The Mediterranean Diet is the Heart Healthy Choice!

It is no surprise that olive oil is the base ingredient to most Mediterranean dishes.  The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean region and dates back to the beginning of civilization.  Olive trees are prevalent to the Mediterranean Basin due to its hot temperatures and dry soil type.  There are hundreds of varieties of olive trees grown all over the world, each with their own special characteristics.

If you enjoy olive oil, red wine, fresh fish and vegetables...then the Mediterranean diet is hands down the right choice for you!

It is a known fact that the Mediterranean diet lowers your overall risk of heart disease.  In fact, the FDA has issued a health claim for the consumption of olive oil.  See FDA's health claim by clicking here.

Below are some general guidelines to take into consideration when incorporating the Mediterranean diet into your life:

1) Consume plant based foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, etc. while limiting red meats and foods high in saturated fats.
2) Exercise regularly (4-5 times per week)
3) Substitute your animal fats (margarines and butters) with olive oil
4) Eat fish at least 1-2 times per week
5) Drink red wine, in moderation

The Mediterranean diet isn't so much about dieting and watching what you eat but rather choosing healthy fats.  Olive oil is the primary source of fat in this diet, particularly "extra virgin" olive oil which is loaded with polyphenols that have antioxidant properties, such as decreasing cancer and coronary heart disease mortality rates.  Refined oils have a low polyphenol content, common olive oil shows a medium content and virgin olive oil has the highest amount of polyphenols.  Theforefore it's highly recommended to use polyphenol-rich olive oil (extra virgin olive oil) as a main source of fat to achieve the greatest benefits against cardiovascular disease.

Live long, live healthy.  Enjoy.

What's a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and why is it so important when choosing a quality olive oil?

You might have seen the letters "PDO" on certain food products such as olive oils, cheeses, meats, etc but may not have paid much attention to it.  PDO stands for Protected Designation of Origin and relates to foods that are grown and processed in the same geographic region using recognized know-how and therefore  acquire unique properties from that particular area of origin.  Products with a PDO classification are considered to be 100% authentic and producers can therefore demand more for their product. 

Next time you go shopping for an extra virgin olive oil, I strongly urge you to consider buying a PDO olive oil.  Although slightly more expensive than other choices on the market, you can be sure you are not purchasing an inferior product or anything less than what is on the label.  Trust me when I say you WILL taste the difference!

Roasted Shrimp, Orzo and Feta Salad

Check out this healthy and delicious shrimp, orzo and feta salad recipe I discovered online on my quest to find a good weekend snack that is refreshing yet healthy.  Please make sure to use only the best extra virgin olive oil of course! 

75% of Imported Extra Virgin Olive Oils Failed Standards Test!

Fact: "Nearly three-quarters of samples of top-selling imported extra virgin olive oil brands failed to meet international standards for extra virgin olive oil according to a new report by researchers at the University of California, Davis, and in Australia. The oils failed from one of the following reasons: Being oxidized, poor quality, and/or adulterated with cheaper refined oils."

Source: UC Davis Olive Center
Press Release, April 2011

Is your olive oil really "Extra Virgin"?

Throughout the last few years, I have became utterly obsessed with all the positives associated with extra virgin olive oil.  Now when most of you think about extra virgin olive oil, you are most likely referring to that store bought Bertolli or Colavita stuff that retails for $6-$10/bottle.  If this is the case then you have not tried a pure, high quality extra virgin olive oil and we surely aren't on the same page here. 

These widely known, mass produced store brands are almost always not what they claim to be on the bottle's label.  Unfortunately, the U.S. has standards but does not regulate the olive oil business and therefore allows consumers to be mislead by large olive oil corporations who, many times, claim their oil is of extra virgin quality and is labeled as "Italian olive oil" when in fact the oil has been blended with oil which has been imported to Italy from countries like Spain, Tunisia, France, etc.  Even worse, it may not even be from olives altogether!  Many mass producers will sometimes adulterate their olive oil with cheaper oils such as hazelnut, sunflower and cotton seed oil in order to increase their profits!  Please don't be fooled though!  Much of the extra virgin olive oil exported from Italy is surely not what it claims to be.

The way I look at it, this is "legal fraud" and we the consumers are getting fooled and ripped off by these large oil corporations.  Let's help put an end to this altogether before all the small quality producers are driven out of business due to the readily available and cheap inferior oils out there. 

I'd like to share an very interesting article written a few years back by Tom Mueller called Slippery Business that may shock you. Enjoy.