Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Greece

Inhoud:

• What is extra virgin olive oil?
• The difference between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil
• Extra virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil
• Is extra virgin olive oil healthy?
• Can you cook with extra virgin olive oil?
• What can you use extra virgin olive oil for?
• Where to buy extra virgin olive oil?

Let’s dive straight into it: extra virgin olive oil is the crème de la crème of olive oils. This means it is made from the first pressing (without heat) using mechanical pressing. This results in the highest quality oil because there’s no chemical process involved. There are two conditions that extra virgin olive oil must meet. First, the acidity must be below 0.8%. Second, the median score on the 12 possible defects must be 0, and the median for fruitiness must be above 0. The result is a rich taste and an extra virgin olive oil that retains all the natural vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. In short, the elite olive oil!

The answer to the question of what differentiates olive oil from extra virgin olive oil is tricky, but we’ll keep it simple. As explained above, you can distinguish between different types of olive oil based on acidity and a score on the 12 possible defects. Extra virgin olive oil has an acidity below 0.8%, and the median score on the 12 defects is 0. Regular olive oil has a defect median between 3.5 and 6. This ordinary olive oil has a more neutral flavor than the other two types. Due to the defects in olive oil, it might not even taste good to you… Want to know more? Here’s an article about the different types of olive oil. To truly know the quality of an olive oil, you have to test it organoleptically. Read more in our article about the best olive oil.

Now, we often get asked what exactly extra virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil are. Extra virgin olive oil means virginer than virgin, referring to the acidity of less than 0.8%. But what is extra virgin olive oil then? Actually, it’s exactly the same as extra virgin, just pronounced in English, which closely resembles the Spanish way of describing this quality grade of olive oil, virgen olive oil. And what about extra vergine olive oil? Well, that’s the same too, just the Italian term. Clear?

Another question we often get asked, and rightfully so! And yes, extra virgin olive oil is healthy. Thanks to its natural and efficient production process, extra virgin olive oil is packed with healthy nutrients. It has a very high content of vitamins C and E. Additionally, olive oil contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that boost immunity, reduce joint pain, and prevent inflammation. Extra virgin olive oil also contains various healthy ingredients like sodium and antioxidants. All in all, olive oil is a great addition to leading a healthier life. Read more about why extra virgin olive oil is healthy.

That’s up to you. It’s somewhat easier to produce high-quality extra virgin olive oil because you can use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. This results in a cheaper price tag for high quality.

For organic extra virgin olive oil, however, it’s more challenging to produce high quality because you can’t use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Additionally, you need certifications to carry this label, which requires more rules and compliance. All in all, this takes more time, energy, and results in a higher price tag compared to non-organic. The advantage? Organic is better for the environment and also better for your health since no pesticides are used. We also appreciate that people invest more time and love into it. By the way, you can buy organic extra virgin olive oil on our webshop; you can find regular extra virgin olive oil at Albert Heijn.

The Greeks, and also the Gkazas family, use extra virgin olive oil for practically everything. Not only because it’s incredibly healthy, but also because its burning point is as high as 207°C! The story that carcinogenic substances are released when heating olive oil is partially true, but only when the olive oil is heated to more than 207°C multiple times, potentially releasing PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). It easily wins the contest over butter, where the burning point is only up to 180°C. So, with olive oil, you have extra margin when baking and frying. Like butter, olive oil can, of course, start smoking when overheated. At that point, you should turn down the heat because you’re getting close to burning, which is, of course, not the goal. Read more here about heating olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil is incredibly versatile and perfect for cooking. You can bake with it (read more here), use it in both cold and warm dishes, and even add it as a flavor booster to your dressing or sauce. We have an entire magazine full of tips and delicious recipes for cooking with extra virgin olive oil!

Make sure to pay attention to which one you choose because you obviously want the best olive oil for you. For us, that means buying from a producer or farmer you fully trust. It doesn’t really matter whether it’s Greek olive oil or, for example, one from Italy or Spain. What’s important to consider is whether you want a tin or a bottle of olive oil. It also depends on what you’re going to do with the olive oil. You know what? We have a great article about buying olive oil for you. We explain in 6 simple steps how you can choose the best olive oil for you!