high-quality oil is sold in bottles made of darkened glass, through which the color of the oil is not visible . Therefore, you can check the color at home. However, pay attention to this fact when you open the lid in the kitchen. High- quality olive oil has a pleasant golden hue. The gray or deep green color of the oil indicates that it was made from overripe olives.

Date of manufacture

Olive oil is not wine for you. Over time, it does not acquire useful properties, but only loses quality. Therefore, be sure to pay attention to the date of manufacture. On average, approximately 18 months should pass from the date of manufacture to the expiration date. This is the period during which olive oil remains useful and of high quality. Try to choose the freshest possible olive oil .

Try it

The taste of olive oil always plays a decisive role. Watery, rancid, vinegary or metallic aftertaste are considered obvious deviations. A good oil can be sweet, slightly bitter or sour - it all depends on the variety and the country of origin.

But! Even if you choose an oil according to all the rules, there is no guarantee that you will like its taste. As we have already said, oils from different countries are radically different from each other. Maybe Greek oil will not suit you , but you will immediately like Spanish or Turkish oil. So, try it.