Olive oil: How to choose the right one for your food type

Most Thais know that if you cook Western food, you must use olive oil. Or if you think of oil in most healthy foods, you will think of only olive oil. If you are going to cook with olive oil, you must first learn about the types of olive oil in order to choose and use it appropriately. Properties of olive oil Health properties In "Olive oil" there is alpha-tocopherol, which is in vitamin E and carotene in vitamin A and polyphenols, which play a part in fighting free radicals, helping to slow down aging. It also has good cholesterol (HDL), which can prevent heart and blood vessel disease.

It is extra virgin olive oil that is cold pressed from olives. This type of oil is obtained by squeezing fresh olives, focusing on quality ripe black olives. The nutritional value and nutrients are almost 100% the same as olives because the extraction method of squeezing fresh olives means that the nutrients in the olives are not destroyed by heat. It has very little acidity and is expensive and of the best quality. The oil obtained from the first pressing is called Extra Virgin. It is popularly eaten fresh, poured over salads or pasta sauces, or eaten with bread. It should not be used for cooking with heat because it will completely lose the benefits of the olives and can also cause toxins because Extra Virgin is resistant to low heat.

It is a pure oil that is extracted for cooking. It uses older olives, but it is still as healthy as extra virgin olive oil, but it is more affordable. It is also popular in that it can be eaten immediately with salads, seasoned with pasta sauce, and is not popularly used as a frying or stir-frying oil. It should not be used through heat either, as this will cause the nutritional value to be lost.

Processed olive oil is extracted through heat to remove color, smell, and flavor, making the oil clear and eliminating free fatty acids or foreign substances, which results in the loss of a large amount of nutrients that are beneficial to health. It is inexpensive and is a high-heat resistant oil. There are many types to choose from, such as Light Olive Oil and Extra Light Olive Oil, which are also in this category. It is mainly used for frying and is not popularly eaten fresh or mixed with salad dressings.

Arriving at olive pomace oil, it is oil that is extracted from olive pomace again. It is mostly mixed with virgin oil but has a milder taste. It has a higher amount of fat that is not good for the body than other types of olive oil, but it can be used in cooking. It is popularly used with food that is fried for a long time and at high heat, such as frying fish, frying chicken, frying pork. It is not suitable to eat with salads or make sauces. The difference is that it has the least physical value of the olive oil group and has low antioxidants.

In addition to pure olive oil, there are currently various flavored and aromatic olive oils, such as olive oil flavored with truffle mushrooms, chili, garlic, rosemary, etc. Flavored oils can be easily made at home by soaking the ingredients in heated olive oil to extract the aroma from the ingredients into the oil. After that, pour it into a bottle, store it for use as cooking oil, or sprinkle it as a topping on food before serving. How to store olive oil Like other oils, store in a cool, dry place, away from light to preserve the oil's value and nutrients. Once opened, do not store for more than 3 months. Close the lid tightly, otherwise it will smell rancid. You can buy olive oil at Makro or order online at Makro Click >> http://bit.ly/389qC9p