Olive oil is known as a healthy oil that many people like to use for cooking. But do you know how to choose it so that it doesn’t lose too much nutritional value?
Olive oil is a natural oil extracted from olives. It is a vegetable oil that has good fatty acids and various vitamins that are beneficial to
health. Currently, people are more interested in consuming it. Therefore, to consume olive oil with peace of mind, let’s get to know olive oil clearly, what are its good properties, and how each type should be eaten and used.
Olive oil can be used for stir-frying, frying, or making salad dressings. Different types of olive oil are used for each type of cooking. The ยูฟ่าเบท https://ufabet999.app types of olive oil are divided according to the extraction method, purity, and fatty acid content of the oil. There are 5 main types of olive oil as follows:
1. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil has a dark green color and a distinct olive aroma because it is produced by cold-pressing to prevent natural vitamins from changing when exposed to high temperatures. Therefore, it can maintain its natural flavor and aroma completely. It has low acidity and can be cooked fresh without mixing with other ingredients. It is suitable for making sauces or salad dressings. However, it should not be fried, stir-fried or processed with heat because it has a low heat point, burns easily and may cause loss of nutritional value.
2. Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed but not refined. It has a more natural aroma and mild flavor. It has high acidity and is heat resistant, making it suitable for low-heat cooking, such as making sauces or salad dressings.
3. Refined Olive Oil
Olive oil is extracted through chemical processes to obtain clear olive oil. Therefore, the smell, taste and color from the olives are quite lost. However, some fatty acids and nutritional value from the olives still remain. It is suitable for cooking dishes that require high temperatures, such as fried dishes. Because it is resistant to heat and is an olive oil that is not very expensive.
4. Blended Olive Oil (Pure Olive Oil)
Olive oil is made by mixing pure or refined oil with refined oil. It is rich in vitamin E and is suitable for cooking food that does not require a lot of heat, such as stir-fry dishes.
5. Olive oil, extracted from olive pomace (Olive Pomace Oil)
It is a low-quality olive oil extracted from the remaining olive oil and pulp, mixed with a small amount of pure oil to improve the quality. Making it cheap and suitable for cooking that requires high heat, such as frying.
Nutritional value of olive oil
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides the nutritional information for 1 tablespoon, or about 14 grams, of salad-grade olive oil:
– Energy 124 kilocalories
– Total fat 14 grams
– Calcium 0.14 milligrams
– Iron 0.078 milligrams
– Potassium 0.14 milligrams
– Sodium 0.28 milligrams
– Choline 0.042 mg
– Vitamin E 2.02 milligrams
– Vitamin K 8.43 micrograms
– Total saturated fatty acids 1.93 g.
– Saturated fatty acids (SFA 16:0) 1.58 grams
– Saturated fatty acids (SFA 18:0) 0.273 g.
– Total monounsaturated fatty acids 10.2 g
-* Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA 16:1) 0.176 g.
– Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA 18:1) 9.98 g.
– Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA 20:1) 0.044 g.
– Total polyunsaturated fatty acids 1.47 g.
– Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA 18:2) 1.37 g.
– Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA 18:3) 0.107 g.
Olive oil: What are its health benefits?
Let’s take a look at the health benefits of olive oil.
1. Contains many types of good fatty acids that help expel bad fats.
Olive oil contains a good proportion of various fatty acids, including monounsaturated fatty acid (also known as oleic acid), which is a type of healthy fat that medical studies have found can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and also help reduce inflammation that can occur in cells in the body.
In addition, olive oil also contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are fatty acids that can help reduce blood cholesterol levels. Importantly, olive oil also has properties that stimulate the levels of the hormone adiponectin, which is a hormone that plays an important role in eliminating fat in the body, which is another way to expel bad fat from the body.
2. May help you lose weight.
Many studies agree that consuming olive oil does not affect weight gain. It may even help control body weight. This is because olive oil is rich in good fats and is an important food in the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes eating fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, olive oil, lean meats, grains, and red wine. In addition, olive oil stimulates the hormone adiponectin, which helps burn fat in the body.
3. Reduce the risk of heart disease.
The properties of olive oil that help reduce bad cholesterol levels in the blood also have a positive effect on heart health. Olive oil also contains vitamins and polyphenols such as vitamin E, vitamin K, and antioxidants that help reduce infections in the body, adjust blood pressure, and maintain heart health so that it functions normally. Therefore, it reduces the risk of heart disease and blood vessels.
