Olive oil is olive oil, correct? Not exactly.
80% of extra virgin olive oil, EVOO, on American shelves is fake, containing blends of vegetable, soybean, palm and canola oil.
“There’s so many fake olive oils because of profit. Like with other products, if a company can mass produce an item for the lowest cost for a higher profit, they are going to do it,” said Chef Alexander Mack from A.M. Diverse Cooking.
It is more expensive to produce real EVOO because it requires more time and attention to detail. The process of cold-pressing olives requires more olives to produce and yields less oil.
Owning a third of the olive fields in Italy, the mafia imports low-grade olive oil from countries like Greece and Spain, then sells and labels this oil as EVOO. In Italy, there is a specific task force that oversees food production and confiscated 2,000 tons of fake EVOO in 2016.
Real EVOO is a miracle liquid fat that has been shown to have health benefits such as:
- Reduce the risk of chronic diseases
- Fights inflammation and bloating
- Protects blood cholesterol from oxidation
- May help to prevent strokes
- Protective against heart disease
- Not linked to weight gain
- May reduce Type 2 Diabetes
- Anti-Cancer properties
- Antibacterial
- Prevent signs of skin aging
- Slows aging
“Labels are your best friend and if you don’t see a batch date, bottle date, or a date when the olives were harvested, then, my friend, you aren’t buying authentic olive oil,” said Mack.
Find out more here or check the videos below.