STORE CUPBOARD HERO
OLIVE OIL
This kitchen essential is more than a mere cooking companion or ingre dient for salad dressing
You probably use it every day without thinking, but olive oil comes with a host of health benefits. Rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, it can help lower ‘bad’ cholesterol and reduce risk of heart disease and stroke. Plus, it’s loaded with antioxidants (including vitamin E, which supports healthy skin and eyes), and has anti-inflammatory properties. It might even help protect against Alzheimer’s.
Regular olive oil may be cold-pressed (processed without heat or chemicals) or refined, or a blend of both. Extra-virgin olive oil is unrefined, extracted from the best quality, first pressing of the olives – which is reflected in its higher price. As with wine, there’s a dizzying range of artisan types made with different varieties of olive. About 90% of olives harvested globally are made into oil: it takes 5-10kg to make one litre.