TLN Health News Heads-Up: Liquid Gold

By Sheryll Alexander

Just as more people are developing a nose and palate for international wines, many health-conscious food lovers are becoming more sophisticated about which olive oils they dip into.

It’s natural for wine lovers to appreciate olive oil’s wide range of flavors, from very grassy, bitter or peppery to almost sweet with wine-like hints of wood, fruits and nuts. In some ways, picking and crushing olives is very similar to wine making. The big difference, however, is that olive oil tastes best when it’s as fresh as possible while grape juice requires time and fermentation to transform it into a fine wine.

Olive oils’ distinct flavors depend partly on their individual terror (regions where olives belong to a specific appellation and share the same soil type and weather conditions). But they also depend on the varieties and combinations of olives, ripeness at picking time and crushing methods. And like wine, storage is an important factor for super-fresh, unrefined olive oils such as extra virgin since oxidation—caused by exposure to air or sunlight—deteriorates the oil until it becomes rancid. A good rule of thumb is to use olive oil within six months of purchase and to store it in a dark, cool place.

Read this interesting and informative article in full at Better Nutrition!