Olive Oil: Its History and Unique Status Through the Ages

Written By ندى ماهر عبدربه on 2024/10/26

This article was written originally in Arabic and is translated using a 3rd party automated service. ArabiaWeather is not responsible for any grammatical errors whatsoever.

Arab Weather - Olive oil is considered the first oil known to mankind, and it has maintained its status as a staple food in various civilizations for thousands of years, as it was mentioned in the heavenly books as blessed and having great health benefits. Despite the development of the modern vegetable oil industry, research has proven that olive oil has an exceptional nutritional value and flavor, and is the only natural oil that is extracted without the need for refining processes.

Health benefits of olive oil

Recent studies confirm that consuming olive oil helps improve heart health, as it reduces the risk of heart attacks and premature death thanks to the component "oleurabin", which covers the walls of the arteries with a protective layer that prevents the accumulation of cholesterol, which limits atherosclerosis. Olive oil also contains "sterols" that reduce harmful cholesterol levels by about 9-15% and prevent its absorption in the digestive system.

Olive oil components and their role in health

Olive oil contains chlorophyll, which gives it its distinctive color and helps boost metabolism, speed up wound healing, and blood formation. It also contains carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body, helping to reduce the risk of eye diseases and some types of cancer. The oil acts as a fatty medium that helps absorb vitamin D effectively.

Since olive oil is a fatty substance, it is exposed to oxidation and spoilage at any stage of production, which negatively affects its quality and chemical properties and reduces its health benefits. Therefore, olive trees must be taken care of, starting with choosing good olive varieties, such as "Nabali", "Souri" and "Mlessi", and paying attention to their nutrition, frying and protecting them from pests and diseases.

Olive picking and pressing process

Hand picking olives by placing brushes under the trees to prevent soil contamination of the fruits, in addition to picking at the right time when the fruits are ripe and retain important elements such as phenols and chlorophyll, enhances the quality of the extracted oil. It is important to keep the period between picking and pressing short, and to pack the fruits in plastic or wooden boxes with ventilation holes, avoiding plastic bags.

The manufacturing stage and its importance in oil quality

The manufacturing stage constitutes about 30% of the factors affecting the quality of the oil, and includes washing the fruits and separating the leaves, taking care to clean the washing water, and setting the kneading time to only half an hour. It is important that the temperature of the water used in mixing does not exceed 25 degrees Celsius to maintain the sensory and chemical quality of the oil. In the sorting stage, the cleanliness of the separators must be ensured and the oil must not mix with the zebar water for more than 8 hours, while keeping the temperature between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius.

The oil is delayed in filling and left for 24 hours to get rid of fermented sediments. It is preferable to use opaque glass or stainless steel containers to store the oil, while avoiding iron and copper containers. To maintain the quality of the oil, the containers must be tightly closed and stored in dry, cool places with a temperature not exceeding 18 degrees Celsius, away from light and sunlight.

Tips for buying olive oil

It is recommended to buy olive oil from reliable and licensed sources, paying attention to production dates to ensure obtaining high-quality oil with great health benefits.