“It tastes good, it’s good for you and it’s the ultimate condiment in the Mediterranean cuisine.
But how do you choose a good extra virgin olive oil?” That’s the question raised by the magazine Lifegate that seeks to discover the properties of this extract.
A product full of charm and rich in secrets.
For example: why do olive oils have different colors?
There is indeed an explanation, or rather three factors that affect the color of the oil: chlorophyll, carotene and ripeness.
" An interesting Lifegate article explains how carotene and chlorophyll are pigments that contribute to the color of the oil. During storage, chlorophyll degrades and the color of oil becomes more and more yellow. Carotene and chlorophyll have an antioxidant action" and that’s why "to safeguard chlorophyll, keep the oil in the dark".
Indeed color plays a crucial part in people’s choices of olive oil.
Some people prefer yellow shades of oil, others green ones, but one thing is certain you shall never use reddish oils.
The normal color of the olive oil can range "from green to yellow, with countless intermediate nuances. The greener the ‘younger’ i.e. obtained from unripe olives, rich in chlorophyll, a pigment which, as said, degrades over time. When oil is yellow it means carotene prevails and it is equally good. If the color tends to be orange-reddish, it means the oil has oxidized and it should not be used".
25 June 2021
