Olive oil: benefits, origin and how to use it properly

Olive oil (olive oil) is said to be the best type of oil for cooking. In fact, what are the benefits of this oil for the health of the body? Come on, find out more about the nutritional content, benefits, manufacturing process, and how to use olive oil properly in the following review.

What is olive oil?

Olive oil or also known as dengan olive oil is a type of oil that comes from olives (Olea europaea). This oil content is known for cooking food. However, not only that, the oil can also be used as an ingredient in cosmetics for beauty, medicine, and fuel for traditional lamps. This oil is mostly produced in Spain, Italy and Greece.

Unlike the fruit which is more delicious to eat when it is ripe, the choice of olives for oil is that it is not too ripe, aka half ripe. The reason is, olives that are too ripe do not contain the best oil. So, farmers do not need to wait for the olives to fall from the tree because they are ripe, but they are picked up early before the fruit falls to the ground.

Then, the fruit will be cleaned of the leaves or branches, and washed to remove the dirt. The next process is drying the olives to get the oil.

The process of making olive oil

After cleaning, the olives will be processed to extract the oil. There are two ways to make olive oil, namely:

Process olive oil traditionally

This traditional method starts with crushing olives into a paste or dough. The goal is to release oil from the pulp. You do this by entering the fruit in a grinder container made of granite. When the grinding wheel is pulled, the olives will be crushed.

The process of making pasta (malaxing) from olives carried out for 20 to 45 minutes. Its function is to increase the amount of oil collected and the enzymes in the fruit to produce the desired aroma and taste.

The longer this process is carried out, it will produce more oil. However, there is the risk of causing an increase in oxidation so that the quality and resistance of the oil will decrease.

After the process malaxing, the paste is placed on a container made of hemp. Then, the filled container will be arranged and pressed with a hydraulic pressing machine. The applied pressure will solidify the paste, as the oil and water in the paste will run down the sides of the disc. After that, the oil and water will be separated by decantation or centrifugation.

Process olive oil in a modern way

Modern methods no longer use granite crushing vessels. The tool used is made of stainless steel which can rotate at high speed.

The olives will be added and crushed with hammermill or serrated disc. This process creates a very smooth olive paste. Fortunately, this tool is equipped with an inert gas to reduce oxidation and produce high quality oil.

Then, the olive paste will be placed in the bottle for three-phase centrifugation. This is done to remove water and oil from the olive paste.

Apart from that, there is also another modern way to extract olive oil, namely the sinolea method. Initially the olives were ground into a paste. Then, the metal disc will be dipped several times to separate the oil and water. The collected oil will be stored in a stainless steel tank covered in nitrogen to protect it from oxygen.

To make extra virgin olive oil, it is usually done filtering it again before putting it in the container. Well, the recommended container for storing olive oil is made of glass because it doesn't penetrate oxygen and blocks UV rays.

Benefits of consuming olive oil for health

Apart from being drunk directly, olive oil is also often used to cook food. Well, there are several benefits that you will get if you consume this oil properly, namely:

1. Rich in antioxidants and contains monounsaturated fat

This natural oil extracted from olives contains olet acid as much as 73% of the total oil content. In addition, this oil also contains antioxidants, vitamin E, and vitamin K which are useful for protecting cholesterol in the blood and reducing heart disease.

The antioxidant effect of olive oil is also used for the beauty world, which is used in antiaging products.

2. Has antibacterial properties

Studies show that the nutritional content of olives can inhibit and kill harmful bacteria, such asHelicobacter pylori. These bacteria live in the stomach and can cause stomach ulcers and stomach cancer.

As many as 10 to 40% of study participants who drank 30 grams of extra virgin olive oil daily for 2 weeks, experienced a reduction in caused infectionsHelicobacter pylori.

3. Potential to reduce the risk of cancer

Cancer is a deadly disease. Because it can spread to other healthy tissue if not treated immediately. Antioxidants are known compounds that can reduce the risk of abnormal cell growth.

Well, olive oil which is rich in antioxidants is believed to reduce oxidative damage due to free radicals, which are the main factor in the emergence of cancer. However, more research is needed regarding potency olive oil to reduce risk and prevent cancer.

4. Has strong anti-inflammatory properties

Chronic inflammation in the body can increase chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease.

Research has found that extra virgin olive oil contains anti-inflammatory properties, namely oleocanthal. This compound has been shown to work similar to ibuprofen — a type of painkiller and anti-inflammatory drug. In addition, oleic fatty acids also work to reduce levels of inflammation such as C-reactive protein (CRP).

5. Potential to prevent stroke

Apart from cancer, stroke is a debilitating disease that can even cause death in a person. This condition occurs due to disruption of blood flow to the brain, due to a blood clot or bleeding.

A study showed that 140,000 pesetas who consumed olive oil had a lower risk of stroke than those who did not. Researchers believe that olive oil contains monounsaturated fats, which reduces inflammation and improves blood circulation to the brain.

