Olive oil is a Mediterranean staple that is enjoyed throughout the world by those that love its rich flavor and healthy properties.
Here, we will illustrate some of olive oil’s culinary uses, as well as its health benefits.
Culinary Uses
Olive oil has multiple uses in the kitchen.
It can be used as the main kitchen oil by those who prefer its flavor to vegetable oil, or others options such as butter. Be careful when cooking with it, however, as it has a lower smoke and burn temperature than most other oils.
Olive oil can also be used as the base of many delicious salad dressings. One easy way to dress up a salad is to add a quality extra virgin olive oil along with balsamic vinegar.
Olive oil can also be used with herbs as a tasty dip for breads.
Health Benefits
Olive oil is not only delicious, but it also has numerous health benefits.
It is packed with healthy fats, namely, of the monounsaturated variety. These fats actually help heart health and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Olive oil is also picked with antioxidants, which serve as a natural defense mechanism for your body. They can lower your risk of disease and promote heart health.
For gut health, olive oil has also been shown to be have antibiotic properties that fight against harmful gut bacteria.