4. Contains important anti-inflammatory substances that help reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
One such important anti-inflammatory compound is called oleocanthal, an antioxidant found in extra-virgin olive oil. Some scientists estimate that oleocanthal in 3.4 tablespoons (50 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil has the same effect as 10% of an adult dose of ibuprofen.
This is consistent with other research studies that have found that oleic acid in olive oil has important anti-inflammatory properties that help inhibit genes and proteins that stimulate inflammation in the body, helping to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and obesity.
5. Helps reduce the risk of cerebral blood vessel rupture, narrowing, or blockage.
The benefits of olive oil in this area have also been widely studied. For example, one study that tested with 841,000 volunteers found that olive oil is a source of monounsaturated fatty acids that can help reduce the risk of stroke. And another study that participated in 140,000 people found that people who consumed olive oil had a much lower risk of stroke compared to the group that did not consume olive oil at all.
6. Helps fight bacteria
Olive oil contains good nutrients that help inhibit and eliminate pathogenic bacteria, especially Helicobacter Pylori bacteria, which are bacteria in the stomach that cause stomach inflammation or stomach cancer. Researchers recommend that consuming 30 grams of extra virgin olive oil per day for 2 weeks or more will help eliminate the risk of Helicobacter pylori infection by approximately 10-40%.
7. Helps improve memory.
Studies have shown that foods that include olive oil, such as the Mediterranean diet, help nourish the nerves and brain in terms of memory, thinking, and understanding, and may also help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
8. Helps relieve depression.
A 2013 study found that compounds in extra virgin olive oil help protect the nervous system and are useful in treating depression and anxiety disorders. In addition, research has found that people who eat foods high in trans fats, which are the bad fats from eating fast food and bakery products, are at a higher risk of depression than those who regularly consume olive oil.
9. Good for liver health
Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) plus phenolic compounds that are abundant in olive oil are important in preventing cell inflammation, preventing oxidative stress, and also preventing insulin resistance, as well as other risk factors that can damage our liver. So, if you want to have a healthy liver, don’t forget to eat olive oil.
And in addition to the health benefits of olive oil, we can also use olive oil for beauty purposes.
Olive oil and its beauty benefits
In the beauty industry, olive oil has been used for a long time to nourish and care for beauty. For example:
- Apply to the skin to add moisture and nourish it for healthy skin.
- Use as a scrub to exfoliate the skin by mixing it with honey and brown sugar to help make the skin look radiant.
- Soak your hands or feet in olive oil to help nourish your hands and nails.
- Mix olive oil with honey and egg yolk and use as a face mask to give your face a fresh look.
- Apply olive oil to your eyebrows and massage gently for 5-10 days every day. This will help solve the problem of thin eyebrows because olive oil contains vitamins that help nourish eyebrows to be strong, thick, and dark.
- Use as a hair mask to add shine and solve the problem of frizzy hair.
- Use to remove makeup stuck on the face.
- Nourishes and moisturizes lips.
In addition, olive oil is also used as an ingredient in various cosmetics, skin care products, medicines, soaps, and as fuel for traditional oil lamps.
How to consume olive oil? Can it be consumed straight?
If you want to eat fresh olive oil without heating it, you should choose Extra-Virgin Olive Oil because it is olive oil that has not been processed in any way, so it provides more benefits than other types of olive oil and the smell is not very strong. It can be used to make sauces, salad dressings or spread on bread. But you should eat it in the right amount and you should not eat it every day.
Precautions for consuming and using olive oil
Despite its many health benefits, there are some precautions to be taken when consuming olive oil, as follows:
- If taken in excess, some people may experience nausea and vomiting.
- Pregnant and lactating women should be careful when consuming olive oil. They should not consume olive oil alone, but can consume olive oil prepared in their dishes.
- Patients who take blood pressure medication or have low blood pressure should be careful when consuming olive oil, as it can lower blood pressure, which may enhance the effects of the medication and cause blood pressure to drop below normal levels.
- Diabetics should also monitor their blood sugar levels while consuming olive oil, as olive oil can cause blood sugar levels to drop.
- People who are about to undergo surgery should avoid consuming olive oil for 2 weeks as it may affect blood pressure levels.
- Using olive oil on the skin may cause an allergic reaction or dermatitis in some people.
However, to consume olive oil safely and get the most health benefits, you should choose the right type of olive oil for cooking. Most importantly, you must choose olive oil that meets the standards and has a nutritional label that provides complete details.