6. Can protect heart health

Research has shown that extra virgin olive oil contains monounsaturated fats. This content can reduce inflammation, protect bad cholesterol from oxidation, maintain blood pressure, increase the lining of blood vessels and prevent excess blood clots.

All of these benefits turn out to be very good for heart health. If you have heart problems and want to get the benefits of olive oil, consult your doctor about how to safely consume it.

7. Prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes

Being overweight (obesity) develops various chronic diseases, such as rheumatism, diabetes, and heart disease. Well, olive oil is known to prevent obesity if it is included in the diet menu.

This oil is known to contain healthy fats which, if consumed properly, can reduce body weight and increase antioxidant levels in the blood. Apart from helping control weight, olive oil also has a good effect on blood sugar and insulin sensitivity which is closely related to preventing type 2 diabetes.

This disease makes it difficult for the body to control blood sugar levels, causing symptoms of fatigue, irritability, frequent drowsiness, itchy skin and irritability, and even causes nerve damage.

9. Potential against Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is a disease that is susceptible to attacking the elderly. This disease causes a decrease in brain function so that it affects a person in thinking and doing activities. The main cause of this disease is the buildup of beta amyloid plaque in the brain cells. This causes the cells in the brain to be damaged over time.

A mouse-based study shows that olive oil can help reduce plaque that feeds on cells in the brain. This means that the nutritional content of olive oil maintains normal brain function and has the potential to be a cure for Alzheimer's disease in the future. Further research is needed to prove the effectiveness of olive oil against Alzheimer's.

10. Potential to treat rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by pain and swelling in the joints that makes a person unable to move freely. Health experts believe that this condition occurs when the body's immune system accidentally attacks normal healthy cells and causes inflammation.

Studies show that olive oil supplements have the potential to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in people with RA. The benefits are maximized when combined with fish oil, which is a source of omega 3 fatty acids which are also rich in anti-inflammatory compounds.

How to use olive oil wrong

There are a myriad of olive oil benefits that you can reap to maintain health. However, be careful, the wrong way to use olive oil can turn your back.

So, avoid the various mistakes how to use this wrong olive oil so that yours remains durable and useful. Here are some ways to use olive oil that are often done, but wrong and you should avoid, such as:

1. Too long stored

Just like any other food, olive oil stored for too long may spoil and smell rancid. It is characterized by its unpleasant taste. This oil should only be stored for no longer than 6 weeks. We recommend that you finish it immediately after opening the seal packaging.

Apart from the taste that is no longer delicious, the nutrients contained in olive oil can be damaged. You certainly won't get the maximum benefits of olive oil.

2. Fry the oil with a temperature that is too hot

Even though it looks trivial, many people don't know if it is heating olive oil above 180º Celsius is wrong. This method of frying with a lot of oil above 180º Celsius, even more than 200º Celsius is called the d techniqueeep frying.

Well, this technique will quickly damage the component olive oil and removes its antioxidant content, especially in olive oil extra virgin.Olive oil is okay to heat, but only for sauteing vegetables that do not need high heat.

3. Store it in a hot place

Besides having to pay more attention to how to use olive oil, you also have to know how to store it properly. Do not store this oil in hot temperatures, near a fire (for example, near a stove) or exposed to direct sunlight. This will destroy the content and nutrients of the olive oil before you can use it.

For that, you should store this oil in a dark, closed glass container. Exposure to air can make the oil go rancid faster.

Then, put the oil in a closed cupboard to avoid exposure to direct sunlight. We recommend that you choose a cupboard that is not on the stove because exposure to hot temperatures when cooking can hit the cupboard.

4. Too much oil use

Olive oil is indeed healthy. However, this oil is still high in fat and calories. 100 grams of olive oil can contain about 800 calories and 100 grams of fat.

Most consume olive oil tantamount to increasing calorie intake. This can cause excessive calorie intake. To maintain health, you actually only need 1-3 tablespoons (tbsp) olive oil per day, both for direct consumption and for cooking food.

The dosages above are sufficient to help meet your daily needs for fat, vitamin E and vitamin K while fighting inflammation in the body.

5. Originally chose olive oil

There are several types olive oil that you can find on the market. In general there are types refined (example olive oilusual and light olive oil) and unrefined (example olive oil extra virgin / EVOO). So, before buying this oil, first know what the function is and how to use each type.

Olive oil unrefined is a type of oil that is really pure because it does not go through so many manufacturing processes. Hence, this oil contains more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Meanwhile, olive oil refined has gone through more manufacturing processes affecting the oil's texture, taste and color.

These differences automatically also affect how you use them. EVOO oil is not suitable for use for high temperature cooking, such as frying, baking or roasting. This type of oil is usually only used as a sprinkle of salads or sauteing vegetables for a while.

If you want to use olive oil for baking, roasting, or other cooking methods, you can use light olive oil. This type of oil has a higher boiling point, making it safer when heated.