When we came up with the idea to launch an Olive Oil brand, we carried out a survey to find out about the public’s knowledge on Olive Oil. It soon became clear that people were aware that Olive Oil is good for you, but not many knew why. We have made an effort to help educate you on the benefits of this wonderful fruit so please do browse the site to learn how an Olive Oil lifestyle can help you.
One of the key ingredients that will contribute to benefiting your health is the polyphenols (or natural antioxidants) contained in good quality Olive Oil. In this blog post, we’ve put together some facts to show you more about polyphenols.
So, how are the polyphenol levels maximised in our Olive Oil?
Time of Picking:
Oil made from green (unripe) olives has more polyphenols than oil made from ripe olives. The polyphenol concentration increases with fruit growth until the olives begin to turn purple and then begins to decrease. Our oil is picked when the olive is bright green in colour, which is when the ripening stage begins. This restores the polyphenols which are indicated by the low acidity level – in our case, <0.3%. You will notice the oil is bright green in colour and has a slightly bitter finish to the taste due to it being picked at the stage when ripening begins.
Environmental Factors:
Important is the altitude, cultivation practices, and the amount of irrigation.
Extraction Conditions:
Techniques used to enhance yield, such as heating the paste, adding water, and increasing malaxation time, result in a loss of polyphenols.
Storage Conditions:
The type of containers and the length of storing are key factors in the oil’s polyphenol content. As oil sits in storage tanks or in a bottle, the polyphenols will slowly be oxidized and used up. Oils stored in stainless steel containers or dark glass bottles, in cool conditions, are much better protected against oxidation than those bottled in clear glass.
Refining:
Olive oil which is old, rancid, made from diseased olives, or has some other defect can be made palatable by refining. This is done by filtering, heating, charcoal, or chemical treatment to adjust acidity. Refined oils are low in tyrosol and other phenols.
So to pick out your best quality Oil, remember the following:
- Early picked
- Cold pressed
- Non-refined
- Stored in a dark bottle