Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The Grease Company
#1 Used Cooking Oil Collection Company in California
Everything you need to know about Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil, also known as EVOO, is the healthiest type of olive oil among its different varieties. It is the least processed variety and extracted using only natural methods without the touch of any chemicals. For its pure taste, smell and sensory qualities, it is labeled as EXTRA VIRGIN.
Nutritional value of extra virgin olive oil
EVOO is not only unique in flavor and aroma but also is rich in antioxidants, fats which are healthy for hearts and vitamins (E and K)
In average, one tablespoon of EVOO contains 120 calories, fats (14 grams) including 11 grams of monounsaturated (mostly oleic acid) and 1 grams of polyunsaturated, 2 grams of saturated fat, vitamins E (13% of daily value) and K (7% of daily value)
There is no presence of carbohydrates, cholesterol or protein in extra virgin olive oil. It is a great source of antioxidants including oleocanthal which is an anti-inflammatory and oleuropein that reduces BAD cholesterol (LDL).
Difference between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil
Olive oils are extracted from a fruit named olive. When olives are ripe they are ground up and cold-pressed at room temperature to extract oils from them. There’s not much difference between virgin and extra virgin olive oil. From all the extracted olive oils from cold pressing, only the best is referred to as extra virgin after checking the amount of acidity and running down a list of regulated criteria. And the rest of the oils are labeled as virgin olive oil. Both virgin and extra virgin olive oils are unrefined and have not been exposed to heat. On the other hand, after the removal of cold pressed oil from the mashed olives, the leftovers are put in vats with chemicals and heated to extract more oil which is what we call “plain olive oil“.
Health benefits of EVOO
There are many health benefits of extra virgin olive oil. EVOO is one of the primary components in the Mediterranean diet. It is the healthiest way to eat. The elements of this particular type of diet (limited red meat, vegetables, whole grains, etc.) improves health and promotes longevity.
EVOO impacts our health significantly which prevents heart diseases, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, etc. The nutrients including polyphenols present in Extra virgin olive oil reduces risk of chronic disease and promotes improvement against a few certain types of Cancer, including breast and prostate cancer.
Extra virgin olive oil is rich in fatty acids including monounsaturated fats (oleic acid) which is a type of anti-inflammatory. It reduces inflammation while boosting cellular health. According to a research published in 2013 by The Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging, nutrients in EVOO (antioxidants, fatty acid and vitamins) may also promote brain health, reducing the chance of memory loss and improving brain functions in old age. Some of the compounds that extra virgin oil contains, prevents Alzheimer’s disease. It is a neurodegenerative disease that causes dementia. Consuming a decent amount of olive oil may be able to prevent protein build ups in the brain to protect the brain from dementia and cognitive impairment.
Cooking with extra virgin olive oil
EVOO has a smoke point of 190 °C which makes it perfect for cooking at moderate to high temperature. You can use it in baking, roasting, sautéing, pan frying and even as a bit of an extra ingredient with soup to enhance its flavor. Extra virgin olive oil also goes great as salad dressing, drizzling on dishes.
EVOO has three main qualities which makes it a healthy cooking oil-
It has stable monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid).
Low level of ‘free’ fatty acid makes it even more suitable for cooking a healthy meal.
It has a higher level of protective antioxidants.
Extra virgin olive oil is great for cooking “especially” vegetables. If you use EVOO to prepare a vegan dish, you will receive extra health benefits as well. A very special feature of cooking in EVOO is that it is a great food experience. While cooking vegetables with extra virgin olive oils, it pulls the nutrients out of food making some of the bioactive ingredients in these vegetables become directly available for consumption.
Risks of EVOO
EVOO is high in calories (119 calories per tablespoon). It’s a fact that if you eat more calories than you burn each day, you will gain unexpected weight. Therefore, if you’re on a low-carb or NO-carb diet, extra virgin olive oil should not be on your diet list.
Additionally, before adding EVOO in your daily food habit, make sure that you’re not allergic to olives and olive oil.
Recycle your expired or used extra virgin olive oil
Restaurants and different food establishments always use both EVOO and plain olive oil as cooking oils. Sometimes, they end up with a decent amount of expired food oil that they can not use or throw away (prohibited by law). What to do with them?
The Grease Company, #1 UCO Collector in California provides used cooking oil collection service for commercial kitchens. If you have over 1000 gallons or pallets of expired food grade oil, yellow grease or used cooking oil- call at (888) 789-1090 for a quick oil pickup schedule. We also offer free UCO collection storage containers and maintenance for our customers to make the collection process more convenient.
So, Why do we collect used fryer oils? We recycle them, and convert them into usable goods such as biofuels or animal feeds (mostly biodiesel). Want to learn more? Contact us with your queries.
The Grease Company
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Are you looking for professional restaurant cooking oil collector? Call us NOW. Or email us with your details to get a free quote.
