{"id":281,"date":"2022-08-11T11:51:46","date_gmt":"2022-08-11T11:51:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/?page_id=281"},"modified":"2022-08-11T11:59:15","modified_gmt":"2022-08-11T11:59:15","slug":"why-greek-olive-oil-is-the-best-in-the-world","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/?page_id=281","title":{"rendered":"Why Greek Olive Oil is the Best in the World"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"281\" class=\"elementor elementor-281\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5cf8a13 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5cf8a13\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0057bf0\" data-id=\"0057bf0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ee987f6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ee987f6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"940\" src=\"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/olive-oil-greek.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-224\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/olive-oil-greek.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/olive-oil-greek-300x176.jpg 300w, https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/olive-oil-greek-1024x602.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/olive-oil-greek-768x451.jpg 768w, https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/olive-oil-greek-1536x902.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9b8fbdf elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9b8fbdf\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-narrow\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1eefd01\" data-id=\"1eefd01\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3cdb157 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3cdb157\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Why Greek Olive Oil is the Best in the World<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-a200770 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a200770\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-1bb4370\" data-id=\"1bb4370\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cb9bd6e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cb9bd6e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 20-09-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>OGreek olive oil, or \u201cLiquid Gold,\u201d as Homer called it, has been part of Greece\u2019s history since antiquity. It is an irreplaceable nutritional component of the Greek diet.<br \/>Ancient Greeks used olive oil as part of their efforts to enjoy a healthy life and to promote longevity, as well as a cosmetic for the skin and hair. Today, Greek olive oil is considered by most to be of the highest quality worldwide.<br \/>The history of humanity\u2019s use of the olive dates back to ancient history. In his work \u201cOrigin des plantes cultivees,\u201d botanist Augustin Pyrame de Candole writes that our cultivation of the olive tree dates back to 4000 B.C. and that it originates from the coasts of Asia Minor.<br \/>De Candole based this conclusion on the existence of self-sown wild olive tree vegetation, ancient texts by various writers, and findings from archaeological excavations.<br \/>Based on excavation discoveries in Knossos in 1951, archaeologist Panagiotis Anagnostopoulos claimed the island of Crete to be the olive\u2019s place of origin. This theory is supported by the fact that the name given to the olive tree is Greek and was thus preserved in all languages.<br \/>Today, throughout the world, there are approximately 800 million olive trees of which approximately 95% are cultivated in the Mediterranean basin where the best soil and climatic conditions for olive cultivation can be found.<br \/>The olive is widely grown throughout Greece. Its cultivation, which is greater than any other type of fructiferous tree, occupies approximately 15 percent of cultivated agricultural land and 75 percent of arboraceous cultivations in the country.<br \/>Olive oil in Ancient Greece<br \/>Olive oil in Ancient Greece was not only a basic food but also a symbol of good health and strength and an actual medicine. It was also a source of magic, inspiring great awe for its powers<br \/>Athletes and warriors would massage the oil onto their bodies because they believed it would provide them strength and good luck. Further, the heads of nobles were anointed with it.<br \/>Later, in Christian times, drops of olive oil would be scattered on the bones of dead saints and martyrs, as it was a symbol of benediction and purification.<br \/>According to archaeological research, the cultivation of olive trees on Greek soil first began in Crete, 3,500 years ago in the Early Minoan era.<br \/>Much like today, ancient Greeks had three categories of olive oil, but \u201cOmotrives,\u201d or \u201comfakinon,\u201d considered to be of the best quality, was produced from unripe olives.<br \/>The \u201csecond meal\u201d was good quality oil but always considered second best while \u201cbulk oil,\u201d made from overripe or crushed olives, was of the lowest quality. The latter was also used for burning oil lamps.<br \/>Since ancient Greeks were lovers of beauty and all physical virtues in general, oil was a key element in physical care. Coating the body with oil protected one from both the cold and the dryness caused by the sun.<br \/>After bathing, the body and hair were coated with aromatic oil, as this was a key ingredient in many perfumes.<br \/>Olive oil was used in antiquity for its healing properties, as well. The Hippocratic Code indicates there were more than 60 medicinal uses for olive oil.<br \/>It was suitable for the treatment of both skin and gynecological diseases and was used as a healing ointment or antiseptic in wounds, burns, and ear problems. Ancient Greeks also used olive oil as an emetic for inducing vomiting.<br \/>Furthermore, the Ancient Greeks used olive oil as a lubricant in mechanisms and components, while an oil-based ointment was used to preserve ivory, leather, and metal.<br \/>Greek olive oil today<br \/>Through the ages, olive oil has become synonymous with Greece. The picture of an olive tree or olive grove spells Greece as much as an Aegean Sea sunset or a chapel on top of a mountain village.<br \/>Olive oil is an integral part of almost all popular Greek dishes from Greek salad to moussaka and from tzatziki to spanakopita.