OLIVE OIL: THE REASONS WHY

Olive-trees growing has accompanied the development of Mediterranean civilization, since immemorial time. From the oriental shores of "Mare Nostrum", where the precious fruit was already known by Siryans and Palestinians, this tradition spread all over the Mediterranean basin along with the expansion of the Roman Empire.
Besides its pure flavour, that makes Mediterranean cuisine so characteristic, olive oil is also appreciated it is healthy. Chemical analysis points out the presence of vitamin E, oleic acid (mono-unsaturated), linoleic acid and linolenic acid (poly-unsaturated). Those substances, mixed in ideal proportions by Nature, give olive oil a characteristic unique among eatable fats: it helps human body to contend with free radicals, responsible for cellular ageing. Thus, olive oil, contributes in reducing the risk of cancer, liver damages and arteriosclerosis. Moreover, it prevents aggregation of blood platelets averting the risk of thrombosis. Among other positive properties, it opposes the formation of cholesterol in the arteries, while supporting the production of HDL cholesterol, useful to the human body.

Olive oil keeps its qualities either raw and cooked, because of the presence of natural anti-oxidising substances. Unlike other fats used in cooking, it can resist to high temperatures and so it is not by chance if so much olive oil is used in Mediterranean cooking which is considered by nutritionists the most healthy and well-balanced.

• Olio extra-vergine di oliva (extra-virgin olive oil): it is made by simply squashing the olives at room temperature, has got maximum acidity of 1%. The lower the acidity the better the oil.
• Olio vergine di oliva (virgin olive oil): is the most frequently available on the market. It is made by the same way as the extra-virgin, but its degree of acidity is higher ( from 1% to 2%) so it is of worse quality.
• Olio di oliva (olive oil): it is made by mixing virgin oil and refined oil, its degree of acidity has to be lower than 3.3%. Acidity is not a matter of comparison in this case because this kind of oil is chemically manipulated.
• Olio di sansa (husk oil): raw husk oil is made by treating the husk with a chemical solvent, then it is refined, mixed with virgin oil and put on the market.

The kind of oil must be written on the label.

It is clear that, according to the above short classification, extra-virgin olive oil is of higher quality and purity, with a lower degree of acidity and not mixed with oil of different origin. Only few extra-virgin oils have the special mark that guarantees their place of origin:
IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta-Protected Geographical Indication ).

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This special mark guarantees that the oil comes from the specified area, that is made of olives grown up in the same place, that it is pure, not a mixture of different oils and has a peculiar flavour.