68 replies to this topic

[joelcairo]

 

OK, if you're basing this on the premiss that you for culinary reasons absolutely have to have added fats in your diet, EVOO is probably your best choice. However, considering that all foods contain fat and the only essential fats are omega 3 and omega 6; someone please explain to me: What exactly is the nutritional or health benefit to consume any added fats or extracted oils whatsoever? 

 

If you eat a whole food source of fat like olives or nuts you get much more nutrients and fiber per calorie and l also read somewhere (by Joel Fuhrman I think) that the fat is absorbed over several hours (rather than minutes in the case of oil) by the body in the same way carbohydrates and sugar contained in whole foods are absorbed much slower than table sugar or white bread. Everybody here probably agrees that eating fruit is much better than just extracting and drinking the juice and discard the rest. Well, the olive is also a fruit...

 

I don't think fats are bad per se. There is lots of data when it comes to the benefits of nuts for example. Walnuts have lots of fats in them but contrary to oils they actually improve endothelial function after ingestion. https://www.ncbi.nlm...ubmed/19880586/

 

One of the first reasons that pops into my head is that a lot of vitamins, D especially, and other polyphenols and spices (curcumin, etc) are highly reliant on fat as a transport. So many supplements or even vegetables need fat to transport the nutrients within. Bioavailability goes up substantially. Green tea extract is probably the only thing I can think of that one should only take in a fasted state. Water soluble vitamins like B are fine without fat but also fine with it. Monounsaturated fat, of which olive oil consists, is probably the best transporter for these. I'm on vacation in Croatia right now but having looked at how they store and provide olive oil here I probably wouldn't trust it, despite being right by Italy and Greece.

 

 

 

Just noticed this: "Green tea extract is probably the only thing I can think of that one should only take in a fasted state." I have read studies showing that proteins can bind to green tea catechins and prevent them from being absorbed, but is there a problem with fats & carbs as well?

 

Edited by joelcairo, 15 July 2017 - 04:38 AM.

[Adaptogen]

Consumer Reports and Consumer Labs have both tested olive oils.  Some of the mass-market oils were not even olive oil. 
Hazel nut oil is a frequent adulterant.  Some were from olives, but rated too rancid for human consumption.  Sorry I don't have time to find the links, but from memory Consumer Reports down-rated Whole Foods house brand, liked Costco and California Olive Ranch.  They did not test for polyphenols, nor did they test the favorite mentioned earlier in this thread: De Carlo Torre di Mossa.

 

Fairway market in New York used to have a knowledgeable buyer, and a tasting bar to sample the oil with Italian bread as a sponge,  Sadly, no more; they were bought by a mid-western supermarket chain who fired the buyer and sell cheap oil under the house name.  :(

 

High polyphenol content oils have a sharp flavor, and give a burning sensation in the back of the throat.  Best used raw, drizzled on food or as a dip.

The smooth buttery flavor many confuse with freshness, is a sign of rancidity. 

 

PS: Amphora Nueva is a good source.  They give the polyphenol content of their oils, too. https://amphoranueva...atalog&parent=1

 

 

I'm skeptical as to how prevalent adulterated olive oil actually is, and have a feeling that the "olive oil fraud" is largely overblown. As far as I know, the consumer labs tests never actually found evidence that olive oils in question were adulterated, and most/all were within the allowed peroxide range, but were ruled fraudulent simply on the basis of "sensory defects".

From consumerlabs - "All 10 brands claimed to be “extra virgin, but the taster downgraded 2 of them  to “virgin” (Newman’s Own and Bertolli), and one was rated unsatisfactory (Pompeian).  Both types come from the first pressing of the olives w/o using solvents, other chemicals, or heat, but genuine EVO has a better taste and chemical makeup."
 

From a UCBerkeley report:

Of the five top-selling imported “extra virgin” olive oil brands in the United States, 73 percent of the samples

failed the IOC sensory standards for extra virgin olive oils analyzed by two IOC-accredited sensory panels. The

failure rate ranged from a high of 94 percent to a low of 56 percent depending on the brand and the panel.

None of the Australian and California samples failed both sensory panels, while 11 percent of the top-selling

premium Italian brand samples failed the two panels. Sensory defects are indicators that these samples are

oxidized, of poor quality, and/or adulterated with cheaper refined oils.

All of the oil samples passed the IOC chemistry standards for free fatty acids (FFA), fatty acid profile (FAP) and

peroxide value (PV), but several of the imported samples failed the IOC’s ultraviolet absorption (UV) tests.

 

FWIW, I've tried probably close to a dozen of (not super expensive) recent harvest olive oils, such as Bariani early harvest, California Olive Ranch limited reserve, various Greek and Italian late 2016 harvests - and Trader Joe's Organic Spanish ($6/bottle) has by far the strongest peppery bite of any that I have tried. I'm curious how it compares to a high polyphenol from Amphora Nueva, but I just cant justify shelling out $30/bottle. Unfortunately, Trader Joes doesn't test for polyphenol content - but for the sake of comparison Bariani claims around 650 mg/kg and California Olive Ranch around 300 mg/kg, and the TJ's Spanish tastes more polyphenol rich than both of those.

