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Home › Resources › How-To

Olive Oil 101: Health Benefits, Cooking Tips, Facts!

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by Lindsay Cotter Published: Jan 27, 2020

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  Olive oil is so nutritious, making it the perfect choice for any cooking method. The flavor can’t be matched and the health benefits mean you can use it in any food. 

olive oil pouring into a small glass bowl

This post is sponsored by Colavita. They know their olive oil and I trust their products to be the best.

Hi Friends! We’re back at it with our 101 series! A new year, a new topic. Olive oil! But not just any olive oil, Colavita Olive Oil! I had the privilege of working (hands on) with Colavita at the studio this past December, and let me just say, this brand is QUALITY! Produced in the Molise region of Italy, Colavita delivers authentic Italian quality, taste and texture. And, they are very, very KNOWLEDGEABLE when it comes to olive oil, obviously. 

2 dark glass bottles of olive oil on counter next to wooden cutting board filled with fresh cut vegetables.

So today we’re going to do a dive deep into OLIVE OIL with the help of Colivita. Yes, we will be answering all of your burning questions. How to cook olive oil, how to store the oil, different types of olive oil, and more. If you’re short on time, be sure to save this post or PIN HERE for later. You’ll want to keep this article as a cooking/health resource, for sure! Sound good?

Also, be sure to check out the video as well. It will come in super handy! 

First things first ….

Are all oils the same?

bottle of Colavita extra virgin olive oil with tray of snacks in front

You want to stick with an oil that you can trust, one that’s authentic and made by people who understand the intricacies of the process. 

This is why I always choose Colavita. The family business has been cultivating olives and pressing them into high quality oil for generations in the Molise region of Italy. They use a combination of traditional and modern methods to produce oil with a robust flavor and high nutritional value. 

Storage and Shelf Life

An unopened bottle of olive oil can last up to two years, but once opened, you should use it within 2-3 months. Light is the enemy of oil because it degrades the quality and flavor. That’s why Colavita uses their distinct dark green bottles to protect the oil. For a longer shelf life and better flavor, keep the bottles away from light and heat sources.

OLIVE OIL 101 VIDEO

 

Now, we all know that quality olive oil is a healthy oil, but I bet you didn’t know just HOW HEALTHY it really is! 

What are the health benefits of olive oil?

We all use some kinds of oil in the kitchen. Olive oil is your best choice for any cooking method. It gives your food a rich flavor and provides nutritional benefits you won’t get from other oils. Use it for:

  • Frying
  • Pan frying
  • Grilling
  • Baking
  • Dips
  • Spreads
  • Marinating
  • Sauteing 

It is packed with healthy monounsaturated fats, and is a staple in the Mediterranean diet. As a result, it has lots of heart healthy benefits. There are no trans fats (the unhealthy kind we should avoid) in this oil either. 

a woman pouring oil into food processor to make hummus dip

This makes it perfect for any use! It’s safe for heating, adds flavor to baked goods and tastes amazing as a dip or in a spread. Hence this magical looking spread below. This is actually a picture of a Colavita recipe for hummus. Go check it out!

round wooden serving board with assortment of crackers, fresh vegetables, olives, and hummus
hummus dip in small green bowl surrounded by fresh veggies for dipping

Next up! 

What do you use for high heat cooking?

A TRUE burning question -truly. Get it? Haha. 

You can pan fry, grill or roast with olive oil. There has been some concern that the smoke point of the oil makes it a poor choice for frying, but that just isn’t true! The production of smoke is not an indication that something is wrong. It’s just what oil does under heat. 

More recent research shows that the better indicator of how an oil will handle heat is a low percentage of polyunsaturated fat and little refinement in the process of making the oil. Olive oil actually has a very low concentration of polyunsaturated fat and has not been processed at all. Seed oils are refined at a very high heat, making them less stable. 

Olive oil also has compounds and antioxidants that keep it stable during medium to high temperature cooking. Even when overheated or exposed to high temperature for a long period of time, the oil produced far fewer harmful compounds than other oils. 

EVOO and the standard variety tested better than any other kind of oil on the market.

2 bottles of Colavita olive oil against grey background.

Can you bake with olive oil?

If you want to get some of the health benefits in more than your pan-fried dinner, use it in baking as well. 

It tastes great in cakes, cookies, muffins and pie crust. It’s a great solution for turning any recipe into a vegan-friendly treat. 

A baked good recipe that calls for melted butter is your perfect opportunity to use olive oil instead. It is not a one to one ratio though, so use this chart to convert melted butter measurements to oil. 

olive oil streaming into small glass bowl

Did we answer them all of your burning questions? If not, feel free to comment below! Or watch the video for more info. Or both! 

Who’s excited to bust out the oil and get in the kitchen? *raises hand* 

Stay connected with Colivita on social media to learn more recipes, cooking tips and nutrition facts!  

Cheers!

LC

P.s Colavita will be at foodie bootcamp this year with all their wonderful products! Come join us, all are welcome! 

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Categories: Has Video, How-To Tags: cooking, Gut Health Recipes and Nutrition, health, olive oil

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Lindsay Cotter of Cotter Crunch

About Lindsay

Hi, y’all, I’m Lindsay Cotter, a Nutrition Specialist with a focus on Gluten-Free eating. I love creating delicious nourishing food that anyone can enjoy.

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  1. Issa Rae

    12/12/2020 at 11:36 PM

    That’s so crazy huh?! My hubby thinks I’m totally weird…but I don’t care I love olive oil!

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLindsay Cotter

      12/13/2020 at 1:13 PM

      haha he’s missing out 😉

      Reply
  2. Monique Lafarte

    10/23/2020 at 1:18 PM

    My grandma always told us to use olive oil. She used olive oil in everything. She lived for 103 years ! When I was reading your article it was as though i was listening to her. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLindsay Cotter

      10/24/2020 at 1:24 PM

      Oh your grandma was one wise woman.

      Reply
  3. Brian Hebert

    02/16/2020 at 7:58 PM

    Very interesting article! I really enjoyed reading your article. You are providing the best info about olive oil . Thanks for sharing with us, it’s a very useful to us. You have done a excellent Job. Your writing is very simple and easy to understand. Keep Going..

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLindsay Cotter

      02/17/2020 at 4:32 PM

      Thank you!

      Reply
  4. Natasha

    01/30/2020 at 9:17 AM

    Love this informative post! Olive oil is my main cooking oil and I always use it for salad dressings too!

    Reply
  5. Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom

    01/29/2020 at 11:22 PM

    I mostly only cook with olive oil! love this post!

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLindsay Cotter

      01/31/2020 at 10:35 AM

      That’s what I like to hear. 😉

      Reply
  6. Teri

    01/29/2020 at 3:48 PM

    This post is so helpful. I wondered about the smoke point of olive oil and if I was doing something “Bad” if I cooked at high heat with it. Thanks for clarifying that point!!

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLindsay Cotter

      01/31/2020 at 10:33 AM

      right?! so glad it helped clear things up Teri!

      Reply
  7. Leigh Ann

    01/29/2020 at 6:08 AM

    Olive oil is a staple in my kitchen! Love the many benefits of cooking with it in addition to it just tasting really good!

    Reply
  8. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen

    01/28/2020 at 2:18 PM

    Such an informative post Lindsay! Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply

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Lindsay Cotter of Cotter Crunch

About Lindsay

Hi, y’all, I’m Lindsay Cotter, a Nutrition Specialist with a focus on Gluten-Free eating. I love creating delicious nourishing food that anyone can enjoy.

  • About
  • Studio
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
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  • YouTube

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