Olive oil is one of the main ingredients of the so-called Mediterranean diet. It is essential. It is never lacking in the kitchen of any house in Spain.
Did you know that there is organic olive oil?
This type of olive oil provides the same unmistakable taste as always, but it is loaded with vitamins and, thanks to the production methods, helps to reduce environmental pollution.
In the whole process of elaboration of the organic olive oil – from the cultivation of the olives to the elaboration of the oil – there is no intervention of some chemical substance, that sometimes cause serious affections to the consumers.
Stay with us and discover all that is contained in this versatile ingredient that, without a doubt, is the pride of our land.
Table of Contents
What is organic oil?
The olives used to make organic olive oil come from crops that use organic fertilizers. Moreover, they do not use pesticides, preservatives, additives or any other chemical product.
Thanks to organic olive growing, quality olive oil is obtained while protecting the environment and preserving natural resources.
To give you an idea of how the ecosystem is cared for, the cultivation of olive trees aims to increase organic matter and the functionality of the soil to prevent it from eroding
The products used to maintain the organic olive crops are made from plants, they are biodynamic preparations.
Products composed of microorganisms are also used to accelerate the functioning of the compost and, in turn, improve the conditions of the soil.
Basic characteristics of the product
The most outstanding features of organic oil are the following:
- No chemicals, herbicides or pesticides are used to prepare fertile land and prevent erosion.
- As a measure to repel plagues, natural methods are used and the misuse of phytosanitary products is avoided. In this way, they ensure that the levels of environmental pollution are not increased and do not cause intoxication in the consumer.
- They comply with the European Union laws on organic farming by using 100% natural obtaining mechanisms.
- Natural resources, such as water and sunlight, are used consciously
Traditional oil vs. organic oil
Producing a quality olive oil is based on harvesting the olives when they have ripened to perfection, grinding the olives shortly after harvesting at a low temperature and preserving the oil without using oxidation processes.
The climate, the environment and the type of crop used are other factors that influence the final quality of the product. They determine the taste and properties of the final product, regardless of whether it is organic or traditional oil production.
As they are grown without chemicals, the olives in the oil make the oil much healthier. In addition, the concentration of vitamins and antioxidants is much higher than the levels found in conventional olive oil.
Finally, growing with organic fertilizers, following the European Union’s regulations for care, results in a high quality olive oil and the protection of the environment.
Types of organic olive oil
When all the processes of an organic production are followed, only two types of olive oil can be obtained: virgin and extra virgin.
The reason is that to make organic products it is forbidden to use techniques that reconstruct the properties that the oil lost in each of the manufacturing processes.
- Extra virgin olive oil: It is the virgin oil with the best quality. To be considered extra it has to comply with the established percentage of acidity. In addition, it must pass the median of the defect and the attribute.
- The percentage of acidity that the oil must have is equal to or less than 0.8º. On the other hand, the median of the defect and the median of the fruitiness are measured with a tasting. In this type of oil, the median of the defect must be zero and the median of the fruity must be greater than zero.
The percentage of acidity that the oil must have is equal to or less than 0.8º. On the other hand, the median of the defect and the median of the fruitiness are measured with a tasting. In this type of oil the median of the defect must be zero and the median of the fruity must be greater than zero.
Extra virgin oil has a taste and smell reminiscent of fresh olives, picked at the right time of ripening
- Virgin olive oil: This is the second virgin oil evaluated for its quality. Like the extra virgin, it has to meet certain conditions to be classified in this category.
The acidity of this type of oil must be less than or equal to 2º. Likewise, the median of the defect must be less than or equal to 2.5 and that of the fruitiness must be greater than zero.
Flavor of the organic oil
As it is a natural product that has not gone through any chemical process, organic olive oil maintains its most important properties: organoleptic, vitamins and intrinsic
Organic olive oil usually has a purer taste. They usually have a fruity taste like fig, apple or tomato.
It also has a slight bitterness and a mild spicy sensation. As it is a natural product and is extracted at low temperatures, it retains all the flavour and aroma of the land where it is grown without the use of chemicals.
Consumer benefits
Organic olive oil, like conventional oil, is very useful on a daily basis. In addition, it has a number of benefits for your health and well-being that exceed the expectations of any organic product.
Among the benefits we have:
- Organic olive oil has high levels of phenolic compounds such as hydroxytyrosol, compared to regular oil. These compounds have antioxidant properties that prevent heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases and act against the appearance of cancer cells.
- As for the cardiovascular system, it reduces cholesterol levels and the risk of heart attack. It also prevents arterial thrombosis and arteriosclerosis.
- As part of the gastrointestinal benefits, organic olive oil reduces acidity and protects against conditions such as gastritis or ulcers. In turn, it activates bile secretion and improves intestinal absorption.
- It strengthens the immune system by reinforcing the body’s defences with its high amounts of antioxidants.
- Due to its high content of vitamin E and its antioxidant effect on the cell membrane, organic olive oil is recommended for consumption by infants and the elderly.
This is how organic olive oil is identified
In the countries belonging to the European Union, organic manufacturing is governed under the parameters established by the Council of Production and Labelling of Organic Products.
This set of rules specifies how each of the organic products that are manufactured must be produced, transported, stored, labelled and sold.
Since July 2010, it is mandatory that all products obtained according to the organic canons carry, in a visible area of their packaging, the new logo indicated by the European Union.
Each bottle of organic oil must be labelled with the European logo and the code of the organism that certifies that the product is 100% organic
In addition to the label that certifies it as an organic product, each copy must have a label that reads all the ingredients that were used during its manufacture.
Do you want to know more about organic products?
Organic oils are just one of the many environmentally friendly manufacturing options available today.
The products are diverse, among them: clothes, shoes, office material, fuels, there are even ecological cars.
But there are also products that you can incorporate into your daily life in an easy, fast and very economical way.
To find out about these options, we invite you to visit Greenuso, a virtual shop that contains a vast amount of ecological products for the restaurant, hotel, catering and personal life sectors.
Organic tableware, cutlery, straws, glasses, trays, also accessories to use this type of product; are part of the options you will discover at Greenuso.
Aware of the need to offer you a superior quality service, we offer the option of sending orders to the address of your convenience. In a maximum of 48 hours, you will receive your organic products in the comfort of your home, office or restaurant.
