How to store olive oil
Being here in Denmark isn't exactly easy on our bank accounts, so we try our best to really scout around and get the best deals in produce and groceries. Last weekend we had to stock up on olive oil and it boiled down to two options, one option came in a tinted, glass bottle, and the other in a clear, plastic bottle.
Needless to say, the cheaper one was the one that came in a plastic bottle. Beggars can't be choosers, so the plastic bottle it is!
The first thing I did when I got back to my computer was to look up how best to store olive oil. I wasn't very surprised to find that olive oil should be stored in a dark area away from sunlight or heat. Why else would you find costlier brands in dark, tinted bottles? According to a Greek olive oil company, called Panos Ginis, because olives are fruits, olive oil is therefore a fruit juice and should be kept away from air, heat and light.
Sunlight and oxidation cause olive oil to turn rancid and lose its flavour. Stored in a cool, dark place, olive oil should be able to keep for a year. The National Public Radio (NPR) has an interesting article on olive oil and how you should choose it like you would a wine. Of course that does not mean much to someone who doesn't drink (eg me), so I had to read the article to find out that choosing an olive oil is very much based on individual preferences of taste and smell.
Kinda reminds me of the Danilo Manco stand at London's Borough Market (food lovers MUST visit this place if ever you've the chance to). Danilo Manco has got a gorgeous display of different olive oils and vinegars that you can try before purchasing :o).
So back to our plastic bottle of olive oil. I transferred it into the old, dark bottle and stored it away in a cabinet. :o) All is fine in the Healthy Yums kitchen with regard to our olive oil.
Tip of the day: Oils in general have about 120 calories per tablespoon, and contain 1-2g of saturated fat (coconut, palm and cocoa-butter oils are very high in saturated fat. Avoid if possible). Some experts suggest, to keep your daily fat intake down to a healthy level, limit added oils to 1-2 tablespoons a day. While most oils pack in the same amount of calories, plant oils like olive, canola and sunflower are basically monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can help lower LDL (bad cholesterol). Extra-virgin olive oil also loses its flavour when heated, so keep it for light uses like dressings and drizzling. Canola oil has a high smoke-point which makes it ideal for stir-frying, roasting and broiling. Sunflower oil is good for baking. Mr. Green and I almost always use sunflower oil over butter/margarine or shortening when baking (or applesauce for much, much less fat and more nutrition all around). Calorie-wise they might not defer much. You'd use 14 tablespoons of sunflower oil to replace 1 cup of butter in baking, and you cut the saturated fat content from about 116g to 28g by using sunflower oil. Definitely the healthier option.
Information was compiled from various sources such as Men's Health and caloriecount.about.com.
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