It makes no sense to talk about the beneficial properties of olive oil - they are already well known. It remains only to choose a manufacturer. In Russia, olive trees are not harvested. But there is an opportunity to buy oil from Greece, Spain, Italy. These are the three largest countries supplying the product to the markets of Europe and Asia. In this article we will describe the characteristics of ITLV Spanish olive oil.
Photos of the products of this company and customer reviews will complement our description. The quality of the resulting oil depends on the extraction and processing of raw materials. How to understand the company's products, how to read the label? We will devote attention to this issue. Which olive oil is the most healthy? Is it possible to fry food on it? You will find the answers to these questions below.
What makes olive oil different from other vegetable fats
The greatest poet of antiquity, Homer, called the product obtained from the fruit of the olive tree, "liquid gold." A modern study of trace elements contained in olive oil, recognized that he was right. This product is the main one in the nutrition of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean region, where there are so many slender, fit and healthy people. The main secret of olive oil is its high content of unsaturated fatty acids and, in particular, olein.
This substance lowers cholesterol, speeds up metabolism, is easily absorbed by the body and suppresses hunger. The olive fruit has many vitamins. Unlike other vegetable oils, olive has a higher boiling point, so when frying it does not burn out and free radicals are not produced from it. On the contrary, the product is recommended by specialists as the prevention of cancer. Olive oil is used not only in cooking, but also in cosmetology and medicine.
How to choose a quality product. Learning to read the label.
First of all, do not judge the quality of olive oil by its color. It can be greenish, dark or light yellow, and even cloudy. The color is influenced by the variety of olives, their ripeness, time of harvest and the region of growth. But all other indicators are very reflected in the quality of the product.
The first thing you should pay attention to is packaging. The sun's rays destroy the structure of olive oil, reduce its beneficial properties. Therefore, choose a product enclosed either in a can or in a bottle of dark glass. ITLV olive oil, by the way, is available in such a green container. A conscientious producer should inform a potential buyer:
- where is the crop grown
- where was the oil packaged
- which olive processing went
- what is the acidity of the oil
- refined or not.
The best region for olives in Spain is considered Andalusia. It is desirable that the product has a category of DOP. This abbreviation means that, unlike IGP, the crop was harvested, processed into oil and packaged in one place.
What is the processing of olive tree berries
In ancient times, people used the usual press, which was actuated by hand or with the help of a donkey walking in a circle. As a result of this elementary extraction, a slightly greenish oil with a light bitterness was obtained. Its acidity is not more than 0.8 percent. This olive oil is called Extra Virgin. ITLV also releases a product in this category.
Extra Virgin oil is considered the best and is expensive. With the development of technology, people have noticed that if you heat-treat the cake or use chemical reagents, the berries will give up some more oil. These product types are called Classico and Pomace. The acidity of such oils increases to 3.5 percent. If Extra Virgin is used for dressing salads and in cosmetology (creams and hair masks), then the products of the lower category are only for frying.
About ITLV Brand
Olive oil is supplied to Russia by Greece, Italy and Spain. And 60% of imports are from Borges. This respected Spanish company was created back in 1914, and did not stop production, despite the hardships of the two World Wars. Now this major producer of olive oil has opened a subsidiary Industrial Technologica Laintex Veterani (abbreviated ITLV) specifically for the supply of products to Eastern Europe.
The company is interested in long-term cooperation, therefore olives and oil from them are of high quality. Given that in Eastern Europe the product is not often consumed, for special occasions, the company packs it in small bottles of 250 milliliters. The rest is excellent oil, which can be bought in Spain itself. But the price cannot but please the Russians (254 rubles). According to the rating of 2018, ITLV Classico olive oil took the second place among all similar products from Spain.
Gastronomic characteristics
We only know about vegetable fats that they can be refined (purified from the taste and smell of raw materials) and unrefined. Olive oil has more gastronomic characteristics. Extra Virgin has an increased berry content. That is, the oil in this category tastes a little bit bitter. The aroma of a quality product should produce a complex bouquet of herbs, spicy notes. The finish of a good butter is long and fresh, soft.
The main distinguishing feature of a high-quality product is its “clean mouth”. This means that after swallowing the product in the palate and tongue there is no unpleasant oily film. And according to reviews, ITLV olive oil fully meets all these criteria. Now consider the brands of products that the company supplies to the Russian market.
ITLV Extra Virgin Olive Oil
In reviews of this highest quality (and price) category of fat, many users note that there are several items on the market. Among the brand's new products, they are called Extra Virginia for Children. Scientists have discovered that the fatty composition of olive oil is similar to that found in breast milk. Oil for children is produced by cold pressing olives grown in ecologically clean areas.
Of course, the baby is unlikely to like the bitter taste of Extra Virgin. But butter can be added to baby food dishes - salads, cereals. Then the bitter taste will not be heard. “Oil for Children” affects bone growth and helps digestion. There is another brand of environmentally friendly product. It is called Extra Virgin ECO.
Blended Extra Virgin
If you want to season salads and snacks with high-quality ITLV olive oil, and not spend a lot of money at the same time, you can buy the usual Extra Virgin. This product is produced by the first cold mechanical extraction. But olives for oil were grown in different regions of Spain. It’s also a mixture of varieties. This oil has a pleasant aroma, soft, balanced taste with a characteristic bitterness.
The product uses the traditional Spanish method. Early in the morning, at dawn, olives are picked, and by evening, oil is bottled. This method allows you to save all the useful properties of fresh berries. This oil is a good dressing for meat and fish dishes. It is suitable for salads.
Tasteful Oils
If you consider yourself a foodie, buy fats made from one sort of olives. Then the product will have a pronounced own taste that will not “dissolve” in the dishes. In their reviews, users praise ITLV Extra Virgin Elegante Olive Oil. It really has a very elegant taste with hints of apple and almond.
Ideal for dressing salads is Extra Virgin Balancio monosortochnoe olive oil. This product feels the freshness of green, slightly unripe berries, thanks to which the bitterness is heard more expressively. Users recommend using this brand in vegetable dishes, especially eggplant and bell pepper. But the potential of the oil is well revealed in salads, as well as in marinades.
For frying
Extra Virgin can be poured into a pan, but the high price of the product does not allow even the Spaniards to do this. For frying it is better to use olive oil "ITLV Classico". This is a mixture of refined and unrefined fats. Due to the high temperature of smoke, an appetizing crust is formed on fried products, the risk of burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan is reduced. Classico can also be used for dressing salads by those who do not like the bitterness of olive berries.
“ITLV Selecto” is also suitable for frying. This fat mixture consists of three types of oils: Extra Virgin Extra Virgin Olive, high olein and rapeseed. When frying, such a mix does not form carcinogens and trans fats. Rapeseed oil enriches the whole mixture with vitamin E, as well as the extremely healthy Omega-3 polyunsaturated acids. This product also has a high smoke temperature. ITLV produces not only oils, but also olives with olives, as well as high-quality grape vinegars.