Over the decade, nearly everyone has started harping on the benefits of olive oil. Apart from being the healthier choice of cooking oil, olive oil also benefits the skin and hair in multiple ways. Let’s take a quick peek into different types of olive oils and their uses.
The Types of Olive Oil
What sets the types of olive oil apart is their smoke point, which depends on the quality of the oil itself. As the fatty acid content of the oil decreases and the extent of the refinement of the oil increases, the smoke point of the oil tends to rise. Thus, a lower smoke point indicates better nutritional content, while a higher smoke point means that the oil is good for cooking purposes.
1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The ‘gold standard’ among olive oils, extra virgin olive oil is extracted using a special cold-extracted method that helps retain the natural goodness of the oil by limiting its exposure to high temperatures. Did you know, extra virgin olive oil can not only be used for cooking but also other health benefits.
Some of the benefits of Extra virgin olive oil include – better blood sugar levels, improved colon and bladder health, anti-inflammatory & anti-aging properties, reduces risk of heart diseases and diabetes
2. Pure Olive Oil
Pure Olive Oil is an all-purpose cooking oil, suitable for all types of hot cooking and complements different palates. Since it has a higher smoke point, this a great choice for Indian cooking which involves a lot frying. It also contains MUFA (Monounsaturated Fatty Acids) which is a type of dietary fat.
This type of oil is rich in vitamin E and is best used for cooking and several cosmetic purposes such as body massages. There are several other cosmetic uses of this oil, such as a pre-shampoo treatment, makeup remover, moisturiser for dry skin, etc.
3. Refined Olive Oil
This type of oil is extracted from ripe olives and manufactured by refining virgin olive oil. It is used for cooking purposes. Despite being higher in terms of calories it keeps you full for longer as it slows down the nutrient absorption process and is best suited to be consumed in moderate quantities.
4. Pomace Oil
The pomace type is the lowest quality olive oil. It is extracted from the residue that remains after the fruit is pressed, which is why it has no discernible taste or aroma. It is a blended olive oil and needs blending with another variety of olive oil to make it edible. Due to this problem, it is the least expensive in the market and suitable only for high-heat cooking.
Wrapping up
Indian’s love products that are multi-faceted, hence more and more Indians are switching to olive oil and rightly so. Along with its satiating taste (which comes from oleic acid present in it), we now know how olive oil benefits one’s overall health and wellbeing. You can use Figaro olive oil to get the optimal nutritional value of the oil and make your food zestier and life easier.
