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Think twice before refusing olive oil on your salad next time

Image: Roberta Sorge on Unsplash

Olive oil, olive oil, or simply olive oil is a vegetable oil extracted from olives. Besides being very healthy for the body, olive oil can even be used on the skin and hair. But there are people who do not know its various benefits, much less the difference between one oil and another (extra virgin oil, virgin oil, pure oil and light oil). Olive oil is proof that healthy fat exists.

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In general, olive oil brings numerous benefits to our body. Would you know what they are? Check out the different types of oil below and get to know them in order to make the best choice according to your needs:

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Extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is a high quality oil that provides many health benefits. The process used to extract it is the "with pressure", in which there is no heating. It is the healthiest olive oil, as it has antioxidants and acidity of up to 1%. It is recommended for salad dressings and hot dishes.

Furthermore, regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil is beneficial in other respects: it does not accumulate fat in the belly, protects from ultraviolet rays, improves digestion, reduces pain and inflammation and, on top of that, it helps in the absorption of calcium by the bones.

virgin olive oil

Virgin olive oil goes through almost the same process, but it has up to 2% acidity and has a lighter flavor. It is prepared in a more mature process of pressing the olive and its other oils. It is ideal for cold dishes.

pure olive oil

"Natural" oil, whose packaging only bears the description "olive oil", is a blend of refined oil and virgin oil, according to Eryn Balch of the North American Olive Oil Association. This is because sometimes the original quality of olive oil is not as good as extra virgin or virgin olive oil, so it needs to be refined to remove bad odors and tastes, as well as being mixed with virgin olive oil.

Due to the heat present in the extraction process, this type of oil has less antioxidants, but contains the same monounsaturated fats of other types of oil. This variety is usually recommended for frying.

Olive oil light

Even though the name suggests it is something less caloric, this type of oil has the same amount of calories and the same amount of fat as other types of oil. His name is more related to taste than its properties. It is recommended to use it for grilling food and also for frying.

Which is the healthiest?

This question is complicated to answer. All these types of oil have almost the same amounts of calories and fat. Those that promote the most health benefits are extra virgin and virgin olive oil. According to the FitSugar, the extra virgin has higher levels of vitamin A, vitamin E, chlorophyll and magnesium. However, cooking them can destroy some of the beneficial components.

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According to an article published in the newspaper Food Research International, cooking with olive oil can degrade the active antioxidants, it is better to use sunflower vegetable oil, which is cheaper.

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Above all, there is another very important issue, as the extra virgin olive oil we consume may not have the properties we think. A few years ago, studies proved that one of the biggest brands of extra virgin olive oil in the US did not recognize the standards established by the European registry. The US International Trade Commission published a report saying that international standards for extra virgin olive oil addressed forced qualities to strengthen trade. So it is always good to reinforce the care with the information that the industry gives us, so that we are not deceived.

Applying olive oil to dry skin

Olive oil on dry skin acts as a moisturizer. When your skin is showing symptoms of dryness, apply a drop of olive oil to the dry area and spread it in a circular motion.

Olive oil is also a natural ally in household cleaning. To find out how to use it for this purpose, take a look at the article: "Five Household Tricks for Using Olive Oil as a Cleaning Product."

Applying olive oil to oily skin

Even those with oily skin can use olive oil. Just mix half a cup of clay tea with water (use the drops of water little by little so as not to go past the point of paste) until you get a thick paste.

Then add ten drops of tea tree essential oil and two tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well and apply to face, before bed, for 20 minutes. Wash with water.

olive oil in the hair

The fat present in the oil prevents the hair from drying out and acts as a moisturizing film for the strands. If your hair needs heavy hydration, mix half a cup of olive oil with half a cup of coconut oil and apply all over your scalp and hair. Leave on for 30 minutes and rinse well.

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makeup remover

Olive oil also works as a great make-up remover. To do this, just drop two drops of lavender essential oil into two tablespoons of olive oil and apply it with cotton in the place where you want to remove the makeup.

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