Many of you have surely asked yourselves this question at some point: which is the best extra virgin olive oil? The answer is easy. Simply, the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil (AOVE) is the one you like best.,,nothing more!
After all, tastes are subjective, and each of us can be more or less drawn to a particular flavour, colour, smell or shape depending on the experiences we have had.
But don't worry, we know this is not the answer you were looking for. As with everything, there are parameters and values set by experts in the field that determine whether a product is considered of higher or lower quality, and that is what we will look into in more depth in the next post!
But first of all, we want to emphasise the difference between an Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a gourmet olive oil. They can be perfectly complementary, and one classification has nothing to do with the other.
Which is the best extra virgin olive oil?
As many of you know, there are differences in how the oil is obtained, produced and stored that allow us to draw distinctions between an extra virgin olive oil, a virgin olive oil and an olive oil.
So as not to go too deep into other aspects that do not concern us here, let's focus exclusively on the properties of AOVE.
This type of oil is obtained directly from freshly harvested olives in good condition by mechanical or manual means (cold mechanical extraction), where the olive cannot exceed an acidity of 0,8º. It also has more polyphenols and vitamin E than other oils.
In our case, we press it in the traditional way, as was done in the past, that is, with capachos.
Main properties
Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial are some of its main properties, and they mean that consuming it has a completely different effect on our bodies from its alternatives.
Once we have understood this, it is up to us to form our own opinion according to our tastes and preferences. Some will be passionate about the Picual olive, others about Arbequina as in our case, others about fruitier, more intense flavours… Let your own judgement decide the best AOVE!
Ultimately, the type of olive, the extraction, the storage, and even the land and the environmental conditions make every Extra Virgin Olive Oil different from the next.
Spain has ideal environmental factors for a unique and exclusive flavour in AOVE production. And now some of you will surely ask yourselves the following question: which is the best extra virgin olive oil in Spain?
So we come back to the same point as before: the one that best suits your palate! We are clear about it: if you want to buy the best extra virgin olive oil in Spain, we recommend taking a stroll around our online extra virgin olive oil shop!
Among the awards for the best extra virgin olive oil, our La Matilla oils have in a short time made a name for themselves internationally, winning a great many of them year after year. But one thing does not rule out the other, and we still recommend that your own taste decides what is, and is not, ideal for you.
Which is the best virgin olive oil for your health?
And once again, AOVE is the winner among olive oils when it comes to health properties. There is no debate here about opinions or subjective judgements. In this case, we are talking about principles and properties intrinsic to the product, so the objectivity is 100%
It has been shown time and again that regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil provides our bodies with oleic acid, polyphenols and vitamin E, among other things.
Fine, but what does this mean? It means we will be providing a host of properties that help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise good cholesterol (HDL), antioxidants that protect us from cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer, and Omega-6 and Omega-3 with their respective health benefits.
Having looked at this, does cold extraction have an impact on health? The answer is yes. Aceites La Matilla is committed to this way of obtaining the juice of the olives.
This way, the properties of the polyphenols are better preserved, as they do not suffer from exposure to high temperatures… and our olive variety is also one of those with the highest content of them!
Which is the best olive oil to take on an empty stomach?
Taking extra virgin olive oil on an empty stomach has many benefits that help us in two different, and closely related, ways.
It is anti-inflammatory and helps with weight loss. Taking it before any other food helps reduce gastric acidity, as it forms a film on the stomach wall.
In other words, in everyday language, it means that we will absorb nutrients better, such as zinc, magnesium, calcium or B vitamins.
Furthermore, according to many experts, it promotes weight loss thanks to oleoylethanolamide, synthesised in the intestine and known for its ability to make you feel full.
Which is the best oil for toast?
Once again, all the experts and studies unanimously show that the best oil to eat raw is, and always will be, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (AOVE).
Once we have established the type of oil to choose, and that if we want to enjoy all the flavour and properties of this product we must opt for its Extra Virgin version, it is up to the consumer to decide which olive it is made from.
Hojiblanca oil, on the other hand, is characterised by a flavour with more herbal notes, a higher degree of bitterness and a pungency at the end that is very localised in the mouth.
The Picual variety is characterised by its body, pungency and bitterness, while the Manzanilla de Sevilla is defined by its medium fruitiness, with slight bitterness and pungency.
There are many varieties of extra virgin olive oil depending on the olive used to obtain them, but these are undoubtedly the best known and most widespread!
How many tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil should you take a day?
By this point in the post, it will probably be quite clear that consuming AOVE every day is good for your health, and not only because of its incredible taste!
So we know we should include it in our daily diet. The question now is: how much should I have a day?
According to some specialists and doctors in the field, 40 millilitres a day is more than enough to enjoy all its benefits. This is equivalent to about 4 tablespoons (approximately 37 grams).
In this way, we will be providing our bodies with the nutrients needed to prevent cardiovascular disease, improve cognitive function or reduce the risk of diabetes or depression (yes, you read that right: depression is also closely linked to diet).
In short, as long as it is extra virgin olive oil, having at least a couple of tablespoons of this liquid gold every day will help us reach the minimum of polyphenols suggested by the EFSA and the European Commission. And if we want to make the most of its benefits… try to have between 4 and 5 tablespoons a day!
