Ok, only another Mediterranean origin product. Olive oil. A thread...

Let me start at the very top. You get 4 types of Olive oil:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Virgin Olive Oil
- Olive Oil
- Phenolic Olive Oil

I'm gonna start with the most important and most pricey...extra virgin. The one every claims they understand...and then goes and fries with.

Ok, how is it made? Olives are literally shaken off olive trees (they arent picked) and then washed, sifted and de-stemmed. They're then placed in large vats or drums and grinded down into a paste with wheels (traditionally it was done with stone wheels).

I'm explaining the process of how olive oil is made because it is key to understanding why you don't fry extra virgin olive oil.

After being turned to an olive pulp the paste is then placed in temperature monitored vats which will grind the paste into an even finer pulp. When you see the term "cold pressed" on a bottle, it refers to this process.

Why "cold pressed"? Coz heat destroys all the nutrients in olive oil and also effects the colour and flavour. The paste is then placed through a centrifugal process which will split the paste into water, oil and olive pulp.

To summarise, the process eventually results in the oil being kept aside and the water discarded. The oil that comes from this process is extra virgin olive oil.

Quality extra virgin olive oil has a luminous green/yellow colour. The colour will differ (like wine) but there will always be a slightly green/luminous colour. It is ALWAYS sold in dark bottles, like red wine, light destroys it's nutrients and flavour.

Now to the nutrients & why the processes of Olive oil is important. Sip and taste olive oil next time (yes, sip it). You're looking for Oleocanthal - the peppery heat you get when you taste real extra virgin olive oil. It has been proven to help fight cancerous cells in the body

Extra virgin olive oil helps fight cholesterol, blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases

Also aids with diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, asthma, chances of strokes, weight loss (assists in absorption of nutrients in the body and digestion)

Besides completely destroying the flavour, when you cook and heat extra virgin olive oil you're throwing away all these nutrients and positive traits. Also, because of the mineral content of extra virgin, it burns at a lower temperature

When you read the label of extra virgin olive oil it will state one ingredient. Will always be in a dark bottle and will state where it was harvested. Avoid products that are sourced in other countries and bottled in a different country. Go for oil that is bottled by an estate.

Ok, onto the other types of Olive oils. Since I've touched on the health stuff. The variety few know about: high phenolic olive oil.

High phenolic olive oil is a another type of olive oil, its used more for health reasons and is made from green olives. There are 36 phenolic compounds in olive oil which are found in young olives. This type of oil has loads of health benefits and is usually sold in health stores

Virgin olive oil is more rare, a few years ago you could find it on shelves more often but it has been taken over by the era of blended oils. Virgin olive oil is made from the remnants left over during the making of extra virgin olive oil. It's also 100% olive oil

Virgin olive oil would come from the 2nd press of olives. It isn't as flavourful nor as dark in colour as extra virgin. It will have a very slight peppery note to it. I have a sneaky suspicion some estate's bottle virgin olive oil and pass it off as extra virgin.

Now to my pet gripe. Bottles that confuse people because they have "olive oil" on the label

As mentioned in my earlier tweets Extra virgin olive oil will have one ingredient. "Extra virgin olive oil". Clear bottle, lack of green colour and check the percentage of actual olive in the oil in this bottle...

Here's another one.

Legally, there is nothing wrong with this as long as there is some olive oil in the blend. These are as good as vegetable oil...but more pricey. You're throwing your money down the sink. On the plus side, you can cook with them.

Unlike with balsamic and Wagyu unfortunately the making of olive oil isn't strictly monitored. There are independent bodies who actually test and certify olive oils but even the Italians make fakes ones and sell them to the world.

A few years ago these well known Italian producers were found to make fake extra virgin olive oil after tests by private bodies: Bertolli, Colavita, Carapelli, Mazzola, Mezzetta, Filippo Berio.

Solution? Google. Seriously. When in the store, before you fork out that hefty price, Google the maker on your phone and check if they've been certified and reviewed. Most will have the details on their website and there'll be independent reviews online as well.