<br \/>Today, Greek olive oil is regarded as the best in the world because extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) comprises at least 80 percent of olive oil production, while in Crete it reaches close to 90 percent.<br \/>Rich and aromatic, Greek olive oil is produced only from green olives. Its color, aroma and flavor vary and depend on several factors.<br \/>These factors include: the olive variety, location and type of soil where the olive tree is cultivated, as well as the environmental and climatic conditions in which the tree is cultivated and grown.<br \/>The maturity of the olive itself at the time of harvesting is also important, as are the season and the way in which the olive is harvested. The time delay between the harvesting of the olives up to the production of the olive oil is likewise of great significance.<br \/>The manner in which olive oil is produced, the storage techniques, and the manner in which the oil is packaged and transported to the oil presses also must be taken into account.<br \/>The various types of Greek olive oil include:<br \/>Extra virgin olive oil: This is the best quality olive oil with exceptional color, aroma, flavor, and acidity that does not exceed 1%.<br \/>Virgin olive oil: This is differentiated from extra virgin olive oil not only because of the degree of acidity, which does not exceed 2%, but also because of its flavor.<br \/>Substandard virgin olive oil: This is an olive oil of medium quality and flavor with an acidity that exceeds 2%.<br \/>Mixed olive oil from refined and virgin olive oils: With a pleasant flavor and aroma, it has a yellow-greenish color and its acidity does not exceed 1%.<br \/>Refined olive oil: This olive oil is nearly tasteless with acidity of up to 0.3%.<br \/>Olive pomace oil: With a soft, mild taste, this oil is made from the mixture of refined olive pomace oil and virgin olive oil.<br \/>Green olive oil: Green olive oil is the first oil of the year which is collected and delivered to us after much hard work and effort; it is produced in limited quantities.<br \/>Extra virgin olive oil<br \/>\u201cGreek extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) have very low acidity and peroxides, which make them of premium quality,\u201d says Nicholas Basoukos, managing partner of Greek Heritage Foods, a New York-based company which imports Greek olive oil and other foods.<br \/>The high quality can be recognized mainly from the fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency of the oil, as well as its aromas, which embody the freshness and health of the olives.<br \/>All these extraordinary characteristics are the result of proper planting, maintenance, and meticulous care throughout all stages of olive production and harvesting.<br \/>Basoukos believes that approximately 70 percent of all labelled EVOO\u2019s sold in United States supermarkets are either adulterated or defective.<br \/>An olive oil is considered adulterated when it is mixed with oils of inferior quality, such as canola, sunflower, soy, and corn, he explains.<br \/>\u201cDefective is when the olive oil has very bad organoleptic characteristics (which include aroma and taste).\u201d<br \/>This can happen for a variety of reasons, Basoukos says, including defective harvesting and production processes, a lack of winnowing out of the bad olives, poor quality in the milling process, or the use of high-temperature water.<br \/>Olives can ferment when they are exposed to the sun for long periods of time or if milling machinery is not properly cleaned every time it is used for a different batch.<br \/>Basoukos says that over the last several years, there has been a huge shift regarding the understanding of EVOO.<br \/>The chemical analysis standards which have been established from the International Olive Oil Council \u201care quite broad\u201d whereas the organoleptic analysis can detect defects which are not normally identified through standard chemical analysis.<br \/>\u201cThis whole organoleptic concept is relatively new for most people, so the majority of the producers, distributors and consumers are not familiar enough to distinguish the difference,\u201d Basoukos says.<br \/>Olive oil industry is changing<br \/>Greek EVOOs could certainly improve further to increase competitiveness in international markets where new, very small-scale producing countries such as South Africa, Chile, Brazil, and the U.S.A. (specifically the state of California) are striving to gain a share.<br \/>Basoukos, whose Greek olive oil recently placed first at the DOMINA olive oil contest in Italy and was entered in the New York Olive Oil Competition, says new countries will prove to be competitive \u201cbecause they started doing everything right from the beginning.\u201d<br \/>However, Basoukos believes that with a great deal of education and investment, Greece can be a leader in premium quality EVOO production.<br \/>Greece has its own experts, however, such as Eleftheria Germanaki, an agronomist and official judge in the most prestigious international olive oil contests.<br \/>\u201cChemical analysis is very important, but through its smell and taste, someone can distinguish the quality of an \u03bflive oil,\u201d she states.<br \/>She goes on to state that: \u201cThe organoleptic process is a tool that every consumer can learn to use. Not everyone may have access to a chemical laboratory, but everyone has the senses of smell and taste.\u201d<br \/>Germanaki, who has been working on the qualitative attributes of olive oil for over thirty years, says that \u201cthe Greek land is truly blessed\u201d and \u201cthe luminous sun and crystal clear sea, the mountains and the wind all play vital roles that bring out all the high quality organoleptic characteristics of our \u03bflive oils.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why Greek Olive Oil is the Best in the World OGreek olive oil, or \u201cLiquid Gold,\u201d as Homer called it, has been part of Greece\u2019s history since antiquity. It is an irreplaceable nutritional component of the Greek diet.Ancient Greeks used olive oil as part of their efforts to enjoy a healthy life and to promote [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":256,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-281","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=281"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":342,"href":"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/281\/revisions\/342"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekoliveoiltasting.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}