[Benko]

Adaptogen,

 

 

If you google which brands of olive oil are real, I think you'll find enough choices that are not horribly expensive. As to how often olive lil fraud happens:

 

 

1.  I googled olive oil fraud and one of the first entries is:

 

https://www.oliveoil...oil-fraud/55364

 

Italy’s Carabinieri arrested 33 suspects in the Calabrian mafia’s Piromalli clan, a criminal enterprise whose illicit dealings allegedly include exporting fake extra virgin olive oil to the United States...

 

According to investigators, the Piromalli were importing olive pomace oil, a product that’s extracted from already-pressed fruit pulp using chemical solvents, then labeling the low-quality, adulterated oil products as extra virgin olive oil and exporting it to the U.S. Those products were sold through retail chains in New York, Boston and Chicago, the IRPI revealed.

 

2. 60 minutes apparently had a segment on the mafia controlling olive oil (looks like it aired Jan. 3, 2016):

 

http://www.cbsnews.c...fia-food-fraud/

 

Mafia copies of fine olive oil, wine and cheese have fueled an explosion of food crime in Italy. It's estimated to be a $16 billion-a-year enterprise

 

“Mafia copies of fine olive oil, wine and cheese have fueled an explosion of food crime in Italy,” said CBS News correspondent, Bill Whitaker.

 

3.  On basic principles, anything expensive will motivate people to make money by selling fakes. I buy most brands cologne on e-bay without worry, but I'd never buy any Chanel brand on e-bay because many are fakes.

 

4.  Having said that, I bought some olive oil bottles at the olive oil store in my city and it didn't have the biting after taste.  The many bottles of Lucini brand and the one  bottle of Oro di Sicilia brand I bought all did, so I'm a little confused myself.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Benko, 18 July 2017 - 01:52 PM.

[Turnbuckle]

Other than buying directly from a producer, the best way get real olive oil is to buy from a outlet that sells only award winning oils. They have an interest in avoiding adulterated oils as their livelihood depends on it. The worst way is to buy from big chains like Walmart that care only about price.

[aconita]

It depends....

 

In USA foods quality controls aren't very strict and this likely leaves lots of opportunities for fakes and adulterated products, one has to be quite careful about choosing.

 

In Europe foods quality controls are much stricter, it doesn't mean nobody tries to scam but it is more difficult to last and they get caught, plus the store is held responsible for what it sells therefore takes at least some care about what it sells.

 

In Italy I buy my extra virgin olive oil from big chains food stores at about 3 euro/liter, quality isn't top but excellent.

 

Top quality from producer is about 8-9 euro/liter according to how productive the season has been.

 

The main difference is the cheaper food store oil is actually a mix of olive oils not all from Italy (mostly Spain and Greece) which are much cheaper for reasons not quality related.

[Adaptogen]

A little old (2013), but here is data on the phenolic contents of a lot of major brands https://www.oliveoil...ught-california

[mccoy]

...

4.  Having said that, I bought some olive oil bottles at the olive oil store in my city and it didn't have the biting after taste.  The many bottles of Lucini brand and the one  bottle of Oro di Sicilia brand I bought all did, so I'm a little confused myself.

 

The issue is actually a little confusing.

 

For example, I live in an Italian region close to an area where some of the best italian EVOO is allegedly produced. That is true, but strictly speaking the claim is valid mainly as far as taste and palatability is concerned. Taste tends to be sweetish, without pungent or bitter nuances.

Now, we all know that such a scenario bespeaks of good quality but low polyphenols. I've recently become curious about the issue and started asking local oil producers. And, yes, there is this traditional farmers culture that oil must be sweet and must not irritate your throat. So, olives are picked when very ripe and often manufacturing is targeted toward the reduction of the very phytochemicals which make EVOO so precious, i.e. oleoeuropeine and other secoiridoids. they are responsible for the bitterish, pungent taste which tends to prick our throats.

So, we have a paradox, the oil is commercially very good, but its protective, phytoactive properties are almost negligible. Personally, I'm trying to take agreements with other health-conscious people who like a bitter and pungent EVOO and will source their product accordingly, from slightly unripe olives and suitable production procedures.

And please note: in some regions, like Puglie, the pungent taste seems to be more attractive. Torre Di Mossa, one of the highest polyphenols contents in Italian EVOOs,a whopping 900 ppm, is produced in Puglia.

 

Takeaway lesson: as far as health is concerned, taste alone should not govern our choice. A sweet taste may bespeak of a good EVOO with low polyphenols. We should purchase hi-polyphenols, good quality certified EVOOs oils. A lab certificate must be present, total polyphenols should be at least 300 ppm. A lab test on polyphenols here has a cost of about 40 Euros and is a valid means to ascertain individually whether the EVOO is actually a good one or to check the manufacturer's claims. The results from producers are usually relative to soon-after-production EVOOs, so they are an upper bound. Polyphenols content decreases with time elapsed from production.

