Our discussion of the ingredients in homemade baby formula and where they come from provides a better picture of the “real” ingredients found in a naked foods kitchen. By breaking down the ingredients one-by-one we can better see how we can use these products in other areas of our lives. I have been devoting a posting each day to some essential ingredient in Dr. Sally Fallon’s recipe, and today’s spotlight is on what is often referred to as “liquid gold,” olive oil. I encourage you to take a look at this past weeks posts to learn more.
Olive oil can be used for shaving, constipation, moisturizing, cooking, furniture polishing, deep conditioning, lubrication, and even ear wax removal. Around my house we use is for cooking, as an ingredient in homemade formula (obviously), for shining stainless pots and pans, as lip balm, and as a component of homemade cloth diaper solution. In fact, the midwives used a lot of olive oil on my son’s bum when he was born to make the meconium easier to wipe off!
The antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients found in olive oil provide the perfect defense against chronic illnesses such as: aging, bad cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, poor digestion and cancer by inhibiting oxidative stress. Furthermore, it may also help to relieve pain from bites, burns, gastritis, itching, and stings. It is even known to activate the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones that consequently lowers the incidence of gallstones. All of this goodness can be attributed to the presence of phenolic compounds, α-tocopherol, triterpenes, squalene, sterols and oleocanthal found in olive oil. Interestingly enough the oleic acid content of olive oil is helpful for reducing inflammation in cases of rheumatoid arthritis, and may also help in cases of asthma.
You may be slightly confused about the different types of olive oil that are available. Here is a breakdown of the various kinds you may encounter:
- Regular, or pure olive oil, has been chemically refined and filtered to neutralize both undesirable strong tastes and acid content. This olive oil is of lower quality and usually the least expensive.
- Virgin means the olive oil was produced without any chemical additives, so it contains no refined oil. It has an acidity that’s less than 2%, so it tastes better. Virgin refers to the fact that the olive oil has been less handled or manipulated during processing.
- Extra virgin olive oil comes from the first press only and is the highest quality olive oil with perfect flavor, aroma, and balanced acidity. This olive oil is less processed than Virgin olive oil and is very delicate in flavor. It’s perfect for salad dressings, marinades, and for dipping bread.
- Cold pressed olive oil is an unregulated label description. Back when olive oil was pressed the second time using hot water and steam to extract the last drop, the heat during the second pressing took away the delicate flavors. Today, premium olive oil is cold pressed, which means the olive paste is gently warmed to room temperature to avoid losing taste and pressing is done in winter, when it’s cold, to further retain flavor.
We buy Bariani olive oil to use in homemade formula. It is cold pressed, decanted, stone crushed, and unfiltered extra virgin olive oil, which is pretty much the best you can buy. Here is a more detailed description of Bariani olive oil and why the olive oil you may be buying might not be as wholesome or pure as you think:
Even if it is certified organic, first-pressed olive oil, if your olive oil is clear, it has been filtered or it may not even be 100% olive oil. If it were the real thing it would be completely cloudy and you could not see through it. Bariani is a supremely high-quality olive oil: harvested and processed the way it was done for thousands of years. Virtually all olive oils are machine harvested, extracted with heat, and filtered, all of which remove important nutrients and antioxidants.
This first-pressed olive oil is hand-picked, milled with a stone wheel within 48 hours of harvesting, and pressed with a hydraulic press. Grown on a small family farm in the Central Valley of California by an extended Italian family that moved to the US in the 1990s, Bariani olive oil is pesticide-free and packaged in a dark glass bottle to protect from oxidation.
Bariani olive oil starts its life not in the bottle or after the olive pressing but at the root of their trees. The Bariani family gives particular care to the entire extraction process from the tending of the orchard to the bottling of the oil, opting for quality rather than quantity. Their process of extraction is true to the origins and art of olive oil making. They will continue this millenary tradition for you to enjoy at your table. Exquisite!
Bariani’s extra virgin olive oil will differ in flavor and taste every year due to their traditional process of extraction. However, you will always find the same subtle characteristics that differentiate their olive oil from any other and that accommodate even the most discriminating palate.
I save the really good stuff to make the formula, but I often cook with whichever brand I find at the health food store that is on sale that week. It has to be extra virgin olive oil though, and it MUST be organic. When we are cooking with olive oil we use it as a replacement for butter. It often gets used for sautéing vegetables and for drizzling over fish. Although we use it frequently, unlike other kitchens (I’ve been places where the oil is right next to the oven), we do not expose any of our oils to heat, light or air. All of these elements can affect not only the taste of the oil, but can also destroy its nutritious value. Always remember to store your olive oil in a dark, room-temperature cabinet.
What fun tips do you have for olive oil? Is it just the thing you need to make that stir-fry meal perfect? Does it remove your makeup better than anything else you have found? Why do you love olive oil?
Sources: Laugh With Health by Manfred Urs Koch, NaturalNews.com, Radiant Life Company
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on Whey Beyond the Naked Truth are written for educational and informational purposes only, and are not intended as a diagnosis, treatment or as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis and treatment. Please consult a local physician or other health care professional for your specific health care and/or medical needs or concerns.
The post Getting to Know “Real” Ingredients: Olive Oil appeared first on Whey Beyond the Naked Truth.
