discover
extra virgin olive oil
  
 
a bit about
 ...the health benefits
Experts in the medical field suggest that a diet rich in extra virgin olive oil is a healthy one and it can help reduce the cholesterol in our bloodstream. People who eat a Mediterranean diet which is high in olive oil, fruit and vegetables and fish with little or no consumption of animal fats are less likely to be affected by coronary disease. Such a diet has resulted in a lower incidence of breast and bowel cancers and all cancers affecting the digestive system.

Olive oil is a rich source of Vitamin E and anti-oxidants.

These delay the ageing process of our body's cells. Being a monounsaturated fat, olive oil encourages the formation of high density lipoproteins (HDL) which reduces the deposits of cholesterol in our arteries and discourages low density lipoproteins (LDL) from forming which increases the deposits of cholesterol.

Oleic and linolenic acid, two essential fatty acids are also present in olive oil. These help the development of healthy bones and stimulate mental development in children. Our bodies are unable to produce them and this is why olive oil is the most balanced ingredient we use in our cooking and put on our tables.
...how olive oil is produced
We have been producing and consuming olive oil for five millennia. Olive oil has a unique property in that it is the only edible oil that can be consumed in its raw state without undergoing any chemical process. This conserves all of the olive's nutritional properties, which include powerful antioxidants such as polyphenols, flavonoids and vitamin E. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in mono-unsaturated fats and low in saturated fats.

It is these antioxidants that contribute to the olive oil's ability to reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, help prevent arteriosclerosis and coronary disease. They also lower the risk of various types of cancer and facilitate the absorption of Vitamins A, D, E and K. It is these same antioxidants that add to the stability, shelf life and flavour of the oil.

 The highest quality olive oil is made on relatively small farms. The olives are handpicked, transported in well-aerated containers, then cleaned, and ground immediately to produce an olive paste. The liquid (oil and water) is separated from the solids without the use of heat or hot water; immediately after, the water is separated from the oil in a centrifuge.

It is from this first pressing that the best "extra virgin" olive oil is produced. The quality of an extra virgin olive oil requires a lot of attention during the harvest and a considerable amount of professionalism and experience at the mill, and therefore increasing the production costs. These are some of the principle reasons why it is not easy to find good extra virgin olive oil on the market.
what is the difference?


  What to look for Regular Extra Virgin Grappolini
Olive & Condition of Olive Harvest:
Are the best olives being used? Is the olive harvest pressed with the best possible care? Unknown origin, machine harvested, blended, refined, overly filtered, no quality assurance 100% Italian estate grown
Hand picked & pressed within 24-27hrs
No chemical treatment
Master cultivator's assurance
  Acidity Level: 0.85 - 1% average 0.225 - 0.5%
Naturally achieved
Taste:
Is it natural, alive?
Is there a peppery finish?		 Fatty, oily & lingering 'Bruised apple', stale Gentle: considerable freshness, vegetable & medium almond taste
Harmonic: considerable freshness & vegetable, artichoke, pungency & almond-like
Fruity: intense freshness & artichoke with considerable pungency & vegetable taste
  Aroma:
Is it natural ly green? 		Processed, harsh Natural:
Fresh and green
Body
Is there a defined body? Thin & runny
Weak (indicates overprocessing)		 Defined, firm, healthy (capacity to hold flavours)