Olive oil has many uses in many different areas of our lives.
Some of the most common uses are the following:
Olive oil as a food in the kitchen
Olive oil is a vegetable fat used mainly as a food. It provides 9 kcal per gram. Our bodies use it mainly as a source of energy and as a source of fatty acids needed to build and maintain cell membranes.
The most common uses of olive oil in the kitchen are:
- For dressing salads and seasoning meat and other foods.
- As an ingredient in sauces, such as mayonnaise, aioli, and vinaigrettes.
- In Mediterranean countries, it is commonly used to fry food, including meat, fish, potatoes, eggplant, and croquettes. (Tips for frying with olive oil and the advantages of frying with olive oil.)
- Olive oil is served in some high-end restaurants with bread as a starter, sometimes replacing butter.
- Olive oil is also consumed raw at breakfast with toasted bread. In some regions, it is served with crushed tomatoes, garlic, salt, or sugar. (How to choose the best olive oil for breakfast).
- Olive oil can also be used as a preservative. Because it creates a barrier that limits contact with air, it has traditionally been used to preserve certain foods. This is why it is used in the canning industry: sardines in olive oil, tuna in olive oil, octopus in olive oil, and so on. It has also traditionally been used at home to preserve foods such as cheese and pork in olive oil or lard.
- Mild olive oils are increasingly used in baking. Olive oil can be used in cakes, cookies, and biscuits as an alternative to butter.
How olive oil can benefit our health
Olive oil has many health benefits, and more and more are being discovered through scientific research.
- Olive oil, together with a balanced diet and a little daily exercise, can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Olive oil can help to reduce total cholesterol levels, helping to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL). (How does olive oil help to reduce cholesterol?)
- Extra virgin olive oil with high levels of polyphenols helps to prevent triglycerides from oxidizing in the bloodstream and causing damage to blood vessels.
- Olive oil can help to reduce the Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio. Currently, this ratio is around 10, while experts suggest that it should be between 3 and 5. This ratio is so high today because the food industry uses many oils rich in Omega-6, such as sunflower oil, in processed foods. Since olive oil is mainly rich in Omega-9, replacing sunflower oil with olive oil helps to reduce this ratio.
- Olive oil also improves intestinal transit and can help with bad breath.
- Olive oil is often used as a gastric protector. Some mothers give their children a few tablespoons before they go out on weekends and consume alcohol.
- Some scientific studies have recently been carried out in which the consumption of olive oil has been associated with a lower incidence of certain types of cancer. In addition, a molecule found in olive oil, oleocanthal, has anti-inflammatory properties similar to those of ibuprofen, and some studies have demonstrated antitumor activity in vitro.
You can learn about all the benefits of olive oil in this article.
Olive oil in Christianity
Olive oil has an important role in both the Old and New Testaments and has traditionally been associated with anointing and religious ceremonies.
- The prophet Samuel anointed Saul with oil when he became King of Israel. The same ritual was associated with the anointing of other kings. The word Christ comes from the Greek word meaning “anointed”, referring to this tradition of anointing.
- Olive oil is also used as the basis for certain holy oils used in Christian rites, including the anointing of the sick and chrism, which is used in baptism and confirmation.
Other uses of olive oil
- Olive oil can be used as a homemade lubricant. It can help lubricate squeaky hinges and can also be used on certain chains and bicycle components.
- Olive oil can also provide temporary protection for metal parts against oxidation.
- In certain circumstances, olive oil has been used as a fuel for motor vehicles. This is highly unusual because olive oil is expensive compared with conventional fuels. For example, in Spain, some truck engines were modified after the Spanish Civil War so that they could run on olive oil.
- In ancient times, olive oil was widely used as fuel for oil lamps. Lower-quality olive oil, known as lampante olive oil, was traditionally used for this purpose. The term lampante is still used today to describe a category of olive oil that is not suitable for human consumption without further processing.