COOKING

Today the Virgen Olive Oil take part of a living art and it is become in one of the sign of quality cuisine. Its virtues in the kitchen are summarized in the following:

• Give flavor, smell and color.
• Modify the textures.
• Transmits heat.
• Integrate the food.
• Customize and identifies a dish.

The extra virgin Olive Oil, as crucial pillar of the Mediterranean diet, has become an essential element in our kitchen and can be consumed in different ways:

• Raw: extra virgin olive oil retains all the aroma and flavor, so use in salads, sauces, dressings vegetables, sprinkled on bread or toast, and even on smoked with olives, meats, sausages recommended…
• In dressings: oil has become the main seasoning salads, not only for its taste and aroma, but also because covered with a layer of salad ingredients preventing other dressings (salt, vinegar, lemon juice) to penetrate in such ingredients.
• In sautéed and stews: A low heat and low temperature, the cooking is done with the steam from the meat, vegetables and the liquid is added. Thus, the flavors and aromas remain concentrated in baking. The olive oil keeps all its properties, especially with legumes and vegetables.
• In oven-roasted: Because temperatures, especially for meat, are usually quite high, olive oil, for its stability (because of its oil content) is best suited.
• In roasted or grilled meat: Olive oil helps grilling food, preventing it from “sticking” while contributing to the own fat food out and give their own flavor. The coal can be flavored with herbs, and to better preserve flavor, you must add the oil at the end.
• For frying: Olive oil, due to its physical and chemical qualities, it is the oil that better resists high temperatures without decomposition and lead to irritants.

The virgin olive oil is the most stable of vegetable and animal fats because it is rich in oleic acid, vitamin E and polyphenols that protect it from oxidation (rancidity). Moreover, it not produces toxic reactions when subjected to frying. Quite the contrary, improves the gastronomic qualities of food. When frying, forms a thin and consistent layer around the product, which prevents and allows more oil absorbing retain all juices. Besides olive oil “grows” in the pan, so it is a landmark in our economy.

In addition, olive oil is the most suitable, the lightest and tastiest for frying. Also, if done correctly frying, olive oil is permeating less fat to food.

DIETA MEDITERRÁNEA

The term “Dieta Mediterránea”, synonym of the healthy food, appears as consequence of an study about eating habits of the different towns.

In this study it checked that the feeding of the countries “Ribereños del Mediterráneo”, composed by vegetables, fruits, fish, olive oil and wine, could be the conditioning of the low cholesterol that have the Mediterranean compared with the habitants of North America, Anglos and Central European who consume a diet higher in calories, fat and based on animal protein, dairy products and sweets cooked with butter or derivatives.

One of the factors more important of this Mediterranean Diet is the Olive Oil especially for its benefits to the cardiovascular disease because it contains a great quantity of antioxidants.

The profesor A. Keys brought to light the so-called study of 7 countries, where it is demonstrated that the presence of unsaturated fatty acids in the diet reduces the risk of blockages in the arteries of the heart. He also highlighted the direct relationship between blood cholesterol levels and the incidence of myocardial infarction, and between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol levels.

The Virgin Olive Oil is used in the Mediterranean diet, it has a 80% of oleic acid (monounsaturated) and only 14% of saturated fatty acids.

In short words, it demonstrated that monounsaturated fatty acids increase the ratio of HDL and LDL cholesterol. Also it found that the HDL has a noticeable protective effect against the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the arteries.

Seed oils (soybean, sunflower, etc.) have large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated few. Although are lowered total cholesterol in blood, do not increase the proportion of HDL versus LDL, and therefore do not have the same protective effect against which the virgin olive oil cardiovascular disease.

HEALTH BENEFITS

The Extra Virgin Olive Oil “Oro de Nijar” is exceptional oil with an organoleptic qualities, flavor and unsurpassed aroma. Our oil deserves special mention because of the quality of the fruits. This makes very healthy oil.

The benefits that support to our Health are the following:

• Due to the amount of oleic acid containing, increases good cholesterol (HDL) exert a protective role because it carries bad cholesterol deposited in the arteries to the liver for disposal, reducing the risk of arterial thrombosis and heart attack.
• Prevent and improve healing ulcers.
  Oleates in olive oil, it causes gastrointestinal hormones and peptides inhibiting the secretion of gastric juices and, therefore, hydrochloric acid are released.
  The gastric antisecretory effect can have a positive effect in people with acid hypersecretion syndromes and gastric or duodenal ulcer.
• Avoid the formation of gallstones
  Oleic acid present in olive oil makes cholecystokinin (CCK) release whose role in vesicular contraction is essential. By favoring the gallbladder secrete their juices prevents supersaturation (high concentrations) of cholesterol in the bile and thus precipitating it prevents forming gallstones.
• Improve bone growth, brain development and the nervous system, thanks to the oleic acid that it contains.
• Great Vitamins contribution.
  It stresses its high content of vitamins A, D, E and K.
  The A Vitamin is directly related with the sight besides being antioxidant.
• Slows aging.
  Extra virgin olive oil is known for its rejuvenating paper, thanks to its vitamin E (tocopherol). Tocopherols are potent antioxidants that protect against free radicals, keeping young cells for longer and preventing aging.
  Therefore, it is especially recommended for children and seniors.
• Skin.
  The olive oil has a protective effect and tonic of the epidermis. It also helps in the regeneration of skin scars.
• Bone system.
  It stimulates growth, enhances the absorption of calcium in the bone system, as well as the absorption of phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc pancreatic level.
• Hypertension
  Studies show that higher intake of olive oil in the diet observed a decrease in blood pressure.
• Cancer Prevention.
  Epidemiological studies show a low incidence of breast cancer is associated with a high intake of olive oil. Other studies confirm that regular consumption of diets rich in olive oil reduces the risk of certain cancers.
• It reduces inflammation in all allergic diseases, and immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
• Prevents arteriosclerosis and its risks.
• Improves metabolic functions of the endocrine system.