So you love cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil? Who doesn’t.
It’s the secret ingredient behind every great chef’s success in the kitchen – the ideal base for an incredible pasta sauce; the secret ingredient in that rich chocolate cake; and it’s oh so tasty with fresh crusty bread.
And you know how good Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is for you.
It’s free of trans fat, cholesterol and salt, rich in vitamins, packed full of antioxidants, and proven to lower levels of blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and minimise the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes – three of the biggest killers in Australia.
But did you know that not all extra virgins are created equal?
In a recent study by internationally credited labs, commissioned by the Australian Olive Association, half of all imported oil labelled EVOO on our supermarket shelves do not meet the Australian Standard or International standards for Olive Oil.
Not only that, almost half of the imported olive oils in our shops have been refined – often using nasty chemicals that strip away the good stuff.
Even worse, studies have shown that for many imported olive oils, what’s on the label isn’t always what’s in the bottle!
In 2013, the European Union declared that olive oil is the number one product most at risk of food fraud – which means your extra virgin could have just about anything in it.
It could be a Greek olive oil masquerading as Italian – or could contain cheap and environmentally damaging oils, like palm oil.
Whether you’re using olive oil for its great taste, or its proven health benefits, you want to be sure that you know what’s going into your body.
The good news?
Australian olive producers have taken action!
The Australian Olive Oil Association has created a code of practice to ensure that you can confidently buy the very best EVOO – fresh, pure, certified 100% Australian EVOO – just make sure you look out for brands that carry the triangle certification symbol.
Australia really is the lucky country for growing olives – we’re blessed with an incredible climate, and our farmers are at the top of their game, using best practices and sustainable farming methods to grow and harvest some of the world’s top olives.
And that’s no exaggeration.
Aussie olive farmers are rightly proud of what they do, acclaimed around the world – from Italy to Japan to the United States – for producing some of the tastiest and highest quality EVOO you can buy.
So if you want the best possible taste and the freshest, healthiest oil (and you also want to support local farmers at the same time) look for the certified quality seal and get fresh with a local Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil today, and every day!