Habits to Help on Your Weight Loss Journey

Your habits truly make a difference when it comes to helping you maintain a healthy and fit lifestyle. We understand that sometimes, despite the fact that you might be feeling that you are doing everything in your power, you also might find that you are not truly achieving your weight loss goals! But this can all change by cultivating the right habits. Read on to know more.

Of all the things that you might be doing to lose weight or lead a healthier life, knowing and incorporating a few habits in particular can help brilliantly. These habits are effortless ones that you can easily add to even your busiest routines. So reason on and find out more.

Water Is Your Best Friend

We are sure that you have heard many a health professionals or websites mention that drinking a glass or two of water, first thing in the morning, helps you lose weight! Well, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Drinking atleast 1 full glass of water, on an empty stomach in the morning will has proven to aid the process of weight loss quite effectively.

There is a reason behind this amazing effect! Water is one element, that will help increase the amount of energy you use to do a certain activity, for almost and hour post its consumption. As a result of this, the more energy you use, the more calories you end up burning. Another benefit of drinking water on an empty stomach helps reduce your appetite, makes you feel fuller and decreases food intake in people as well. Essentially, it helps you to NOT overeat!

Anywhere between 2-3 liters of water in a day, is going to help you on your weight loss journey and also keep you hydrated throughout!

Pack Lunch

We understand that in this fast paced day and age, planning anything really seems to be redundant! But bear with us for a bit here! That takeout restaurant that you decide to order from almost everyday, might be a tempting option, but it really is not doing anything good for health! Have you ever thought of what all could be going into the food you decide to devour everyday? A lot of unhealthy stuff, that’s what!

So how can you save yourself from these unhealthy substances? Two simple words; Pack Lunch! All you have to do everyday, is to make a simple effort to pack your own lunch, as planning a meal will benefit you greatly and also prove to be an amazing catalyst when it comes to ushering in your weight loss goals! Remember, home-cooked meals are always better than those preservative laden foods you get from the markets/restaurants, since you know exactly what you are putting into your food!

High-Protein Breakfast

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day, and with good reason too! It is what you decide to eat for your breakfast everyday that determines and establishes a basis for the rest of the day! Whether you will give into that craving of yours or you will stay happily and comfortably full till your lunch time, is all determined by the kind of breakfast you decide to have in a day!

When you eat a high-protein breakfast, you end up saying bye bye to those mid morning cravings that hit you daily, resulting in you indulging in something that would definitely not be great for your health! As a result of this, you also end up paving an easier path to your weight loss goals, since you are not exactly stuffing your face with anything unhealthy! There is also the possibility that protein might help reduce the production of the ghrelin hormones (also known as the ‘hunger hormone’), thus making you feel fuller for longer!

The Good kind of Fat:

The whole concept of weight loss seems to center around fat-free foods and the likes, but this could be anything but beneficial. Fats are an essential part of your diet and going 'fat-free' never did much good to anyone. The trick lies in knowing what kind of fat to use. Healthier fats like extra light olive oil or refined pomace olive oil can easily be used for cooking on a daily basis.

Shallow fried goodies too are healthier when made with low cholesterol cooking oil such as these. The right kind of fats will not only.add to your health but will also help maintain your weight loss goals

Ofcourse, portion control still matters, but with a low fat cooking oil like the Leonardo Olive Oil, you can seldom go wrong.

There is a reason why olive oil has become such a huge deal in the health industry and this is precisely why. And for all the fitness enthusiasts out there, extra virgin olive oil can become your best buddy when it comes to.helping dress up that gorgeous salad.

The Bottom Line:

All in all, by merely adopting a few simple habits in the morning and making them a part of your daily routine, you will definitely be able to achieve your weight loss goals in a steady and effective way!    

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Olive Oil Recipes That You Need to Try Now!

Versatility is olive oil's middle name when it comes to its utilization in one's daily diet. But how does one incorporate all these amazing varieties of the oil in their diet? Well, to help you make that decision here are a few recipes for you to try!

Olive oil, which happens to be one of the best low fat cooking oil that can be found in almost any grocery store, truly has proven its mettle when it comes to being able to be versatile in terms of usages in diets.

From using olive cooking oil even in salads, olive oil can be used for making marinades and also dressing that gorgeous salad too, you cannot deny how amazingly versatile the oil is.

Seeing as we are talking about the versatility of one of the healthiest cooking oil available to us, we have here a few recipes that will prove this point as well! Read ahead!

