Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil is the natural juice pressed from the fruit of the olive tree, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. Olive oil is a natural juice and the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit. Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. The most common uses for extra-virgin olive oil are for salad dressings, foods to be eaten cold, and for sautéing ingredients. Olive oil and its many uses dates back to before 3500 BC. There are over three quarters of a billion olive trees cultivated around the world.

Clinical data shows that consumption of olive oil can provide heart health benefits because of its effects on choelesterol and LDL cholesterol oxidation, and that it exerts antiinflamatory, antithrombotic, antihypertensive as well as vasodilatory effects both in animals and in humans. Olive oil is normally very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. By activating the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones Olive oil works much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.

When buying olive oil to use in salads or for cooking you will want to get a high quality EXTRA VIRGIN oil. The oil that comes from the first "pressing" of the olive. This is extracted without using heat or chemicals, and has no "off" flavors and is awarded "extra virgin" status. The less the olive oil is handled, the closer to its natural state, the better the oil. If the olive oil meets all the criteria, it can be designated as "extra virgin".

Here are the most common grades of olive oil:

Extra-virgin: comes from the first pressing of the olives; the best quality

Virgin: has an acidity less than 2% and no refined oil content

Pure olive oil: Usually a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil. Refining is carried out using charcoal or other chemical filters.

Extra light: More of a marketing term than a grade. Usually highly processed, may be mixed with other oils, or may be just pure olive oil grade. The "light" refers to flavor rather than caloric content.

Pomace, cake or lampante: not intended for human consumption, and generally used for industrial purposes, such as soap making or lamp oil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil
http://www.healingdaily.com
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/168/1/Uses-for-olive-oil.html