| For many years now, studies on the health | | | | These magnificent oils come mainly in two kinds: |
| properties of olive oil have consistently shown | | | | Extra virgin and Pure (or 'light'). Extra virgin oil has |
| that it can decrease your risk of many | | | | the best quality because it is obtained by |
| degenerative diseases and even prevent the | | | | extracting the oil from the fruit immediately after |
| onset of those such as diabetes. This wonder oil | | | | it is picked and washed. The immediate extraction |
| comes from the olive fruit which, in the past, | | | | contains the highest level of antioxidants and plant |
| were mainly grown in Mediterranean countries | | | | sterols which make it healthier than the 'pure' |
| such as Spain, Italy and Greece. There are more | | | | type. Extra virgin oils have a fruity aroma and |
| than 800 olive varieties worldwide but only a few | | | | flavour. |
| are used to produce oil and some of the best | | | | Nutritional information |
| come from Queensland in Australia. | | | | Olive oils contain phytosterols (plant sterols) which |
| Varieties found in Australia | | | | are known to reduce cholesterol absorption, thus |
| Australian olive oil comes from 10 varieties, | | | | preventing heart disease. These contain 13 fatty |
| mostly of Italian and Spanish origins, such as: | | | | acids, notably: |
| * Arbequina | | | | |
| * Barnea | | | | 1. Oleic acid: which is named after the olive fruit. A |
| * Coratina | | | | recent study found that this monounsaturated fat |
| * Corregiola | | | | is not only good for the heart but it also wards of |
| * Frantoio | | | | hunger pangs, making it suitable for weight loss |
| * Koroneiki | | | | diets. Extra virgin oils contain the highest |
| * Lecino | | | | concentration of oleic acid. |
| * Manzanillo | | | | 2. Palmitic acid: which keeps the oil stable for |
| * Pendolino | | | | longer shelf life. Low levels of this fatty acid are |
| * Picual | | | | found in extra virgin oil. |
| Most olive trees are grown in regions with dry | | | | 3. Linoleic acid: this is a polyunsaturated fatty acid |
| summers and wet winters and are harvested | | | | that does not stay stable for long but is a good |
| when they turn yellow green to black. The | | | | source of Omega-6 fatty acids for disease |
| successful Australian producers are very careful | | | | prevention, anti-ageing and weight loss. |
| about the timing of the harvest and observe a | | | | 4. Linolenic acid: which is a good source of |
| 6-week window, sometime between the end of | | | | Omega-3 fatty acids, similar to the ones found in |
| summer and the beginning of autumn. Only | | | | fatty fish. |
| mature olives that readily express a liquid when | | | | Regardless of olive varieties used in oil production, |
| squeezed are picked for oil production. | | | | health experts recommend choosing extra virgin |
| Extra virgin olive oil | | | | oil because of its superior antioxidant properties. |