Spaghetti With Olive Oil, Chilli and Garlic

This might seem like the most basic of pasta sauces but trust us when we tell you that this just might be the most delicious.  

Ingredients:

● 400g spaghetti

● 200ml extra virgin olive oil

● 3 finely chopped garlic

● 1 whole red chilli chopped or 1 tbsp red chilli flakes

● Finely chopped flat leaf parsley or basil (handful) 

● Salt to taste

● 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

● Bringing water in a pot to boil with a little sprinkling of salt.

● Cook the spaghetti until al dente.

● Simultaneously heat the oil in a frying pan over low heat.

● Fry the garlic for 1-2 minutes on low heat so that it doesn't burn. Keep stirring with a spatula this spreads the flavour across the oil.  

● Add the chilli and parsley and stir for a minute and add 2 tbsp of the pasta water to the sauce.

● Sprinkle salt and cook for 3 minutes

● Drain the spaghetti and add it immediately to the sauce. 

● Toss and serve hot. 

Baked Potatoes

Talk about comfort food and this is a recipe that definitely comes to mind without a doubt! Simple yet delicious and made essentially with only 3 ingredients. Need one ask for more?

Ingredients:

● 6 large potatoes

● 4 tablespoons Olive oil

● Salt to taste

● Seasoning (optional)

Method

● Preheat your oven to 350-degree Fahrenheit or 180 degree Celsius. 

● Don't worry if you do not have an oven, you can also use a convection microwave for the same. 

● Next, prick your potatoes from all directions using a fork and brush them with olive oil.

● All you need to do now is to put those potatoes in the oven or microwave, but do remember to sprinkle a little salt over them before you put them inside. 

● Bake for an hour and serve hot.

Simple Vinaigrette Dressing

Salads are supposed to be fresh and refreshing, but sometimes those heavy mayo based dressings might not do that for you! Enter the simple vinaigrette! Light and fresh, vinaigrette makes for amazing dressings to keep the salad light and fresh! Check out this brilliant recipe!/ 

Ingredients:

4 tbsp red wine

● 2 tsp mustard paste (preferably whole grain)

● ½ tsp ground black pepper

● 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

● Salt to taste

Method:

● Add all the ingredients into the jar  and screw the lid on tight

● Now shake! 

● Remember to keep shaking till the oil gets emulsified with the other ingredients. You will be able to see this when the oil is not floating at the top end and all the ingredients seem to have been combined well.  

● Even if the vinaigrette does not get consumed fully, you can easily screw the jar lid back on and store it in the fridge for another day!. 

● Remember to shake before pouring over your salad. 

Tzatziki 

A classic middle eastern dish, tzatziki makes for one of the best dips that you might have ever come across. Simple, light and refreshing yet immensely delicious, this is definitely one of the most healthy recipes you will ever come across.

Ingredients

● 1 cup grated cucumber

● 1 clove garlic, minced and chopped finely

● Salt to taste

● 1/2 teaspoon pepper

● 1 1/2 cup hung Yogurt

● 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

● Dash of olive oil

Method

● Combine all the ingredients in one bowl and chill in the fridge for at least one hour

● Serve cold

The Bottom Line

All the 4 recipes that have been listed above are one of the healthiest cooking oil that one can find in the market. From using extra virgin olive oil to pomace olive oil, all the varieties of olive oils available can truly prove to be a brilliant thing to add to your daily diet.

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Add These Ingredients to Your Daily Diet to Make It Healthy

It is said that a healthy diet makes up 70% of a healthy lifestyle and we could not agree more. By altering your daily diet and introducing it to certain, specific ingredient like the right kind of protein or the right kind of fats, its half the battle won. So here are a few ingredients that we truly swear by.

We understand that you feel and look healthy on a daily basis. But trust us, you don’t want to go all-out crazy following any and every diet that you come across because even a low fat diet might not help you much in this context. You don’t even have to follow a diet in the first place. All you need are the right ingredients.

Here are a few ingredients that can help you do just that. Read on.

• Olive Oil:

Though this might sound slightly counter productive but a good daily diet needs a healthy fat to make the meals wholesome and nutritious. This is where the need for the right kind of oil comes into play. Enter the best cooking oil for health olive oil!

Olive oil health benefits are numerous and adding this magical ingredient to your daily intake will help you derive and use those benefits to the fullest. Olive oil is known to contain the fatty acid MUFA or Monounsaturated Fatty Acids also known as oleic acid. This MUFA is said to help reduce issues like inflammation while fighting against diseases like cancer too. If that was not enough an olive oil like Leonardo olive oil also contains polyphenols. These polyphenols help protect the body from problems like cardiovascular diseases to say the least.

