
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Our Extra Virgin Olive Oil is sweet, elegant and extremely versatile. It is delicious eaten raw on salads, vegetables, meat and fish and its persistent and aromatic taste gives it an unmistakable flavour. Since ancient times, Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been known as heart-friendly, anti-cancer and an ally of youth. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is also the dressing with the best balance of fats. It is particularly rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which among the fatty substances are the most active for the prevention of cardiovascular disorders. It is low in saturated fats which are responsible for increasing blood cholesterol levels and are directly linked to problems such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction and blocking of the arteries. Instead, EVOO contains abundant Oleic Acid, a monounsaturated fat capable of regulating cholesterol levels by reducing “bad” LDL cholesterol in relation to “good” HDL cholesterol. Oleic Acid reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, thrombosis and coronary heart disease in general and prevents arterial lesions. Furthermore, monounsaturated fats make Extra Virgin Olive Oil particularly resistant to alterations: if well preserved, it does not get old and, more importantly, it tolerates cooking well managing to reach even high temperatures (for example in frying) without producing harmful substances, as is the case with most seed oils.

Peranzana Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an exceptional product. There are so many health benefits that it is difficult to list them all, but let’s try to highlight the most important ones:
Excellent nutritional value
Peranzana Extra Virgin Olive Oil contains vitamins, phytosterols with antioxidant effects and monounsaturated fatty acids. This is a nutritional composition that makes it a product of great importance for our body, when consumed as part of a healthy diet.
Prevents cardiovascular diseases
High levels of LDL cholesterol, also called “bad” cholesterol, can form atherosclerotic plaques, which narrow veins and arteries that can cause heart attacks and strokes. With Peranzana Extra Virgin Olive Oil the levels of bad cholesterol are lowered. The “good” cholesterol, on the other hand, also known as HDL, is not altered in the least. Therefore olive oil represents, in addition to being a tasty condiment, an excellent form of prevention of cardiovascular risk.
Laxative and pain reliever
It is also not well known that this oil can also act as a slight laxative and that due to the presence of oleocanthal, it also has an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving function. In particular it is effective in cases of joint pain.
Antioxidant
One of the main properties of our oil is that of being an antioxidant. Thanks to the phenols and tocopherols it contains, capable of effectively fighting free radicals, the antioxidants contained in our oil neutralise the dangerous free radicals, which are mainly responsible for cellular damage typical of age, thus ensuring longevity to the cells.
Helps to stay fit
It may seem strange, but this oil helps to maintain a healthy weight, since it makes you feel fuller sooner. The fatty acids it contains stimulate metabolism and help intestinal regularity.
Friend of the brain
Extra Virgin Olive Oil helps to delay mental deterioration and therefore to keep neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, at bay.
Anti Cancer
Recent studies have highlighted how people who regularly consume Extra Virgin Olive Oil are less likely to develop Cancer, due to the fact that it contains Oleic acid, antioxidants, flavonoids, polyphenols and squalene.
Against diabetes
The fatty acids of Extra Virgin Olive Oil help regulate blood sugar levels and insulin production, therefore it is an ally against diabetes.
Lowers Blood Pressure
Consumed in moderation, this oil is useful for keeping blood pressure under control.
Precious for the beauty of hair and skin
Finally, it should not be forgotten that this oil, in the form of a pack, makes the hair shinier and nourished, fighting frizz. It also moisturizes the skin and prevents the formation of wrinkles. Finally it is useful in case of dermatitis, pimples and other skin problems.
The first evidence of the use of olive oil dates back to 4000 BC in the Middle East and India. Olive oil was used as a skin ointment, to power lamps and taken as a medicine.
The Hammurabi Code
In ancient Mesopotamia, around 1750 BC, the Babylonian code of Hammurabi contained regulations relative to the production and the trade of olive oil.
The Greeks
The Greeks were the ones who spread olive cultivation in the Mediterranean.
Many Greek legends are dedicated to the olive tree and its precious fruits. The Greeks narrated that the first olive tree was sprouted by the Goddess Athena on the Acropolis, while she fought with the god Poseidon for dominion over Attica; Zeus, then, ordered that the gift of Athena was destined for the preparation of food, for personal hygiene and as a source of light. Also the Greek myth tells that Apollo was born under an olive tree, and his son Aristeo taught men how to crush olives to obtain oil.
The Romans
However, the real spread of the usage of oil, together with the improvements of each processing phase, was due to the Roman Empire which made the olive tree known throughout Europe. The ancient Romans, on the basis of the various pressing steps, classified the various oils obtained in different ways and divided it into five different qualities: oil obtained from the pressing of green olives; oil obtained from olives harvested halfway through maturity; oil obtained from ripe olives; oil obtained from olives fallen to the ground; and finally the oil obtained from the pressing of withered olives.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, even the cultivation of the olive tree fell into disgrace and for centuries the olive trees survived only in a few territories. During that period, animal fat was used, because it was easier to preserve.
Middle Age and Renaissance
In the Middle Age, many good lands were recovered for the production of basic cereals and for the cultivation of the olive trees. This happened thanks to the intuition of the trading bourgeoisie, who saw oil as a flourishing commercial product. In 1400, Italy became the largest producer of olive oil in the world. In the Renaissance period, thanks to the Cistercian and Benedictine abbeys, guardians of plants and herbs, olive trees and vineyards were saved from abandonment.
1700 – 1900
In the early 1700s, a real climatic catastrophe (Little Ice Age) happened and the temperatures dropped. The frost, which covered all of southern Europe, killed almost all olive trees.
Period of frost continued frequently until the massive frost of 1929. A period of massive emigration began, with a decrease in manpower. Fortunately, the abandoned olive tree fields continued to survive and grow without human care.
The emigration, however, favoured the spread of the use of edible olive oil in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. By then, olive oil was known, used and marketed in the New World.
In the 1960s, Italy was the only oil producer in the EEC countries. Greece was added in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. Italian production moved from 34% of world production to 14%.
Today the oil market has sadly passed into the hands of large groups, which compete on low prices rather than on quality. Nowadays, on supermarket shelves, we often find olive oil at very low prices, but of an unacceptable quality!
Many labels promote noble origins which they certainly do not have, because a good oil cannot be sold at those low prices. Fortunately, in the recent years, the behavior of olive oil consumers has changed: extra virgin oil has entered the Italian wellness program; it is an important element for weight-loss diets. With its strong aroma and flavor, it does not let us overuse it, while its composition stimulates the sense of feeling full. The last pandemic has also changed our relationship with food: the fear of getting sick leads us to eat in a healthier way, returning to the Mediterranean Diet (in which extra virgin olive oil is the king) Scientific research, moreover, confirms that extra virgin olive oil has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Also, depending on age, it contributes differently to our health. For children, for example, its consumption is essential for neurological and bone development.
Hint for a healthy snack: Italian kids used to love a slice of bread with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of sugar! Just try it!
