Olive Oil.

Olive Oil.

Olive tree is a subtropical, broad-leaved, and evergreen and olive is its edible fruit.
The tree, ranging in height from 10 to 40 feet or more, has numerous branches; its leaves, leathery and lance-shaped, are dark green above and silvery on the underside and are paired opposite each other on the twig.

The wood is resistant to decay; if the top dies back, a new trunk will often arise from the roots. The tree's beauty has been extolled for thousands of years. The edible olive was grown on the island of Crete about 3500 BC; the Semitic peoples apparently cultivated it as early as 3000 BC.

Olive oil was prized for anointing the body in Greece during the time of Homer; and it was an important crop of the Romans c. 600 BC. Later, olive growing spread to all the countries bordering the Mediterranean.

Olive trees bloom in late spring; small, whitish flowers are borne in loose clusters in the axils of the leaves. Flowers are of two types: perfect, containing both male and female parts, which are capable of developing into the olive fruits; and male, which contain only the pollen-producing parts. The olive is wind-pollinated. Fruit setting in the olive is often erratic; in some areas, especially where irrigation and fertilization are not practiced; bearing in alternate years is the rule.

The trees may set a heavy crop one year and not even bloom the next. The olive fruit is classed botanically as a drupe, similar to the peach or plum. Within the stone are one or two seeds. Olives tend to have maximum oil content about 20-30 percent of fresh weight and greatest weight six to eight months after the blossoms appear.

At that stage they are black and will continue to cling to the tree for several weeks. Fruits for oil extraction are allowed to mature, but, for processing as food, immature fruits are picked or shaken off the tree. Hundreds of named varieties of both types of olives, table and oil, are grown in warm climates.

In California, olives such as the Mission variety are grown almost exclusively for table use. In Europe, olives such as the Picual, Nevadillo, and Morcal are grown mostly for oil.

Commercial olive production generally occurs in two belts around the world, between 30 and 45 N latitude and between 30 and 45 S, where the climatic requirements for growth and fruitfulness can be found. Olive varieties do not come true from seed. Seedlings generally produce inferior fruit and must be budded or grafted to one of the named varieties.

Olives can be propagated by cuttings, either by hardwood cuttings set in the nursery row in the spring or by small, leafy cuttings rooted under mist sprays in a propagating frame. The trees start bearing in 4 to 8 years, but full production is not reached for 15 or 20 years.

Olives are grown mainly for the production of olive oil. Fresh, unprocessed olives are inedible because of their extreme bitterness resulting from a glycoside that can be neutralized by treatments with a dilute alkali such as lye. Salt applications also dispel some of the bitterness. The processed fruit may be eaten either ripe or green. The olive fruit and its oil are key elements in the cuisine of the Mediterranean and popular outside the region.

Olive oil is classified into five grades:

(1) Virgin, from first pressings that meet defined standards;
(2) Pure, or edible, a mixture of refined and virgin;
(3) refined, or commercial, consisting of lamp ante from which acid, colour, and odour have been removed;
(4) lamp ante, high-acid oil, named for its use as a lamp fuel, obtained from a second pressing of residual pulp with hot water.

(5) Sulphide extracted with solvents and refined repeatedly. In the late 20th century, Spain and Italy were the world leaders in commercial olive production, with more than a quarter each of the world's total followed by Greece, with more than a 10th. Other important olive-producing countries are Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, Syria, and Portugal. Europe, with nearly 500 million olive trees, has more than three-quarters of the worlds cultivated olives, followed by Asia, about 13 percent.

1. Extra virgin olive oil is nothing but fruit juice extracted mechanically from olive fruit. There is no heat or chemicals used in the extraction process. My favourite and the most beneficial is a fresh organic unfiltered extra virgin olive oil. Follow this link for more information about olive oil grades.

2. Flavour - It just tastes good. I guess I would have to say it is an acquired taste and some people just don't like the bitter characteristic of some oils. There are olive varieties known for their mild flavour and olive oil pressed from ripe olives is smooth, mellow and buttery.


3. Nutritional Value - vitamins E, K, and A as well as poly-phenols, squalene, oleocanthol, triterpenes and hundreds more micronutrients make olive oil a healthy choice. Read more about olive oil nutrients

4. Oleic Acid - oleic acid (omega 9) makes up 55 - 85 percent of the fatty acids in olive oil. Don't confuse this with the amount of free oleic acid which is the main factor used to determine the grade of the olive oil and the lower the better. It's great for your skin - read about common oils used in soaps and how they can do so much more than just clean your skin. Oleic acid aids in keeping our arteries supple and helps prevent cancer.

5. Hydrogenated Oils - olive oil is not hydrogenated oil. Hydrogenation creates dangerous trans-fats found in margarine and many other packaged foods. Please read this page for more information about hydrogenated oil and trans-fats.

6. Heart Health and Cholesterol - extra virgin olive oil is high in poly-phenols (a powerful antioxidant) and monounsaturated fat which contributes to lowering bad cholesterol. Read more about this health benefit here.

7. Cancer - researchers believe that olive oil may be just as effective in the prevention of colon cancer as fresh fruits and veggies. A diet rich in olive oil has been shown to reduce the incidence of colon, breast and skin cancers.

8. Blood Pressure - Studies now indicate that extra virgin olive oil may help to lower blood pressure. Patients were able to reduce or eliminate the need for medications when olive oil was consumed on a regular basis.

9. Alzheimer’s - this disease is associated with the clogging of arteries caused by cholesterol and saturated fat. Replacing other fats with olive oil will reduce the risk.

10. Gallstones - Olive oil promotes the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones naturally and lowers the incidence of gallstones.

There are more olive oil benefits. It's great for skin and hair care, used in natural remedies, and is more versatile cooking oil than you may think.