June 29th, 2009

OLIVE OIL AND HEALTH

Extra virgin olive oil is a natural juice full of flavor and aroma, with high vitamin A, D, K and E content. It has an anti-oxidant effect on the human body cells and 80% of extra virgin olive stimulates bone growth, and calcium absorption. Fats and oils are an essential part of a balanced diet. Olive oil is easily digested and quickly and completely absorbed by the system. In addition, trace components like chlorophyll help the absorption, and the aroma and taste stimulate our appetite, an important assistant for the digestive process.

A diet that includes olive oil aids the circulatory system, reducing the risk of arteriosclerosis and other circulatory ailments. The unsaturated fats, which make up olive oil, not only are cholesterol free, but also have actually been shown to reduce cholesterol levels. It also works as protection against “bad” cholesterol. An olive oil rich diet is known to be more effective than a low fat diet in controlling and treating obesity. It can lead to longer lasting weight loss and can be easier to keep up with because it tastes so good.

OLIVE OIL HISTORY

Olive cultivation began in the Middle East over 5,000 years ago and gradually spread westward throughout the Mediterranean. I n Biblical times, it was used as a sanctifying chrism for kings, prophets and holy people from Samuel to Jesus. This practice continues to this day in some churches when people are anointed with holy oil. For the Greeks, olives and olive oil are not only important foods but also symbols of holiness, courage and life.

Spain provided the bulk of the olive oil to the Roman Empire. Archeologists in Rome found a mountain composed of earthenware vessels that bore the labels of the Spanish producers in Andalucía. To this day Spain produces almost as much olive oil as the rest of the world combined. Today, over 250 distinct varieties of olives are grown in Spain. Spain continues to be the world’s leading producer of olive oil, with approximately 975,000 tons produced per year. Over 250,000,000 olive trees grow in Spain covering 7,500 square miles of groves that stretch as far as the eye can see. Some of them are over one thousand years old!

Finally olive oil is coming into its own in America. I think you could easily compare it to what happened 30 some years ago when wine became a regular part of American cuisine. As soon as people got used to having wine as part of their meals, they became interested in quality rather than just price. Today even budget supermarkets in many states have shelves filled with quality wines from around the world. Studies show that in the US, we are now spending more on olive oil than any other vegetable oil! And good for us!! Quality is becoming more important as Americans find new and interesting ways to use olive oil.

SPANISH OLIVE OILS

Just as fine wines are made from a vast variety of grapes that determine their flavor, so also fine olive oil is made from a vast variety of olives that produce distinct differences in flavor. Some oils are made from a single fruit, such as an Arbequina, Picual or Manzanilla olive. Other more complex oils are made from several types of olives.

The actual proportions that make specific oils unique are closely guarded secrets just as in wine making. For example, the extra virgin olive oils of Nunez de Prado and Senorío de Vizcantar are made in neighboring towns and contain the same varieties of olives. It is up to you to determine which is more pleasing to your palate. Two hundred sixty-two varieties of olives grow in Spain. I have listed some of the better-known olives that are used in the selection of Spanish olive oils that are readily available to masses in the US.

ARBEQUINA

Arbequina olive trees originate from the region of Les Garrigues in Spanish Catalonia, where they were rediscovered not so long ago in the rocky soil near the town of Arbeca, formerly Arbequa. Now they are grown in other parts of Spain, as well. According to Spanish lo, the first Arbequina seeds were brought from Jerusalem in the middle ages. Arbequina olives are round and small. They turn from pale green to pink and dark purple during the growing process.

Harvest time is November, earlier than most other varieties. The color of the oil varies from emerald green to a deep golden yellow. The initial flavor is nutty sweet, reminiscent of almond and melon, but with a peppery accent, and a mellow, fruity after-taste. The trees are not a very large variety, and because of the very small size of the fruit, it is difficult to harvest mechanically. Arbequina olives produce a pale yellow to greenish color oil, which is delicate and fruity with the slightly bitter quality that I enjoy. It is best stored in a cool dark place because of its high proportion of healthful polyunsaturated fatty acids. This oil is a wonderful garnish for a plate of crisp greens. It is also great for marinated vegetables and grilled fish. Because of its delicate flavor, it is best not to use Arbequina olive oil for frying. It is perfect for aioli and mayonnaise.

CORNICABRA

This is another ancient type of olive grown for centuries in Toledo and Ciudad Real. It is considered stable oil because it contains over 70% monounsaturated fatty acids. As with the Arbequina olives, Cornicabra fruit is very difficult to pick mechanically and therefore is only used in very fine oils. It produces golden fruity oil with greenish tint. It tastes velvety, a bit sweet, and slightly bitter at the same time. It is best for dressing warm salads, roasted and braised vegetables, and in sauces such as mayonnaise and as a marinade.

EMPELTRE

This is an olive from the north of Spain in Aragon. The tree is straight and larger than the previous 2 mentioned here. The harvest is early, starting in early November. Ideal for mechanical harvesting, Empeltre olives mainly produce oil that ranges from pale yellow to old gold in color. It has a fruity, sometimes slightly sweet almond flavor with very little to no bitterness.

The smoothness of the Empeltre oil makes it ideal for blending with other olive oils that are more pungent and bitter, two qualities that tend to be unappreciated outside of Spain. It is suitable for salad dressings, and marinades. Mayonnaise made with Empeltre olive oil is especially mild and delicious. A few drops of this oil on Manchego cheese give it a very special quality. It is common to find aged Manchego kept moist in olive oil, this has been done since Roman times.

HOJIBLANCA

The name comes from the white underside of the leaves, which gives the tree a silvery appearance from a distance. You may remember seeing this attractive tree if your travels found you east of Sevilla, south of Cordoba and across the north of Malaga. The fruit is usually large, plump and almost perfectly spherical. In addition to being used for oil production, Hojiblanca is served as a black table olive because of the firm texture.

The harvest is from the end of November to late December. Once ripe the fruit is resistant to picking, which makes harvesting difficult. The oil yield is low. For these reasons it is used only in very high quality oils. It has very well balanced fatty acid content with a high level of oleic acid; about 75%. Hojiblanca has a very wide range of flavors, but the most notable one is sweetness at first taste, followed by a slightly bitter almond aftertaste. This oil brings out the flavor of fried foods such as chips, squid and fish, and enhances the qualities of sautés. Ideal for pastries and baking, it makes very nice workable and light dough.

PICUAL

The oils tend to have a lot of body with some bitterness, and a pleasant fresh flavor. Good for salads and gazpachos, it is also traditionally used for frying as it behaves well when heated, for meat dishes and for stews, all of which accept its vitality well. Picual is often blended with Picudo and Hojiblanca.

Picual is among the healthiest olive oils due to its fatty acid content and the amount of natural antioxidants. It usually contains about 78-80% of monounsaturated oleic acid, which is important for avoiding cardiovascular disease. This is a very Spanish olive. It accounts for 50% of the Spanish olives and therefore 20% of the world’s olives. In spite of these figures, its use is not very widespread. It is an olive oil preferred by Spaniards and is grown largely in the Spanish provinces of Jaen, Cordoba and Granada. The trees start to fruit early and the high yield is one of the main reasons for its popularity.

PICUDO

This olive gets its name from the pointed tip of the fruit. In some areas of Spain, it has the name Pajarero (birds) apparently because the sweetness of the oil in the ripe fruit encourages birds to peck at it. There are thousands of hectares of Picudo olive trees in Baena and Priego de Cordoba as well as Malaga and Granada. The fruit is second in size for those olives used for oil.

-Tadd Frye

Filed under: Culinary, Culinary Tips, Wellness |