Olive oil is one of the more expensive ingredients we buy as home cooks, but there are so many different kinds.Ā Do you know what is the difference between Extra virgin, virgin, refined, and pure?
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Extra Virgin - Olive Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil is without a doubt the greatest of them all. It is extracted using a cold-pressing procedure to avoid the natural content being degraded by high temperatures. When compared to its virgin version, this oil has a lower acidity concentration, which isĀ less than 0.8%. It is the greatest since it keeps most of the original flavor and scent. This is also the most popular type of olive oil used for health-related purposes. Because extra virgin olive oil has so many health benefits, you can consume it without adding anything more to it, use it for cooking purposes and even drink it straight from the bottle.Ā
Virgin - Olive Oil
The virgin kind of olive oil is one that has not been refined. It is extracted using the cold-pressing method and it has a more natural aroma and flavor than the varieties mentioned below. It has a slightly high acidity content, ranging from 1 to 4 percent. This particular olive oil is also temperature resistant. This one has a milder flavor than the Extra Virgin variety. This is better for cooking in low-heat settings.
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Refined - Olive Oil
Black and ripe olive fruits are used to make this sort of olive oil. It has the least amount of virgin olive oil, which is known for its tremendous benefits in avoiding colon cancer, among other types. Although the refined variery, known also as lite,Ā is marketed as being better than the ordinary one, it is still considered inferior quality and is consequently only suitable for cooking, particularly at high temperatures. It has the same amount of fat and calories as other varieties.