Olive Oil: The Soul of Food | The Properties and Production of Olive Oil, Olive Tree to Table!

The soul of food, green gold, and even gold for the poor! It has been called many things but certain is that olive oil is an indispensable element in food and its properties have been known and appreciated since ancient times. Olive oil was used not only in food, but also as an element of medicine and religious rites, as a beauty ingredient, as fuel for lighting and heating, and even as a lubricant for hardware and agricultural tools. As versatile as it gets!

Many years ago, in the early days of our blog, we launched the post Olive Harvest, where we showed, in a simple way, how the harvest is done. In this post we will talk about the benefits attributed to olive oil and show how it is produced. At the end of the post, watch our video where we show all the stages of olive oil production, olive tree to table.

What is Olive Oil and What Kind of Olive Oil to Eat?

Olive oil is the most characteristic element of the Mediterranean diet, which is considered one of the most complete and healthiest in the world. In such a way that, in 2013, the Mediterranean Diet was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Olive oil is obtained from the pressing of olives. It is widely used, not only in cooking but also in natural soap and cosmetics. Curious? Check out our video Olive Oil Soap: How to Make It and Its Benefits.

The healthiest olive oil is cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. In this method, the olives are pressed right after they are picked and do not go through any kind of industrial processing, which makes this type of olive oil keep its nutrients and be the best in food and health.

Olive oil can be consumed immediately or can be left to mature. The taste and acidity of olive oil depends on several factors, such as air temperature, rainfall, humidity, how mature the olives are when they are harvested, and how long the oil has been maturing. When consumed immediately it can have a so-called "green taste". The best olive oil should have an acidity of less than 0,8%.

Benefits and Properties of Olive Oil 

Olive oil is a healthy fat and its daily consumption has several benefits for both physical and mental health. Although there is some discrepancy regarding the daily quantity to intake, overall the recommendation is between 1 to 3 dessert spoons per day.

Although olive oil can be used for cooking and seasoning, it is recommended that preference be given to consuming olive oil in its purest state, i.e. without heating, so that it retains maximum nutritional properties. However, despite this recommendation, it is important not to be extremist and to remember that olive oil is a very versatile oil that can and should be used in all ways that benefit our health. 

Olive oil can also be mixed with herbs in food to further enhance its properties, and can also be macerated with herbs and plants for other medicinal purposes. To learn how, check out our video How to Make a Maceration - DIY Herbal Infused Oil.

Now check out our infographic with the benefits and properties attributed to olive oil.

Olive Oil Properties de Blog da Horta Biológica

Olive oil is one of the anti-inflammatory foods. However, it is important to remember that the consumption of olive oil alone is not enough to obtain all its benefits. It is very important to eat a healthy and balanced diet. For detailed information about these foods, you may like to read our post Anti-inflammatory Foods For Disease Prevention and Strengthening the Immune System. 

Olive Oil Production, Olive Tree to Table!

Now that we've spoken about what olive oil is, what kind of olive oil to consume, and what properties it has, we are going to show all the production phases. Have you ever seen how the olives are harvested and how the oil is extracted in the press? Watch our video where we show you everything!

VIDEO - Olive Oil: The Soul of Food | The Properties and Production of Olive Oil, Olive Tree to Table!