French Olive Oil

 The world today is full of health-conscious people, who want to eat right to ensure a long, healthy and medicine-free life. It is here that the story of olive oil begins - the perfect cooking medium, the most nutritious oil to be used and consumed. Olive oil is extracted from olives by crushing, pressing or other methods, without adding any chemicals. The oil quality is judged by the level of its acidity, oxidization, odor, color and taste. Olive oil is produced all over the world, but French olive oil remains a class apart in terms of quality, taste, method of extraction, and taste enhancement.

 My romance with French olive oil started a decade ago, when the first signs of age began to appear, with high cholesterol levels. I realized that I had to switch to olive oil and after many experiments, I found French olive oil to be the best. It aids the digestive process, builds bone mass, thins the blood and hence helps combat heart disease. It contains mono-unsaturated fatty acids which act as heart protectors, it has a good amount of vitamins A, E, D and K, helps prevent cancer, and provides relief to rheumatoid arthritis patients.

 Though France produces much lesser quantities of olive oil (only 1% of the world production) than its competitors from Spain and Italy, its quality arguably surpasses all others. France has an amazing variety of olives and the oil is made with utmost care, including handpicking the olives, pressing them within hours of being plucked, ensuring spotlessly clean factories, and packaging them perfectly to preserve the freshness of the oil. Southern France offers the ideal hot and dry climate for growing olive trees at altitudes of approximately 300 meters.

 The southern French districts of Provence and Languedoc produce a very superior range of olives, and famous French brands include Les Moulind de la Brague, Alziari, Mas Des Bories, A.O.C. brand from Terroirs de Provence, Life in Provence, L’Olivier, Gerard Boyer and Jean Leblanc.

 Mediterranean French food tastes best when cooked with olive oil and all connoisseurs of French cuisine can make out the difference. I love the aroma when I grill and fry fish, or bake the light seafood stews in it. Roasting anything from meats to vegetables makes my eating sensations tingle. For perfect French cooking, many French recipes specify the kind of olive oil to be used. Lighter foods would require milder, lighter oils, and the heavier, bold oils for spicy flavors of food. France also produces some of the most famous flavored olive oils, with herb blends infused into the oil to produce unique products.

 Choose a French olive oil and your health and taste buds will love you for it.