Usage of olive hair oil and olive oil for face has become common too, so the versatility of the oil in itself is incredible.

• Beans and Legumes:

Beans and Legumes are an exceptionally rich sources of fiber and Vitamin B, and are an amazing source of plant protein, especially for vegetarians and vegans alike! Beans such as chickpeas are brilliant when it comes to helping you get the right kind of nutrition to your daily diet. Peas, green peas we mean, for that matter are famous for being able to reduce cholesterol levels in people who are suffering from high cholesterol levels and have a high concentration of bad cholesterol in their blood.

Everyone likes Rajma Chawal, do they not? Well, did you know that Rajma has also proven to be one of the many foods out there that helps in reducing the overall body’s fat mass leaving more muscle in its stead? Isn’t that brilliant? Who would have thought that such an amazingly delectable thing as rajma (kidney beans) can prove to be so an asset when it comes to helping become healthier on a daily basis?

Beans and legumes are exceptionally versatile and delicious foods, and when added to your daily diet, also help in you get better nutrition out of your everyday meals!

• Oats:

Yes, that soupy white porridge you have always tried to stay away from might just come back to haunt you during your healthy eating goals! But don’t worry, because oats are anything but bland! We know it is hard to believe, but the best part about oats is that they can literally take in any flavour that you decide to introduce to them!

Apart from the porridge, that somehow everyone seems to be so averse to, why not try eating a bowlful of overnight oats, soaked in coconut milk and drizzled with nuts and fresh mangoes? Sounds decadent, doesn’t it? That is the beauty of oats! You can literally mould it to a form what you want it to taste like! Oats, being a gluten-free grain, will help you beautifully on your journey of eating healthier on a daily basis. Dieticians also highly recommend oats as a healthy ingredient to introduce to your diet.

• Whole Eggs:

Touted to be one of the best foods that can be added to your daily diet to make it healthier, whole eggs have been making a comeback on the scene for quite some time now! High in proteins and healthy fats, eggs are the best when you want to end up feeling fuller without all the added calories.

When you indulge in some good old eggs for breakfast, you end up feeling fuller throughout the day, as a result of which, binge eating is reduced a great amount! Another great benefit of consuming eggs is that since they are nutrient-rich, you can literally get a lot of nutrients from the same food and not have to consume a variety of foods to get those nutrients!

The Bottom Line:

It can clearly be deciphered that the ingredients of a diet can make or break the health factor in it. That is why it is important to know what ingredients to include in the diet which to skip. We hope that this has been an informative article on that front! 

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Here Is How Olive Oil Helps in Improving Skin Health

Everyone wants flawless skin and healthy and shiny hair and we do tend to resort to every expensive treatment out there or use products in the market that we think might just work for us. However, more often than not we tend to forget that many things, that are simply present in our pantry, could prove to be better skin and hair care products.

This is where olive oil comes into the fray. An olive oil skin care routine, when done right, could yield some amazing results that not even the most expensive of products can give. By simply including the best olive oil for skin and hair daily, you could end up achieving the flawless skin and hair you had always wanted. Here are a few ways that the olive oil can be used to do just that!

• The Moisture Trapper:

No matter how many moisturizers you apply, if you skin is not moisturized from within, then even the most expensive of moisturizers will not work on your skin. However, when you pick the best olive oil for skin, you ensure that you end up moisturizing your skin from within as well as from the surface.

Even during the winters, olive oil is known to moisturize your skin deeply and adds a brilliant glow to your skin as a whole. Not only this, but olive oil also helps in healing the cracked knees and elbows and decreases the darkening on them that has been caused due to the dryness itself.

• Goodbye Wrinkles

Wrinkles are not merely something that appear in elderly folks. Anyone can develop due to a number of reasons. Olive oil might just help your skin ease out those wrinkles in the best way possible and give your skin a smooth and flawless finish. Regular application of olive oil onto the skin helps do just this.

This is essentially due to the fact that olive oil has antioxidants and vitamin E and these are the main components that helps your skin stay wrinkle free. So we are sure that upon hearing this a lot of you would want to try this amazing product on your skin.

• Nailing it

How many times in your life have you had to face the issue of brittle nails and dry nail beds? We are sure that many times. The good thing however is that there is a simple solution to this problem, olive oil. If you someone who uses nail paints constantly, then we are sure you would have noticed that your nails would have lost their natural color by now and would have become dry.

