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Sunday 10 November 2013

Try Moroccan Olive Oil Today

By Katrina Wheeler


Moroccan Olive oil is the highest exporting commodity to the United States of America currently. Production has increased many folds in the last couple of years with Spanish economists questioning what effect this will have on their own import and export markets. It is a highly popular product for many reasons.

This oil features prominently in various world cuisines and is considered an important part of a balanced diet. One of these examples is the way that it is incorporated into the Mediterranean diet. This diet is associated with smaller portions and a more enjoyable eating experience. This oil in this diet serves to satisfy hunger quickly and it leads to fewer calories being consumed during a meal. Between 6 and 8 tablespoons is recommended to reap the health benefits.

Extra virgin oil is unrefined and unprocessed due to the mechanical way the olives are pressed. Most other oils are refined through chemical processing and often need to be detoxified. This means that the oil retains much more vitamins, minerals, nutrients and antioxidants. It is an overall superior product when compared to other oils.

Keeping this oil fresh is an important topic that gets neglected much too often. As the oil ages and is exposed to light and air it may become rancid. Proper storage can prevent this and a good oil can be seen lasting anything from 3 months to 2 years. As soon as the oil is opened it is exposed to air which causes oxidation.

In making of this oil, the harvest is the first and most important step. Traditionally the trees were beaten by hand to release the olives, however today in most commercial cases machinery is used to strip the trees. As soon as the olives are picked they need to be brought to the mill before the acidity becomes too high. The higher the acidity gets the more the flavour is affected. At the mill the olives are sorted to remove twigs, insects and foreign objects from the crop. This crop is then cleaned leaving only the olives behind.

This oil is made by pressing whole olives to obtain the fat. The fat from the pressed olives is in a liquid state at room temperature and is referred to as oil. There are different types of oil and they are all priced differently.

The paste from the olives are pressurized to extract the liquid oil from the olives. The liquid is separated from the cake or pomace . A centrifuge is used to separate the water from the oil. The oil is then bottled while the water is discarded. The result of this process is virgin oil, extracted only through mechanical means. An acidity of less than 1% is considered extra virgin while an acidity of between 1-3% is considered virgin.

The health benefits of consuming olive oil have been well researched and it is a worthy addition to any diet plan. Moroccan olive oil is a great product to use and will enjoy many more years in the limelight. If people remain satisfied, it will be around for a long time to come.




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