If there’s one oil that basically every dietary camp can agree is beneficial, it would probably be olive oil. It’s been valued for centuries, and a good quality bottle will come packed with polyphenols that are not only anti-inflammatory but also good for the microbiome.
Benefits of olive oil:
A staple of the Mediterranean Diet, olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats. These fats are more stable that the polyunsaturated fats that make up most seed oils, such as safflower and sunflower, but not quite as heat tolerant as saturated fats like tallow or butter. As such, olive oil is best suited to cold applications or light cooking (such as a quick stir fry in a skillet) as opposed to an extended high heat roast. The polyphenols that are present in olive oil are not only responsible for many of the associated health benefits, they also help protect against heat damage and oxidation.
Two of the primary health benefits associated with regular consumption of olive oil include cardiovascular health and improvement in lipid profile. In fact, just 2 tbsp per day of olive oil has been shown to have a notable positive impact on the lipoprotein spectrum. (source) Furthermore, the polyphenols present in olive oil can also help prevent against oxidation of cholesterol within the body, as well as support endothelial health (which in turn creates a healthy vascular response). (source)
Last but not least, polyphenols are a known source of food for our microbiome; in other words, they help to nourish the bacteria in our digestive tract that keep our digestion strong and immune system working well! (source)
How should a good olive oil taste?
I could basically lick a good quality olive oil straight off the spoon, and I have, many times! A top notch olive oil will taste bright, green, earthy, and have a bitter, peppery kick on the back of your tongue from the polyphenols.
But not all olive oils are created equal. In fact, investigations have shown that often times products labeled as olive oil are cut / diluted with cheaper oils to reduce overhead costs. Aka, you’re not actually getting what you think you are in that bottle!! Not only are you not getting the quality that you think you’re paying for, you might actually be putting old, rancid, toxin-laden, highly processed vegetable oil in your body instead. Yikes!
How to pick a good olive oil:
As with anything, the best way to know that you’re getting a good quality product is to know the producer. If that’s not possible, then these are some of the things that you’ll want to look for:
Extra virgin (as opposed to virgin, or light; these lack most of the beneficial polyphenols and may use heat processing)
Heat / light / air protected (dark bottle, tightly sealed)
Peppery kick (a sign of the polyphenols)
Harvest date (the fresher the better)
A third party certification (such as the European Union's Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Italy's DOP, or the "COOC Certified Extra Virgin" seal from the California Olive Oil Council for California-made oils)
Enter: Life Extension’s unfiltered, cold-pressed California Estate Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil!
Life Extension’s Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes from USDA-certified, organic olives hand-picked at the peak of ripeness and milled within hours of harvest. It has a concentration of over 800 mg/kg of naturally occurring olive polyphenols, which is around three times the amount of polyphenols in most other olive oils. It’s evident by the strong peppery kick that you taste when you consume it! In my opinion, this olive oil definitely fits into the “functional food” or “supplement” category, and I aim to have 1-2 tbsp every day.
How to consume it:
Drizzled over roasted veggies or scrambled eggs, used in a salad dressing, as a dip for bread, made into ice cream, or straight from a spoon, the possibilities are endless!!
Today I’m sharing my go-to summer salad recipe that incorporates all of the health benefits of Life Extension’s Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Stone Fruit Salad with Honey EVOO Vinaigrette!
Stone Fruit Salad with Honey EVOO Vinaigrette
Serves: 4
Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
Greens of choice (I used a baby lettuce blend), about 6 cups
Stone fruit of choice (I used a mix of peach, plum, nectarine, apricot, and cherries), about 3 cups
8oz mozzarella balls
1/2 cup pistachios, shelled
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
2-3 tbsp honey, to taste
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
Garnish: fresh pepper, fresh mint
Instructions:
Pit and slice the stone fruit, cutting larger fruit into thin slices and smaller fruit like cherries in half.
In a small bowl, add the olive oil, vinegar, honey, dijon, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Assemble the salad: place the greens in a large serving bowl and distribute the fruit over the top. Add the mozzarella balls and pistachios, then dress with the honey evoo vinaigrette. Garnish and serve immediately.
NOTE: Add a protein to make this dish into a more hearty meal! I used the Life Extension Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil to pan sear a salmon steak and it was a perfect summer dish!
If you’d like to try out Life Extension’s Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for yourself, you can save $5 on any order over $50, plus get free shipping with the code TRACEY5 through October 1, 2021! Head to their website to take advantage!
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Life Extension for sending me a bottle of their organic extra virgin olive oil to try out and for sponsoring this post!
