Thursday, May 27, 2010

Olive Oil Health Benefits You Never Heard About

By Bob Italiano

Olive oil has been used for a number of things for many centuries, primarily being used and produced in the Mediterranean. However, as time goes by, more people are starting to see the many health benefits that the oil manages to provide, turning it into a booming industry. Although the oil is mostly made in parts of the Mediterranean, it is also created in parts of Southern Europe, North Africa and the Near East.

Many people use the oil for things such as cooking, soaps, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, fuel and oil for lamps. However, some are also seeing the benefits gained when using it externally such as with the skin and hair. Overall, many tend to embrace to health benefits gained due to high contents of monounsaturated fatty acids and its ability to work against heart disease.

This oil is also great when it comes to the digestive system, since it is often known to digest easily versus other oils that it may be used for cooking. It also promotes healthy bile secretions, which can help to fight against digestive tract problems such as gallstone formations or likewise.

It's also possible to consume this oil directly, making it a staple ingredient within the kitchens of many. This is because the oil is freshly-produced from the fruit when pressed, and it is often used for various dipping methods and even on pasta to keep it from sticking.

Some researchers claim that the oil is great when it comes to the prevention of colon cancer. Several studies have shown that subjects who were on a regular diet of olive-based oils proved to have fewer signs of colon cancer versus that of other oils, and it can even compare in regards to health benefits to that of fish oil.

There are several different types, or grades, of olive oil that are available: extra virgin, virgin, pure, and extra light. These grades are based on the ways that the oil is processed, as well as the amount of filtering and pressing of the olives during production. The processing of the oil may vary on the type of flavor that the oil might have, as well as its overall health benefits.

Out of these grades of oil, extra virgin and virgin oil are often the least processed of the four grades. Extra virgin oil is generally the one that many claim to be the best due to the little processing involved, with very little being compromised since it's often only pressed or crushed once. Virgin oil is generally produced from a second pressing or crushing of the olives.

With pure and extra light oils, there is generally some processing or refining involved, as well as several pressings, compromising some of the oil and the overall flavor. Pure oil generally goes through a mild processing through the use of filtering or refining, while extra light goes through a significant amount of processing and can sometimes be cut with different kinds of vegetable-base oils. With that said, if you're looking for the most beneficial form of oil, then many suggest trying extra virgin olive oil.

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