Health Benefits

Made from grapes, balsamic vinegar is known for its rich flavor and velvety black color. It’s fermented in wooden barrels, much like wine and, and the taste of balsamic vinegar intensifies the longer it is aged. The thicker and more intense the flavor becomes, the less you need to use to provide a taste boost. Balsamic Vinegar offers a number of health benefits, though the serving size is small.

One potential contribute to cancer is oxidative damage due to free radicals, but extra virgin olive oil is high in antioxidants that reduce oxidative damage (28,29). The oleic acid in olive oil is also highly resistant to oxidation and has been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer (30, 31).

Veronica Foods Olive Oil & Balsamic

How rad is this? Veronica Foods Olive Oil and Balsamic was hand selected to be served at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. Currently our products are being served in all venues and starting today will also be on the buffets in USA House and NBC’s VIP hospitality pavilion. The product is a huge hit. Guests are already asking how they can buy when they return to the states…stay tuned for more photos and a press release.

The Mediterranean diet is a pattern of eating that lately has become a darling of medical researchers. It includes vegetables and grains, not so much meat and, of course, generous portions of olive oil.

Mary Flynn, an associate professor of medicine at Brown University, says the evidence that olive oil is good for your heart has never been more clear. “Olive oil is a very healthy food,” she says. “I consider it more medicine than food.”

She points to a big study published earlier this year in the New England Journal of Medicine where researchers in Spain had men and women in their 50s, 60s and 70s who were at risk of heart disease follow one of three diets.  To read more visit http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/09/30/226844915/to-get-the-benefits-of-olive-oil-fresh-may-be-best

April 13, 2011

Nearly three-quarters of the samples of top-selling imported olive oil brands failed international extra virgin standards, according to a new report by researchers at the University of California, Davis, and in Australia.

The report revealed that 73 percent (66 of 90 samples) of the five top-selling imported brands failed international sensory standards for extra virgin olive oil by failing two International Olive Council-accredited taste panels. The samples had objectionable sensory attributes such as rancidity and “fustiness,” a fermentation defect.

The same five brands failed sensory tests at the same 73-percent rate (11 of 15 samples) in a UC Davis report released in July 2010. Of the samples that failed both sensory panels, 35 percent also failed an International Olive Council standard for ultraviolet absorption. The report states that the council’s other common chemical standards were not useful in confirming negative sensory results.

None of the Californian and Australian olive oil samples failed both sensory panels, and just 11 percent of a high-volume premium Italian brand failed both sensory panels.

The California and Australian brands passed all of the International Olive Council chemical tests used in the study, and just 11 percent of the premium Italian brand failed one of the IOC chemical tests.

Two tests for standards that have not been adopted by the International Olive Council yielded results that supported the negative sensory results. These tests, known as diacylglycerol content and pyropheophytin, have been adopted in Germany and Australia. They confirmed negative sensory results among the olive oils sampled in this study, with 65 percent of the samples failing the diacylglycerol test and 49 percent failing the pyropheophytin test.

In the report, the researchers suggested that International Olive Council and U.S. Department of Agriculture standards would be more effective in assessing and enforcing olive oil quality if they included the German/Australian tests.

“The best extra virgin oil will smell and taste fresh,” said Flynn. He added that quality oils often show the most recent harvest year on the bottle, and have containers that protect the oil from light and are not dusty or shopworn.

The report recommends that further research should be conducted to investigate chemical markers for sensory defects and determine the effects of minor olive-oil constituents on the oil’s flavor and stability. The researchers also suggest that chemical profiles of California olive oils should be analyzed.

Funding for the new study was provided by Corto Olive, California Olive Ranch and the California Olive Oil Council.

The new report is available online at http://olivecenter.ucdavis.edu.

The UC Davis Olive Center was founded in 2008 as the first university-based olive research and education center in North America. As a self-funded university center, it continues the university’s century-old effort to assist California’s olive producers and processors as their industry enters a renaissance, with novel farming techniques and rising consumer demand for olive oil and table olives. The center’s collaborative efforts have produced research in food chemistry, mechanical harvesting, olive fruit fly control, olive processing and sensory evaluation of olive oil. This research provides opportunities for graduate students to receive scientific training and earn advanced degrees.

For more than 100 years, UC Davis has been one place where people are bettering humanity and our natural world while seeking solutions to some of our most pressing challenges. Located near the state capital, UC Davis has more than 33,000 students, over 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget of over $750 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges — Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools — Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

• Dan Flynn, UC Davis Olive Center, DAN FLYNN, (530) 752-5170, JDFLYNN@UCDAVIS.EDU
• Pat Bailey, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-9843, pjbailey@ucdavis.edu

Answers from Donald Hensrud, M.D.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/food-and-nutrition/expert-answers/FAQ-20058439

The main type of fat found in all kinds of olive oil is monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). MUFAs are actually considered a healthy dietary fat. If your diet emphasizes unsaturated fats, such as MUFAs and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), instead of saturated fats and trans fats, you may gain certain health benefits.

MUFAs and PUFAs may help lower your risk of heart disease by improving related risk factors. For instance, MUFAs may lower your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. MUFAs may also help normalize blood clotting. And some research shows that MUFAs may also benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control, which can be especially helpful if you have type 2 diabetes.

