Olive Oil Resources
An ancient delicacy that continues to enhance modern foods and healthy lifestyles
- california olive oil -
harvest
pressing
Orchards
Artisan California Olive Oil
A Culinary Adventure - It's what makes our California Olive Oil special
Premium artisan olive oil grown and produced in California has a very distinctive flavor that that reflects eclectic California style, and taste. Our palette has a diverse range of flavors that complement a healthy, active lifestyle and complement our healthy and delicious cuisine. We have a flavor for everyone!
Olive Oil Health Benefits
Olive oil is made from the crushing and then subsequent pressing of olives. The fact that olives are rich in oil is reflected in the botanical name of the olive tree—Olea europea—since the word “oleum” means oil in Latin. Olive oil is available in a variety of grades, which reflect the degree to which it has been processed. Extra virgin olive oil is derived from the first pressing of the olives and has the most delicate flavor and strongest overall health benefits.
Thanks to its status as a spotlight food in the Mediterranean Diet, and thanks to extensive research on its unique phytonutrient composition, olive oil has become a legendary culinary oil with very exceptional health benefits. Olive oil is high in phytonutrients, no single category of nutrients is more important than its polyphenols. The polyphenol content of this delicious oil is truly amazing!
Most of the polyphenols in this list have been shown to function both as antioxidants and also as anti-inflammatory nutrients in the body. The very number and variety of polyphenols in olive oil helps explain the unique health benefits of this culinary oil.
Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
It’s unusual to think about a culinary oil as an anti-inflammatory food. Plant oils are nearly 100% fat, and in a general dietary sense, they are typically classified as “added fats.” Intake of too much added dietary fat can be a problem for many reasons—including reasons involving unwanted inflammation. So it’s pretty remarkable to find a culinary oil that’s repeatedly been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and provide health benefits in the area of unwanted inflammation. Yet that’s exactly the research track record that describes extra virgin olive oil.
The anti-inflammatory strength of olive oil rests on its polyphenols. These anti-inflammatory compounds include at least nine different categories of polyphenols and more than two dozen well-researched anti-inflammatory nutrients. Research has documented a wide variety of anti-inflammatory mechanisms used by olive oil polyphenols to lower our risk of inflammatory problems.
In heart patients, olive oil and its polyphenols have also been determined to lower blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a widely used blood measurement for assessing the likelihood of unwanted inflammation. They have also been found to reduce activity in a metabolic pathway called the arachidonic acid pathway, which is central for mobilizing inflammatory processes.
These anti-inflammatory benefits of extra virgin olive oil do not depend on large levels of intake. As little as 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil per day have been shown to be associated with significant anti-inflammatory benefits.
What is Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
Extra virgin is the highest quality and most expensive olive oil classification. It should have no defects and a distintive flavor of fresh olives.
It must be produced entirely by mechanical means(the definition of Cold Pressed ) without the use of any solvents or heat that will degrade the oil.
It's not easy to produce extra virgin olive oil. A producer must use fresh olives in good condition and monitor every step of the process with great care. Extra virgin olive oil doesn't stay that way, even in perfect storage conditions, the oil will degrade over time, so it's important to enjoy it within its two-year shelf life.
How to Store Olive Oil & Balsamic
Olive oil and balsamic is best stored in a dry, dark place, such as your kitchen cabinet. Olive Oil will stay fresh with the cap tightly sealed (air), out of the sunlight and away from the stove (heat). Balsamic can be stored indefinitely. (Our balsamic is already aged and continues to get better with time!)
Why is LunaOlivo Better?
How does California artisan olive oil compare to what’s on the grocery store shelf?
Most olive oils on the grocery store shelfs come from places other than California and have, most likely, been diluted with inferior oils such as canola, peanut, or vegetable oils. They often sit on the shelf for a long time and are no longer fresh at the time of purchase. Most grocery store olive oils are not freshly harvested or infused with natural ingredients, like our olive oils. Cheap olive oil infusions are done with artificial flavoring extracts, not with fresh ingredients like LunaOlivo olive oil.
The quality and flavor difference of LunaOlivo Artisan Olive Oils is unsurpassed. Their full aroma and fresh flavor will enhance every meal. Enjoy!