What are the main nutrients of olive oil?
Olive oil is most beneficial plant fat for health that exists. We don’t say it, there are infinite studies that prove it! Just as the relationship between a regular consumption of EVOO and a lower prevalence of heart disease and certain types of cancer is more than proven. The Mediterranean diet is wonderful!
And if this is possible, it is thanks to the nutrient richness of our beloved liquid gold. Do you want to know what it is? Stay reading this post!
Olive oil nutrients
What are all those nutrients in olive oil that give it so many beneficial properties?
We can divide them into three large groups:
- essential fatty acids.
- Vitamins and minerals.
- polyphenols and antioxidants.
Olive oil fatty acids
To explain what nutrients the oil has, we have to start with the first and most important ones, which are the ones that are in their composition to a greater extent.
Yes, we are talking about the fatty acids of olive oil. In general, there are three types of essential fats and Our adored EVOO contains all three: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated.
There are some specific fatty acids that are worth mentioning, because they maximize the nutritional value of the oil:
- Oleic acid (omega-9). It constitutes between 70 and 80% of the fat content of extra virgin olive oil. And if something is known for its beneficial effects on health! Oleic acid helps, fundamentally, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- linoleic acid (omega-6). It represents about 3-14% of the fat content of the oil and is also essential for health, because it helps reduce body fat and improve muscle mass, among many other benefits.
- Alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). Although in smaller quantities, the Olive oil has omega-3, which is wonderful for the heart and the brain.
Olive oil vitamins
Let’s continue with the rest of the nutrients of olive oil, it’s time to talk about vitamins!
Although we have already told you many times What vitamins does olive oil have? And surely you are clear that there are not a few, we are going to remind you which are some of the most important:
- Vitamin E (tocopherol). It is a powerful antioxidant that protects our cells from oxidative damage. Extra virgin olive oil contains approximately 14 milligrams of vitamin E for every 100 milligrams. Come on, it gives us more than 50% of the amount of vitamin E we need per day!
- Vitamin K. It is one of the essential vitamins of olive oil for blood clotting and maintaining our bone health.
Polyphenols and other oil nutrients
The wonderful nutritional value of EVOO is due not only to the fats and vitamins it contains, but also to polyphenols.
In case you didn’t know Polyphenols are antioxidant compounds of olive oil that favor the anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects of this product. Among the most notable we find the oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol and oleocantal.
In addition, other beneficial nutrients of olive oil are:
- The Phytosterols, which reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine, helping us maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels. Every 100 milligrams of liquid gold contain about 100-200 mg of phytosterols.
- The squalene, a compound that acts as an antioxidant and protects our skin.
- The Volatile phenolic compounds, which in addition to providing us with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, contribute to the distinctive aroma and flavor of our EVOO.
Looking for an oil with good nutrients? Choose Beloleum
You may be asking yourself this question: Do all oils provide the same nutrients as the rest? The answer is simple: Of course not! As with apples, eggs or meat, not all oils are the same.
There are oils of superior quality, which we can catalog within the premium products label. On the other hand, others have standard nutritional information and nothing remarkable, especially those who do not have careful production. That is why it is essential to choose well the vegetable oils that we put in our kitchen!
Are you in doubt on which one to choose? then you have to try the beloleum, with unsurpassed nutritional value. This is so because behind our olive oil there are three key ingredients:
- History. The origin of our Almazara, located in the Campo de Belchite region, dates back to 1879, so we can affirm that our raw material is legendary. And that is synonymous with high quality!
- Variety. We make three different varieties of EVOO, and we do it using two main types of olives: Empeltre and Arbequina. The first is an autochthonous variety of Aragon that is only grown in the Ebro Valley, which is why it is so appreciated all over the world. The second, for its part, is one of the most popular Spanish varieties due to its flavor and its multiple properties.
- Quality. We not only care about taking care of the quality of our olive trees and their fruit, but also about maximizing the quality of the production process of our oil, from the collection of olives to the last detail of the final packaging, passing through its spectacular bottling.
All this could be summed up in a single sentence: Beloleum is not just an oil, we are talking about a Gourmet oil. If you want you can check it on the nutritional label that accompanies each of our bottles, or testing it directly, because its flavor says it all!
Do you dare to enjoy the nutrients of beloleum oil? The sooner you do it, the better for your health!
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