Olives have been grown and used for thousands of years. The oil from olives was used for lamps and gradually became venerated as a symbol of wealth, fame and peace. The oil played an important role in religious ceremonies, and the victors of friendly conquests and even some bloody wars were crowned with a wreath of olive leaves.
During my childhood, small bottles of olive oil were sold in pharmacies with claims it could help treat dandruff or some skin problems. In the 1950s, I remember a family friend of ours started importing larger bottles of olive oil from Mediterranean countries. These were sold at the old Paddy’s Markets in Ultimo to Greek migrants who used it for cooking.
From their Mediterranean origins, olive trees were first brought to South Australia in 1836 and wild olives descended from these trees are still collected in parts of South Australia. Olive plantations were more widely established in the 1950s and 60s, and while olive oil was available, it did not achieve a major culinary role in Australia until the 1980s.
My own interest in olive oil began after Professor Ancel Keys and colleagues published their Seven Countries Study. This painstaking work carried out from 1958 to 1983 assessed coronary heart disease in 16 groups of middle-aged men in seven countries and found diet had dramatic effects. One of the major findings was a massive protection given by the traditional Mediterranean diets consumed by men in the cohorts from Crete and Southern Italy.
Mediterranean diets vary but their common factors include a high intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, seafood, grains (mostly unrefined) – and olive oil as the major source of fat in their regular daily diet.
What is in olive oil?
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. These are important in protecting the heart and reducing the ‘bad’ LDL form of cholesterol in the blood. Subsequent studies have shown that the unsaturated fatty acids in many vegetable oils (including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids) provide similar benefits for blood cholesterol levels.
Olive oil, however, has other components that are not found in other oils. These were once referred to as ‘minor’ factors, but research results confirm that ‘minor’ is an inappropriate descriptor for their unique roles in promoting health. We now call them phytonutrients.
More than 30 of these components in olive oil are now being studied and these give olive oil an edge over other oils. Some act as antioxidants, some reduce inflammation or prevent blood clots, others help control high blood pressure. And the latest research shows these components increase the balance of good bacteria in the intestine (known as the gut microbiome).
Which olive oil?
The way oil is processed from the olive fruit and the freshness of oil influence the valuable phytonutrients. Traditionally, olives were pressed onto straw mats and the oil gradually dripped through. Pressing now uses stainless steel equipment which results in a far superior product. Pressing the olives soon after picking, using no chemicals and no heat (hence the term cold-pressed) plus taste tests and laboratory tests to check no oxidation has occurred allow the oil to be classed ‘extra virgin’.
The taste tests identify the fruity, peppery, bitterness and pungency characteristics that come from the phytonutrients. It was my interest in these components that took me to Madrid many years ago to do the official course to become a qualified olive oil taster and judge. Courses for judges are now available here.
The olive oil industry in Australia has come a long way. Olive farmers have come to understand particular types of olives and their characteristics as well as the finer points of growing, harvesting and pressing. I well remember the first time olive oils were judged for the Sydney Royal Easter Show. We struggled to find oils worthy of any medal. At the most recent judging last September, literally dozens of oils were worthy of bronze, silver and gold medals.
Judging oils in September for the following year’s Sydney Royal Easter Show is relevant. Olives are harvested in the cooler months and the all-important flavour components decrease with time.
Freshness is a major reason to support Australian olive oil producers. Oils sent to Australia from Spain and other European countries may be cheaper, but they are usually ‘old’. They may retain beneficial effects for your cholesterol, but they lack the components that provide the true health benefits and flavour in a fresh quality extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil is not a product to put away as you might do with some fine wines. Freshness is the key health benefit from olive oil.
Products that don’t quite meet the criteria to qualify as ‘extra virgin’ will be labelled as ‘olive oil’ or sometimes ‘pure olive oil’. These oils may have had delays between picking and pressing which has led to a small amount of oxidation. They have usually lost some of the flavour that comes from the valuable phytonutrients.
The good news is that 85-90% of all Australian olive oils now meet the standards set for extra virgin oils. By comparison, in Europe, 25% of oils qualify as extra virgin, 25% are just olive oil and the remainder are what is known as lampante oils. This latter classification indicates that the oils have needed processing to remove impurities. They may be cheap but best to give them a miss!
Some Australian oils are also labelled as ‘light olive oil’. Many people mistakenly think this indicates less fat or fewer kilojoules. These oils have exactly the same fat and kilojoule content and the ‘light’ refers to extra processing to remove as much of the flavour as possible. That also destroys the special value of olive oil.
Avoid oils in clear glass or plastic bottles and store in a cool spot out of the sun (sunlight increases the risk some of the fats in the oil will oxidise.)
Cooking
It’s a myth that you can’t use extra virgin olive oil for frying. Tests of Australian extra virgin olive oils show they have a smoke point of 210°C – well above the recommended frying temperature of 180°C. This is because their high levels of phytonutrients prevent the oil oxidising during cooking.
Take home message
Enjoy this healthy oil and remember to buy Australian!