OUR EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OILS CHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND NUTRITIONAL FACTS
Olive oil is unique among vegetable oils in that it is produced from simply pressing the olives, without the use of solvents or an industrial refining process.
The extraction process preserves all the fruit’s natural substances in the extra-virgin oil, giving it a unique smell and taste typical of the production areas and of the varieties used.
But in addition to its pleasant characteristics, olive oil – and extra-virgin oil in particular – is important also for its nutritional characteristics.
Below is the nutrition information on our extra-virgin oils:
NUTRITION INFORMATION EU Regulation 1169/2011 |
Average values for 100 gr
|
| Energy | 3404 Kj / 828 Kcal |
| Fats | 92 g |
| of which: Saturated fatty acids | 13 g |
| Monounsaturated fatty acids | 73 g |
| Polyunsaturated fatty acids | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g |
| of which Sugars | 0 g |
| Dietary fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Salt | 0 g |
For olive oils whose chemical composition is verified, three nutritional and health claims among those recognized by EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) can be made and are legally allowed.
RICH IN MONOUNSATURATED FATS
Substituting saturated with unsaturated fats in the diet contributes to maintaining normal blood cholesterol levels.
The daily fat intake for an adult is 70 g, and choosing a fat rich in monounsaturated (such as olive oil) or polyunsaturated fatty acids (such as the majority of vegetable oils) over fats rich in saturated fatty acids (animal fats) contributes to maintaining normal blood cholesterol levels.
Furthermore, olive oil’s higher content of monounsaturated fatty acids compared to polyunsaturated ones makes it more stable during cooking.
Vitamin E contributes to protecting cells from oxidative stress
If a foodstuff contains a minimum amount of 1.8 mg of vitamin E per 100 g, it can be considered a “source of vitamin E”, whereas if it contains at least twice that amount (3.6 mg) it should be considered a food “high in vitamin E”.
Of course, a good extra virgin olive oil can contain more than 20 mg of vitamin E, or more than 166% of our daily requirements of vitamin E.
OLIVE OIL POLYPHENOLS
Olive oil polyphenols contribute to protecting blood lipids from oxidative stress.
The bitter, spicy flavor of good extra-virgin olive oils comes from the presence of special antioxidants called “olive oil polyphenols”.
These substances contribute to protecting blood lipids from oxidative stress; a daily intake of 20 grams of extra-virgin olive oil, which contains 25 mg of polyphenols, has a beneficial effect.
Given the bad condition of the olives due to the massive attack of the olive fly we decided not to harvest our olives in the 2014 oil campaign, we could not have met the quality standards that have always characterized us.