OLIO EVO: il re della dieta mediterranea - IoBoscoVivo Srl

EVO OIL: the king of the Mediterranean diet

Extra virgin olive oil is the undisputed pillar of the Mediterranean Diet. It contains numerous beneficial properties and gives dishes that flavor that has made Mediterranean cuisine unique throughout the world.

Olive oil as well as other vegetable oils, such as flaxseed or sunflower oil, enrich our diet with important nutrients to balance our dishes: fats. These nutrients are fundamental for the proper functioning of our body (as we have seen in the article...) as not only do we need fats themselves, but these allow us to absorb other fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamins A, E, D, K and phytocompounds such as carotenoids including β-carotene present in carrots and lycopene present in tomatoes.

Italy is the second largest oil producing country in the world. In order to be marketed in a certain category, however, olive oil must present certain characteristics which must comply with the limits set for this category by Commission Regulation EEC 2568/91 ( https://ec.europa.eu/info/files /eu-regulation-2568-91-11-july-1991-characteristics-olive-oil-and-olive-residue-oil-and-relevant-methods-analysis_it ).

In particular, this legislation defines the different categories of olive oils based on quality parameters regarding:

  • the physico-chemical characteristics, such as the acidity level, the peroxide index, the composition of fatty acids and sterols
  • the organoleptic (sensory) characteristics, such as fruitiness and the absence of organoleptic defects.

Extra virgin olive oil is the category with the best quality. From an organoleptic point of view, this oil has no defects and is fruity, furthermore its acidity level must not exceed 0.8%.

Olive oil, however, is very different, a less valuable type of oil as it is composed of "refined" olive oil, i.e. obtained through a chemical process and then mixed with parts of virgin oils, with an allowed acidity of less than 1 g per 100g.

In order to declare the item "extra virgin", therefore, the production process must also comply with very precise rules: the pressing of the olives to obtain an extra virgin oil must take place exclusively through mechanical cold pressing processes with temperatures strictly below 27°C. In this way the composition of the fruit is kept unchanged, preserving all those compounds responsible not only for the organoleptic properties of the food but also for the beneficial effects for our health.

Among these precious elements, oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid, plays an important role, the intake of which can help us maintain normal blood cholesterol levels, as specified by the EFSA. Evo oil is also rich in vitamin E, a vitamin with an important antioxidant action, as well as polyphenols, molecules with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Oleocanthal is the polyphenol, more precisely a flavonoid, responsible for the tingling in the throat that we perceive when tasting fresh extra virgin olive oil. This compound appears to be active on the same molecular targets on which ibuprofen acts, in particular by inhibiting the cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 enzymes and thus carrying out an anti-inflammatory and analgesic action!

To conclude therefore, it is precisely to its composition in unsaturated fatty acids together with the properties of the bioactive compounds just mentioned, that Evo oil owes its biological properties and important antioxidant action against the immune-mediated inflammatory response present in various pathological conditions such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity and cancer. Finally, there is numerous scientific evidence that correlates the consumption of EVO oil with a reduction in cardiovascular risk.

For our baked products such as breadsticks or the brand new BioFit crackers and Gourmet crackers we used extra virgin olive oil!! Discover them at our shop!

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