Extra virgin olive oil is what could help you wonderfully in this aspect. By simply massaging your nails and nail beds with extra virgin olive oil and leaving it to get absorbed by the skin will go a long way in helping you evade dry and brittle nails effectively.

• No Environmental Damage:

Another great thing about olive oil skin care routines is that the antioxidant properties of olive oil help protect skin cells against environmental damage and inflammation as well.  What this kind of damage can cause include everything from premature ageing to possible signs of irritation and redness of the skin.

• The Makeup Remover:

Olive oil happens to be one of the greatest products that can help in the breaking down of waxy substances like mascaras and eyeliners. This holds true even for the waterproof variety. The great thing about olive oil acting as a makeup remover is that it happens to be extremely gentle during the makeup removing process. It leaves the skin moisturized, particularly the skin around the eyes which happen to be super sensitive.

However, what you need to understand is that despite the wiping off of the makeup by the olive oil might appear like the makeup has been removed, but the truth is that olive oil has merely broken down the makeup. To truly finish the removal process, following up with a good cleanser, post the olive oil stage, is important.

• The Healer:

The many anti-inflammatory ingredients found in olive oil can prove to be immensely helpful in aiding a wound healing process. Components called triterpenes, present in most plant oils, especially in olive oil, help aid the body in many biological reactions.

These reactions also include those necessary for the healing of wounds like cell migration and collagen deposition as well. These processes help deal with wound healing by reducing the time a wound takes to close.

The Bottom Line:

Natural olive oil makes for the best olive oil for skin without a doubt! Not only does it provide your skin with tons of benefits, but at the end of the day, it also makes it look flawless and natural (when used regularly, of course). So the next time you decide to introduce a new product into your skin care routine, let olive oil be the first thing you think of!

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Benefits of Cooking With Olive Oil

There are a lot of misunderstandings about which could possibly be the best oil for cooking available on the market. When it comes to cooking with olive oil, it is of the utmost importance that certain myths are cleared to have a clear understanding of the benefits it has to offer.

 Used widely in salads and pasta, unbeknownst to many, olive oil does make for a great cooking oil. This holds true, especially for low calorie recipes. If however, you are still unsure about using olive oil such as olive pomace oil in your daily diet, here are a few benefits that could potentially change your mind!

What Makes Olive Oil the Best Oil for Cooking?

 You might have come across the fact that Mediterranean diet, probably the healthiest diet in the world, actually uses olive oil as a part of it.  this liquid gold is praised for nothing. This is essential because olive oil happens to be healthier than most other oils available on the market thanks to its amazing nutrient content. So, taking the praise further, here are a few benefits that you ought to know about this liquid gold in question!

Contains MUFA or Monounsaturated Fatty Acids

Olive oil is basically extracted from the olive fruit that comes from the olive tree and we are sure that by now everyone knows this. Did you also know that this low fat cooking oil also happens to have the maximum amount of monounsaturated fatty acids in it? This especially holds true when it is compared to other dietary fats.

The dominant fatty acid present in olive oil is MUFA or Monounsaturated Fatty Acids. Also known as oleic acid, it is said to help reduce issues like inflammation while fighting against diseases like cancer too. Because MUFA is quite resistant to heat too, olive oil like refined pomace olive oil makes for an ideal oil for cooking.

Boosts Heart Health

Olive oil, which contains polyphenols, helps protect the body from atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Apart from this, this low-fat cooking oil is also known to prevent excessive blood clotting in the body. If that was not enough, olive oil also prevents the oxidation of cells in the body, lowers blood pressure and improves the health of the blood vessel linings.

Fights against Alzheimer’s

Did you know that Alzheimer’s happens to be the most common neurodegenerative disease in the whole world? What Alzheimer’s results in are the build-up of substances called beta-amyloid plaques inside the brain cells. Through a lot of research, though not all of them have been conclusive, it has been found that one or more substances present in olive pomace oil could prove to be useful in removing these plaques from the brain cells.

Another proof of this has been found in people who follow the Mediterranean diet. People who follow the Mediterranean diet have been found to have better brain functioning when compared to people who do not consume olive oil on a regular basis.

Prevents Inflammation

Were you aware of the fact that chronic inflammation happens to be a leading cause of diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, arthritis and even cancer? The good thing is that antioxidants like oleocanthal, present in this low fat cooking oil, perform anti-inflammatory duties and help reduce inflammation to a great extent.

