There's a brand of extra virgin oil sold at a market near here in London N4 which advertises itself thus: "Brimming with goodness and healthy for your heart. Packed full of vitamins and antioxidants to give you a lift."
Wow - doesn't that make you feel like gulping down a thimbleful? Like Irn-Bru with a health certificate. But is it entirely accurate? Hmmm........
Yes, Extra Virgin Oil is good for you. And this approach certainly presses all the right buttons for today's lifestyle-aware city-dweller: a stress-busting substance, that will give you more energy while at the same time protecting you against the consequences of overwork. And natural to boot. One gulp, and you'll be climbing Everest.
But there's a bit more to it than that. Good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil may be a superfood (and the brand I refer to is undoubtedly the genuine stuff and a very good, healthy product). But not all olive oil - not even all 'extra virgin oil' - is the same, and with the world so full of snake-oil salesmen, it helps to know what to look out for.
One of the most interesting discoveries I've made lately is that there is medical science behind the assertion that if it tastes bitter, it's doing you good. Really healthy Extra Virgin Olive Oil should have that astringent aftertaste.
So here is my quick five point guide to buying the best health-giving olive oil to put on your food, as opposed to a substance you might use to lubricate the car's crankshaft. Always read the label - but pay attention to the taste as well.
* The oil must be Extra Virgin, not plain old Olive Oil or (perish the idea) Olive Pomace Oil
* It should be as fresh as possible, with a grassy aroma and a pronounced peppery afterburn.
* It doesn't matter too much about the colour.
* Oil labelled as 'light' isn't any healthier than ordinary - in fact it may be worse
* It has to be the real thing and not illicitly blended, refined, chemically treated, contaminated or adulterated - and that's the hard bit. Do you really know where it came from?
I am not a nutritionist, dietician or doctor. But I'm ready to accept that real Extra Virgin Olive Oil has health-giving qualities. This is not the place for a science lesson - you'll need an advanced degree in Wikipedia Studies for that - but many nutritionists now seem to agree that the high proportions of organic compounds and substances such as polyphenols, hydrocarbons, vitamins, oleocanthol, oleic acid and monounsaturated fat in Extra Virgin Oil have positive health benefits.
Oleocanthol, for example, is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Polyphenols are potent anti-oxidants (good for breaking down 'free radicals' and preventing some cancers.. Oleic acid bolsters the immune system. Mono-unsaturated fat appears to promote 'good' cholesterol and cardiovascular health.
Few of these volatile organic compounds, though, survive the refining, chemical assault or heat treatment used in the creation of cheaper, non-Extra Virgin olive oils, or when Extra Virgin Oil is commercially blended with low-grade oil.
What's more, some of these natural compounds appear to be responsible for the unique taste and smell of Extra Virgin oil - a complex combination of pungency, astringency and bitterness with velvety texture so obvious to anyone who cares to sample a teaspoonful of real, fresh Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
It's a peppery afterburn, not unpleasant, which sometimes makes you cough. No afterburn, no health benefit, is one possible conclusion.
So forget the blandishments of the marketing men - the surest way to know if an olive oil is doing you good is to taste it. Give it a gulp. The more peppery the taste, the healthier it is likely to be. You may not do stupid things faster and with more energy - but you might live a longer and happier life.
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