Olive oil is a wonderful oil, packed with numerous benefits for
the entire body. It is quite expensive though, and buying and storing it can be
a bit tricky. This discourages many from using it in their daily lives.
However, all of this can be overcome by using pomace olive oil. But what is it and how does it benefit you? Let’s
learn about it all.
What is Pomace
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a Mediterranean diet staple. It is obtained from olives
by pressing them which releases oil. This oil which you get through the first
pressing, without the use of any heat or chemicals, is called extra virgin
olive oil.
After its extraction, you are left with the pulp of olives which
still has a lot of oil in it. Hence, it is chemically processed using hexane,
to obtain more oil. This refined form of olive oil is called pomace olive oil. Although it is
considered to be low-grade oil, it retains olive oil’s inherent nutrients which
makes it an equally healthy oil for consumption. It is very stable and
therefore can be used for cooking purposes too.
Properties of Pomace Olive Oil
●
Colour- Greenish Gold
●
Odour- None
●
Taste- None
●
Smoking Point- 460°F (238°C)
●
Photosensitivity- Stable
●
Gluten Free- Yes
Benefits of Using Pomace Olive Oil for Cooking
Despite being refined, pomace olive oil is highly nutritious which
is why it is the best olive oil in India
that you can use in your daily meals. Let us take a look at all the advantages
of using this oil.
Health Benefits
●
Olive pomace oil contains high levels of monounsaturated fats
which are good fats that help to keep your cardiovascular system healthy and
happy. Being a cholesterol-free cooking oil you can easily use it in your meals without risking heart diseases like
atherosclerosis, cardiac arrest etc.
●
Pomace oil also helps to improve the health of your brain and
minimises the risk of stroke and diseases like Alzheimer’s.
●
It also helps to prevent many lifestyle diseases like obesity,
hypertension, type 2 diabetes and more.
●
Since pomace olive oil is packed with antioxidants it is also very
good to reduce oxidative stress and ill effects of free radicals on the body.
This works to decrease the risk of developing various types of cancers.
●
The anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of pomace oil
help to fight many infections and inflammation which further contribute to
keeping your heart and your overall body healthy.
Cooking Benefits
Apart from the obvious health benefits which you get from
consuming pomace olive oil, there
are many more advantages of using it over other cooking oils or virgin olive
oil.
●
Being a refined olive oil, it is much cheaper than virgin or extra
virgin olive oil which means you do not need to use it only for special
occasions but can use it every day.
●
Since pomace and extra light olive oil are refined, they do not contain the substances which make
their virgin counterparts light sensitive. This means you can store them
anywhere without the fear of them getting spoiled on exposure to light.
●
You can even buy large cans of these oils as they do not lose
their flavour with time so you can save more money as a smaller pack usually
costs higher.
●
Both pomace oil and extra
light olive oil can be heated without the fear of burning which makes them
ideal for cooking food. You can even use them for deep frying or baking which
require very high temperatures.
●
Since pomace oil doesn’t have any taste or smell of its own you
can use it in any type of dish and even for baking cakes. This feature makes it
ideal for Indian cuisine too.
How to Buy the Best Olive Oil in India
●
When you are buying olive oil in India, you have to make sure that
you are getting an authentic product. The best and easiest way to make sure of
this is by opting for a reputable brand.
●
Although pomace oil stays fresh and palatable for a long, you still
need to check the harvest and ‘expiry’ dates of the product.
●
There are many olive oils available in the market, some purely
olive oils and others blended with other cooking oils like safflower. So it all
depends on your preference. However, if you want to take full advantage of the
myriad health benefits which olive oil offers you, you must opt for pure olive
pomace oil only.
Conclusion
Pomace olive oil is one of the finest cooking oils available in the Indian market that works wonders for your health. So, if you too want better-tasting food in your life without compromising on health, switch to pomace oil.
