Olive Oil

 

Olive oil is called in Greek the oil derived from the fruit of the olive tree.

Olive oil is a key element of the Mediterranean diet and is a healthy product due to its content of monounsaturated fat.   It is extracted by crushing the olives, which must be collected before final curing, i.e. when they are green or of the aubergine's color, since the quality of the oil is much better than that of the oil extracted from the fully ripe fruit. 

The olives are picked by hand or when completely ripe by shaking the tree and stored in wooden containers or in piles, in well-ventilated areas to prevent fermentation.

Nowadays there are modern mills that are independent industries that have plenty of water for cleaning and processing the olives, the various areas of the mill are well ventilated, dry and have thermal insulation, but there are also some small mills attached to farms, where olives are processed by traditional systems and farmers call these oil presses.

 

Under current quality classification " virgin olive oil " is the oil obtained solely by mechanical or other physical means, therefore, the " virgin olive oil " is oil's natural juice, which contains intact all the key ingredients also contained in the olives (vitamins, minerals, trace elements, etc.) and thus one that has all the beneficial health properties.

 

Studies have shown that the consumption of olive oil helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases, reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary disease due to the reduced level of bad cholesterol (LDL), increases the good cholesterol (HDL), helps in combating diabetes, reduces the risk for cancer etc.

 

There are many Greek extra virgin olive oils, which are awarded and recognized worldwide. There are PDO and PGI olive oils, each one with its unique flavour and aromas.

 

Why do we suggest Greek extra virgin olive oil ?

Some of the main characteristics of olive oil is the taste, the aroma, the acidity, the color and its translucency.   The topography and climate of Greece is ideal and that is one of the reasons that Greek olive oil is of the highest quality !  Thus, starting from the variety of olives used, which will give specific characteristics to the olive oil, some other very important elements that will characterise the olive oil are the ripeness of the olives before harvest, the climatic conditions and geographic location grown, the way that harvesting and storage of olives, the technical production of olive oil and others.

 

The olive tree is a blessed tree that embraced the Greek land and even today gives us all the beneficial properties and of course the pleasure of pride for our country.