Helps Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

One of the main characteristics of this autoimmune disease is basically painful joints which also might be deformed in nature. The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis has yet to be determined, but it has been found that it takes place when the immune system ends up attacking healthy and normal cells by mistake.

Many studies have shown that components present in olive pomace oil help reduce inflammation in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. This is also true, particularly in cases where the consumption of olive oil is combined with fish oil as well since fish oil too has anti-inflammatory properties.

Good For Gut And Liver Health

Another brilliant benefit of olive pomace oil is that the phenols that are present in it help to boost gut health and intestinal immunity. The phenols do this by helping change microbes in our body’s digestive tract. This property can prove to be particularly beneficial to people who suffer from health issues like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease etc.

Antibacterial in Nature

Another wonderful thing about olive oil is that it has specific nutrients that stagnate and even kill harmful bacteria that might be present in our bodies. A bacterium called Helicobacter pylori is the main reason for the occurrence of ulcers in the stomach. As a result of these ulcers, one might even end up developing stomach cancer.

Many tests have shown that among the olive oil benefits that one can experience in their body, extra virgin olive oil, being the healthiest cooking oil one can find, helps fight around 8 strains of this bacterium, despite the fact that 3 of them are also resistant to antibiotics.

The Bottom Line:

The praise that olive oil has received in its journey of helping people lead a healthier life, is not hollow by a long shot! The benefits listed above are merely a meagre representation of what this brilliant liquid golden oil can do for one’s health when consumed on a regular basis! 

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Oil Essentials- The 5 Healthiest Cooking Oils

Cooking is an art and to produce the best results it is important to have the right ingredients as well as the right method. What you have in stock in your pantry can of course determine your health to a great extent. However, the method of usage of those ingredients needs to be kept in mind. Hence in order to make sure that we are on the same page, we want to start off by telling you about the 5 healthiest cooking oil in the market you need to start cooking with.

Oil-free cooking might sound extremely healthy, but in order to make ANY diet healthier, a little amount of oil NEEDS to be used. Going completely oil-free will only be counterproductive in the long run. It is important to thus learn about the healthiest oils available at your disposal to cook healthier and better. Read on to find out more about them.

Olive Oil:

Well, for obvious reasons, olive oil does end up topping our list of the best cooking oil available to us. Among the many health benefits of olive oil helps with the following:

● Olive oil is great for people with heart concerns. It helps maintain good cholesterol.

● Olive oil helps improve brain health as well as it  contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

● Olive oil is also a great oil to increase body metabolism, thus helping with weight loss

Usages:

● Extra virgin oil helps with making salad dressings, breads and even dips.

● Can easily be used for mild cooking like roasting or baking.

● You can also use olive oils for salads, marinating meat, fish and vegetables

Rice Bran Oil:

A cholesterol-friendly oil that contains a variety of nutrients, rice-bran oil is the second one on the list. Have a look at its benefits here:

● Rice bran oil is a brilliant source of unsaturated fats and vitamin E.

● It improves insulin resistance in our bodies and maintains the right blood sugar levels.

● Rice Bran oil has also been known to improve oral health and bad breath when used as the oil pulling routine.

Usages:

● Rice bran oil is wonderful when it comes to frying and baking, and its mild flavour is not overpowering in the least.  

● It can easily be used in soups, dressing etc.

● You can also use rice bran broth to reduce any skin rashes caused due to allergies.

Flaxseed Oil

Made by cold-pressing flax seeds, flaxseed oil/linseed oil is another healthy cooking oil to use. Here are some of its benefits:

● Contains active compounds like magnesium and calcium among other important minerals.

● Flaxseed oil helps ease menopause symptoms and improves life quality & life expectancy.

● Improvement of gut health has also been noticed in people who consume flaxseed oil because it has laxative properties thus relieving constipation problems.

However, it is important to consult your doctor before you decide to switch to using flaxseed oil as it could affect people with underlying health conditions.

Sesame Oil

Produced from both raw or toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil is the 4th oil we stand by. Its benefits speak for themselves:

● Sesame seeds, in their raw form, contain high amounts of vitamin B, proteins and antioxidants.

● Cooking with sesame oil is also known to protect from sun damage.

● Upon regular consumption, sesame oil has also been found to help improve bone health as it has a lot of calcium present in it.

Usages:

Sesame oil can be used in a variety of ways.

● These could include stir-fries, salads and even marinades.

● Regular usage of sesame oil on stretch marks has also been known to help them fade faster.

Canola Oil

This chemically refined oil has one of the highest smoking points when it comes to the healthier oils available to us. That, however, does not take anything away from its health benefits.

