I have recently started up my own business selling organic and non-organic extra virgin olive oil and other olive and nut products. We get all our produce from a small village called Granyena that lies in the heart of the De Les Garrigues region, a well know extra virgin olive oil producing region in Catalonia, Spain.
I know the farmers of this village through family link, one day over a glass of wine, the farmers were talking to my dad about getting their products into the UK. He then came to me and asked if i was interested. Being on a gap year and having a bit of time on my hands, i thought why not?
The farmers of Granyena produce a limited quantity of extra virgin olive oil made from their very own Arbequina olive. A special olive that holds a very special taste. Smaller than most Mediterranean olives, it is recognised world wide for its high quality and special taste. During harvesting, only high quality Arbequina olives are used to produce this 100% Arbequina extra virgin olive oil.
Throughout the entire process, from the growth of the olives until the oil is produced, every effort is made to ensure the olive's natural biological and organoleptic properties are not altered. The oil obtained through this environmentally friendly process is especially rich in polyphenols, the antioxidant that are very beneficial to health.
The farmers of Granyena take great pride and care in both the quality and the uniqueness of their products.
The extra virgin olive oil from Granyena is an oil with a flavour all of its own coming from the climate, the soil, the care taken when harvesting the Arbequina olives and the oil processing methods.
One of its secrets lies in the colour of the olives at the time of collection. Ranging from yellow through to dark purple, these subtle differences in the state of ripeness create an original and unique taste. It contains a maximum acidity level of 0.2% per 100 grams, far below the maximum level of 0.5% allowed by the Les Garrigues PDO (Protected Designation of Origin).
I am writing this blog as one way of trying to get my business to be successful, i am using this blog to tell people about the product and try to educate everyone of the benefits of it. As well as prompting on the blog, i also have a website where the oil and olives can be purchased... www.prima-oliva.co.uk
This summer, i am also travelling around the UK going to various agricultural shows to sell my oil and try to establish a good customer base. I will be blogging about my progress and the different things i am trying to make my business work.
As well as being a tasty ingredient, olive oil provides many health benefits to the human body.
It can:
- Reduce blood pressure
- Protect against heart disease
- Inhibit the growth of some cancers
- Benefit people at risk from or with diabetes
- Lessen the severity of asthma and arthritis
- Help your body maintain a lower weight
- Lead to better blood sugar control
- have anti-inflammatory benefit
Olive oil helps to stimulate the circulatory system, benefit the liver and assists the digestive process. It's also cholesterol free!
Olive Oil & Heart Disease
Many scientific studies suggest that the consumption of extra virgin olive oil can help prevent and treat heart disease. These studies have shown that the reason olive oil protects against heart disease is to do with cholesterol levels. Olive oil controls LDL (Bad) cholesterol but at the same time increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It is believed that people who have a daily consumption of about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil showed less oxidation of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of anti-oxidant compounds in the blood. Due to it being less processed, extra virgin olive oil contains higher levels of anti-oxidants, particularly vitamin E. No other naturally produced oil has as high as a percentage of mono-unsaturated fat as olive oil.
Source:
British Journal of Nutrition
Ruth D. Smith, Colette N. M. Kellya1, Barbara A. Fielding, David Hauton, K. D. Renuka R. Silva, Margaretha C. Nydahl, George J. Miller and Christine M. Williams
http://www.oliveoilsource.com/page/heart-disease
Blood Sugar Control
The journal of the German Diabetes Association found that glucose levels were lower in people who ate mono-unsaturated fats than those who avoided all fats. Olive oil is one of the mono-unsaturated fats, which can help control blood sugar. To prevent heart damage diabetics are often told to eat a low-fat/ low-carb diet.
Source:
http://myhealingkitchen.com/medical-conditions/diabetes/diabetes-make-it-better/olive-oil-stabilizes-blood-sugar/
Circulatory System benefits
A diet that includes olive oil aids the circulatory system, thereby reducing the risk of arteriosclerosis and other circulatory ailments.
“Blood vessels appear healthier after people consume olive oil high in phenolic compounds"
"Phenolic compounds in olive oil, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties, may explain cardiovascular health benefits associated with the so-called Mediterranean Diet" - American College of Cardiology
Anti-Inflammatory benfits
A naturally occurring chemical found in extra-virgin olive oils is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. The monounsaturated fats in olive oil are used by the body to produce substances which are relatively anti-inflammatory. By reducing inflammation, these fats can help reduce the severity of arthritis symptoms, and may be able to prevent or reduce the severity of asthma.
Source:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050906075427.htm
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=132
Digestion benefits
Olive oil is the oil that is best tolerated by the stomach due to its high oleic acid content. The tone of the sphincter which separates the stomach and esophagus and which impedes the reflux of gastric juices is less affected by olive oil. Butter is the least tolerated fat, while sunflower oil has intermediate effects. Gastric emptying time is affected in the same way by these three types of fat.
Source:
http://www.oliveoil.com/health.html
Colon Cancer Prevention
Compounds in olive oil appear to protect against colon cancer, one of the most common forms of the disease in the Western world.
A number of epidemiological studies have linked consumption of olive oil with a reduced risk of cancer and researchers are increasingly investigating this association further in laboratory studies.
Source:
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Olive-oil-compounds-fight-colon-cancer
