Differences between virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil
Olive oil is the most used culinary complement in our daily diet , since it is added in a great majority of dishes such as salads, tuna, bread and others. Its attributes and nutritional qualities are highly beneficial for health, being antioxidant and rejuvenating the skin.
The differences between virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil seem invisible both in color and in taste, but they hide different properties and their use is more or less adequate according to the food and the culinary style.
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How is oil produced in general?
It is important to know in advance how the most famous seasoning on the globe is produced. Approximately 35 percent of the olive pulp is oil, and the only thing that interests us to make a profit.
In this way, When the fruit of the vineyards is collected, that useful percentage must be separated from the rest of the olive , which requires a very specific machinery that manages to provide the part that interests us and take advantage of the rest of the food for different use.
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Therefore, the most commonly used methods to obtain oil extraction are basically two: the traditional pressure method (pressing) which is the one that best conserves the properties of the oil, but which is also more expensive and slower, since it requires mostly human labor.
The second method is by centrifugation, a subcategory of pressing but that is mechanically and without using refined products. The product of the olive is crushed and then the liquid is separated from the solid. It is the most effective way and that all oil producers use.
What is the main difference between virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil?
The main differences between virgin olive oil and extra virgin oil lies in its extraction mode . That is, in its production mode by means of the olive. In the fermentation of the oil, the properties of one and the other are discovered. The degrees of fermentation to which they are exposed will result in the distinction of both oils.
Both the virgin olive oil and the extra virgin olive oil use traditional and mechanical extraction methods, but the extra virgin is classified as higher quality, with a fermentation that must not exceed 0.8 degrees centigrade and the note tasting does not fall below 6.5, which is the minimum.
On the other hand, virgin olive oil is a little less exquisite, since it allows a fermentation of 2 degrees Celsius and its tasting note drops one point below the extra virgin, standing at 5.5 for its certificate of quality.
How to detect a quality oil?
According to expert oil tasters, prestigious chefs and other culinary professionals, an immature virgin olive oil is distinguished by its touch of bitterness and itching, which indicates that the oil has not been well treated or has not completed the process well. fermentation.
In addition, they add, the color can be decisive, since the clarity or darkness of it reveals the state of purification of the product , as well as the temperature or exposure to sunlight to which the virgin olive oil has been subjected.
Basic recommendations for its consumption
In general terms, one or the other type of oil should never be underestimated, as the taste difference is minimal at the domestic level and only professionals would know how to detect the differences. As part of our Mediterranean diet, we do recommend the use of these oils , be virgin or extra because other variants are produced with methods of dubious quality.
As we mentioned before, both oils have excellent properties and bodily benefits, but we must avoid buying them of low quality since this can be harmful to health. Apart from its complementary use or alignment, the oil is also recommended to drink it in small quantities by breaking the fast, as well as using it as a skin protector by rubbing our hands with it.