● Canola oil is extremely rich in omega-6 fatty acids.

● When consumed in limited quantities, canola oil is truly a brilliant oil to use for cooking.

Usages:

● Great for frying and roasting

● A brilliant oil to use for salads and dressings. Canola oil can be used for grilling and baking as well.

The Bottom Line

This was our list of the 5 healthiest cooking oils available in the market that can be used on a daily basis. It is important to know the ingredients that you are cooking with to derive the best nutrition from them.

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Everything You Need to Know About the Shelf Life of Olive Oil

Depending on the quality of the olives used to produce a bottle of olive oil, the oil itself can last for upto 4 years in your pantry. Apart from the quality of the olives, factors like the production process, and the standard followed by a brand also have an effect on the shelf life of olive oil.

But it isn’t just these factors that influence the shelf life. Your storage prowess pre and post opening the bottle also make a whole lot of difference to the shelf life of the oil.

Thus, a half-open bottle of extra virgin olive oil, stored in the right away, will hold for quite a few months. However, if the storage of the half-open bottle has not been stored properly, then the chances of it going rancid are high.

So essentially, that is what we want you to know here; all the nitty gritty of the shef life of olive oil. Read on to know more.

The Shelf LIfe:

Most of the olive oils in the market come with a 2 to 4 year shelf life. This ofcourse depends on the brand and the production process as well.  More often than not, post the said expiry time, olive oil does end to stay fine at least a few extra months too.

Now, let us talk about the shelf life of olive oil when it comes to an open bottle. An open bottle of olive oil will stay okay for at least 6 to 8 months, sometimes even longer. This of course depends on the quality of the oil, the date printed on it, and the way it is stored.

The “Expiration”

We are sure that you would have noticed by now that all the olive oils have what is a “best-by” (or “best before”) date on their labels. This clearly states that, technically, it isn’t an expiration date. Thus the whole expiration theory isn’t applicable here as the “best before” date indicates more towards the quality, rather than the safety.

The bottom line of this is that the brand is essentially telling you that by storing the bottle well the oil will end up retaining its quality and properties till the date mentioned on the label. This date is not about when the product can go bad.

An Opened Bottle

Most of the olive oils available in the market usually retain their quality for a minimum of 6 months sometimes longer.

What you also need to remember is that the longer a bottle has stayed in your pantry, unopened, the shorter its life span will be post opening. A fresh bottle of olive oil will keep for a year or longer., but olive oil that has been living untouched in your pantry only has 3 to 4 months of good quality left in it.

The bottom line of this is that you could easily continue using olive oil till the time you feel its flavour and colour intact. The moment you sense something different, you can rest assured that the oil is going rancid.

The Spoilage

Though olive oil has a decent shelf life and doesn’t go bad quickly, it will not last forever either. Essentially what you get is 2-3 years of a good quality oil. Post this, the flavour of the oil deteriorates gradually eventually going rancid.

The Rancidity

Three things, in particular, contribute to the spoilage of olive oil; air, light, and heat. This is why it is better to store olive oil as far away from all these factors as possible and try limiting its exposure to them. Of course despite this, oxidation of the oil does occur naturally, making the olive oil go rancid eventually.

How to know if your olive oil has gone rancid:

● An off-putting smell that smells like old paint, or other chemicals.

● The taste is bitter instead with little hint of freshness or olives.

This is a slow process and you will only start to notice this when the smell or taste of the olive oil have changed. What starts off as a mild change, will eventually get more and more pronounced over time.

Tips to Store Your Olive Oil:

Knowing how to store your olive oil in the right manner can go a long way in determining its shelf life and its freshness. Here are a few tips that can help you do just that.

● Your olive oil should not be anywhere near any sources of heat. These include the sunlight and even the heat from the stove.

● Stay away from the light. This is why most olive oil companies use dark-tinted bottles for storing their olive oils. That helps limit the exposure of the oil to light itself. This, in turn, helps increase the shelf life of the oil.

● Don’t let it air out. Olive oil has oxidative properties so keeping an opened bottle of olive oil away from air is important. Ensure the bottle is sealed tightly and make sure you close the lid of the oil every time after you have used it.

The Bottom Line:

We hope you have been able to figure out more about the shelf life of olive oil. Remember, apart from the brand and the manufacturing process, the way you store the oil in your pantry, makes a whole lot of difference regarding its shelf life. If stored well, and in the right place, olive oil can last up to quite a few months easily.

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