Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Characteristics, Nutritional Properties and Health Benefits Fragrant, tasty and a great friend of the heart and health: let's discover the many virtues of EVO oil, the functional food par excellence

What is EVO oil?

Different types of oil can be obtained from olives, each of which has a different commercial classification and a different quality level.

EVO oil is the now commonly used abbreviation to refer to extra virgin olive oil: the acronym was coined to distinguish and differentiate extra virgin olive oil from olive oil, because the two are not at all the same thing!

Characteristics and nutritional properties of EVO oil

Extra virgin olive oil is a highly energetic food (899 Kcal per 100 ml) made up of 99.9% lipids and is by far the condiment with the best balance of fats; in particular, it is:

• Cholesterol-free.
• Extremely rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (over 77%): oleic acid 76%.
• Provides 8% polyunsaturated fatty acids: linoleic acid 7.1% and linolenic acid 0.7%.
• Low in saturated fats (about 15%): palmitic acid 11%, stearic acid 3.2%, and arachidonic acid 0.8%.

The high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid, makes EVO oil particularly resistant and stable at high temperatures. The optimal ratio between omega 6 and omega 3, similar to that of breast milk, makes it the best fat for everyone's diet, including weaning babies. In addition to this particular composition, we must not overlook the presence of minor components that are very interesting from a biological point of view:

• Polyphenols: substances with a powerful antioxidant action whose content is directly proportional to the bitter and spicy notes of the oil; higher quality oils can contain well over 250 mg/kg.
• Vitamin E: a vitamin with strong antioxidant action, acts as a mild vasodilator, antithrombotic, and strengthens capillary walls; it regulates hormone production and tends to promote an increase in good cholesterol. 100 ml of EVO oil contains about 22.4 mg.
• Squalene: a substance with antioxidant action.