[DJS]

The highest quality EVOO in NYC is at The Filling Station at Chelsea Market. I love getting to sample all of the different flavors. Plus you get 10% off if you reuse their bottles. 

 

And to answer the topic question, yes, I believe EVOO is very very good for you. In moderation of course.

Edited by DJS, 25 August 2017 - 12:00 AM.

[Thell]

I haven't seen this study mentioned elsewhere but it looks to fit with the "Is it good for you?" topic question.

 

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Enhances the Blood–Brain Barrier Function
 

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are characterized by blood–brain barrier (BBB) breakdown leading to abnormal BBB permeability ahead of brain atrophy or dementia. Previous findings in AD mouse models have reported the beneficial effect of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) against AD, which improved BBB and memory functions and reduced brain amyloid-β (Aβ) and related pathology. This work aimed to translate these preclinical findings to humans in individuals with MCI. We examined the effect of daily consumption of refined olive oil (ROO) and EVOO for 6 months in MCI subjects on BBB permeability (assessed by contrast-enhanced MRI), and brain function (assessed using functional-MRI) as the primary outcomes. Cognitive function and AD blood biomarkers were also assessed as the secondary outcomes. Twenty-six participants with MCI were randomized with 25 participants completed the study. EVOO significantly improved clinical dementia rating (CDR) and behavioral scores. EVOO also reduced BBB permeability and enhanced functional connectivity. While ROO consumption did not alter BBB permeability or brain connectivity, it improved CDR scores and increased functional brain activation to a memory task in cortical regions involved in perception and cognition. Moreover, EVOO and ROO significantly reduced blood Aβ42/Aβ40 and p-tau/t-tau ratios, suggesting that both altered the processing and clearance of Aβ. In conclusion, EVOO and ROO improved CDR and behavioral scores; only EVOO enhanced brain connectivity and reduced BBB permeability, suggesting EVOO biophenols contributed to such an effect. This proof-of-concept study justifies further clinical trials to assess olive oil’s protective effects against AD and its potential role in preventing MCI conversion to AD and related dementias.

→ source (external link)

 
 
Twenty-six participants were enrolled in the study. One participant did not complete the post-intervention session and thus was excluded from the analysis. The withdrawn participant did not provide a reason for not continuing the study. Thirteen participants were enrolled in the EVOO group and 12 participants in the ROO group. The EVOO group received 30 mL daily of The Governor EVOO containing 1200 mg/kg of total polyphenols for 6 months. The Governor EVOO was selected based on our previous preclinical studies as it is rich in polyphenols [[/size]16,[/size]17]. The certificate of analysis of the total phenolic content of The Governor EVOO is illustrated in the [/size]Supplementary material demonstrating the majority of the phenolic content consists of oleocanthal (621 mg/kg) and oleacein (344 mg/kg). The ROO group received 30 mL daily of refined olive oil that contains a null level of polyphenols (Bertolli[/size]®[/size] Extra Light Olive Oil) for 6 months. Every month, participants received 30 vials, each containing 30 mL of the oil. The Governor EVOO was generously supplied by the oil producer OLIVE FABRICA from Greece, while [/size]Bertolli oil was purchased from the market. Participants were asked to include the olive oil (raw, not cooked) in their diet or drink it.[/size]
 
Findings from this randomized and double-blind pilot study in MCI participants demonstrated that the daily consumption of EVOO over 6 months could provide a beneficial effect on the brain by enhancing functional connectivity and reducing BBB permeability. Furthermore, MCI participants who consumed ROO also demonstrated increased activation in the fMRI task.
Neuroimaging studies in subjects with MCI and early AD demonstrated BBB breakdown in a number of brain regions before brain atrophy or dementia [37,38]. Studies have also shown alteration of blood vessel morphology where the vessel wall undergoes vascular endothelium changes leading to abnormal BBB permeability [39,40]. Deficits in BBB function can be imaged and quantified non-invasively using contrast-enhanced MRI [30,41]. Deficits in the BBB result in structural and functional consequences characterized by poor axonal integrity [42], and deficits in global and local network efficiency [43], respectively. Functional disruptions lead to deficits in cognition and behavior. In this study, the protective effect of olive oil on BBB was evaluated by contrast-enhanced-MRI. When compared to the baseline, findings demonstrated that EVOO significantly reduced the contrast extravasation in brain hippocampi and PHG after 6 months of daily consumption compared to ROO which did not alter the permeability of Gd (Figure 2C, Table 2). This improvement in BBB function is expected to lead to better axonal integrity, and higher local/global efficiency of functional brain networks, which can be seen from the fMRI findings where EVOO improved the functional connectivity between PHG and other cortical brain regions at the resting state.