The Wonders of Olive Oil
One of Greece’s culinary staples is olive oil. It can be found in almost everything, from the classic Greek salads to pasta dishes like mousaka. Pretty much whenever cooking oil is required, Greek’s use olive oil. Greece has its own food group named after oil or better “oily food” ie “ladera” which consists of vegetables, beans and lentils cooked with olive oil and other spices.
Because of Greece’s use of olive oil (and this goes for the Mediterranean diet in general), Greeks enjoy certain benefits that olive oil offers.
Unlike other oils like butter, tropical oils or animal oils, that are high in saturated and trans fats, olive oil has none. Instead, olive oil contains monounsaturated fats, in a healthy dose, that has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and decrease bad cholesterol levels in the blood.
What’s great about olive oil is its high levels of polyphenols, health-boosting antioxidants. It has more polyphenols than any other type of oil.
Olive oil is also rich in vitamins. It contains vitamins A, D, E and K. So bust out the olive oil and don’t be afraid to use it as cooking oil, a salad dressing or dipping sauce.
Some advise, if you’re going to use olive oil as a salad dressing or a dipping sauce, it is recommended to go for Extra Virgin olive oil that offers the most health benefits.