But even healthier fats like olive oil are high in calories, so use them only in moderation. Choose MUFA-rich foods such as olive oil instead of other fatty foods — particularly butter and stick margarine — not in addition to them. And remember that you can’t make unhealthy foods healthier simply by adding olive oil to them.

Also, be aware that heat, light and air can affect the taste of olive oil and possibly its health-promoting nutrients. Store olive oil in a dark, room-temperature cupboard, or even in the refrigerator. The fats and healthy phytonutrients in olive oil — as well as the taste — can slowly degrade over time, so it’s probably best to use it within a year or within six months once opened.

The expensive olive oil in your kitchen cabinet is likely not as fresh, nutritious or high in quality as you assume it might be. Does that mean you won’t receive the expected health benefits when using olive oil purchased from America’s grocery shelves? Possibly. To read more, visit http://www.livescience.com/37998-olive-oil-health-benefits.html

Used by cultures worldwide ranging from Ancient Egyptians all the way up to today, vinegar is one of the most enduring culinary items in human history. Chemically, vinegar is a highly acidic substance that arises naturally from the fermentation of alcohol. In a more practical sense, vinegar’s most common use is to impart flavor into the food we eat. Condiment-style food items from salad dressings to pickling juice all contain it.

Aside from its flavorful versatility, recent medical studies have made at least a few indications that vinegar has some impressive health benefits for specific groups of people. Why they might exist isn’t yet very clear – some suspect that certain phytochemicals, or molecules that are found in certain plants, are the root cause. But either way, the following health benefits of vinegar are gaining ideological ground among those who adhere to natural medicine, as well as some in the medical community.

Perhaps the most immediately impressive application of vinegar as a health supplement is for those with Type 2 Diabetes. Often developing over a several decade span of a person’s lifetime, this type of Diabetes is characterized by improper response to insulin in the body. Those who suffer from it are often overweight, and are at high risk for nerve damage and immune system compromise. To avoid these complications, Diabetes sufferers must keep close track of their blood sugar levels. Vinegar, as a 2007 medical study involving 11 subjects seemed to demonstrate, may help Diabetes patients in that effort.

In the study, patients were directed to consume two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar diluted with water right before bed. When they woke up, their blood sugar levels were, on average, between four and six percent lower than control subjects who did not consume the vinegar. Though the study was small enough to be considered only preliminary, it did seem to show that vinegar may be an effective tool in managing blood sugar levels for Diabetes patients. Other earlier studies also support this hypothesis. In a 2004 medical study conducted by the American Diabetes Association, it was found that those who consumed apple cider vinegar before a meal heavy in carbohydrates had lower blood sugar levels than those who didn’t.

Though this particular aspect of vinegar health benefits is far from proven, certain tests have demonstrated a potential link between vinegar and cancer cell control. Particularly, vinegar consumption may be correlated to lower risk of esophageal cancer.

Unfortunately, these studies have been much less conclusive than those involving Diabetes. They have been mostly observational in nature, and have produced some less desirable results as well – including a possible correlation between vinegar consumption and pancreatic cancer. Whether positive or negative, any association vinegar has with cancer rates is far from conclusive.

From a historical standpoint, vinegar has been widely used by many cultures as a weight loss aid. Though colloquial information like this is far from reliable, scientific evidence seems to support it. In a study performed in 2005, it was found that those who consumed vinegar before meals felt fuller after fewer calories than those who didn’t. Many observational studies as well have linked vinegar with healthier overall weight

This evidence, much like that of other purported health benefits of vinegar, is not exactly conclusive. But it cannot be argued that increased use of vinegar for flavoring is associated with better weight control. A half cup of vinegar has just 25 calories. Real mayonnaise, on the other hand, has about 800 calories in a half cup. This may not seem all that important, until you consider the fact that most popular salad dressings are either vinegar or mayonnaise based. So, while mayonnaise salad dressings can turn an otherwise healthy meal option into a fat and calorie dense mess, vinegar retains the caloric density of foods that it’s used with.

Naturally, other health benefits result from replacing high fat and sodium flavorings with vinegar. Instead of sprinkling loads of salt on vegetables, which can lead to increased risk of high blood pressure, one can use vinegar as a flavorful alternative without the negative side effects. So though vinegar’s direct effect on cholesterol, weight, and heart health aren’t exactly known, it is certainly a healthier alternative to flavorings high in fat and sodium.

One potentially significant health benefit of vinegar has to do with bone health. Those at risk for bone loss and Osteoporosis, especially middle-aged and older women, may stand to gain some very real health effects from vinegar consumption. As mentioned in the article’s introduction, vinegar is highly acidic. Its primary component is a substance called acetic acid, which has a very low pH – much like the body’s own naturally occurring digestive juices. According to some in the medical community, vinegar can thus assist the digestive system in breaking down certain other substances by incorporating a little more acidity into the digestive mix. Listed among these substances is calcium. While calcium supplements are widely available to those at risk of Osteoporosis, it’s the amount of the mineral absorbed that makes the difference between a healthy and unhealthy bone structure. By consuming vinegar before calcium, one may be able to increase the ratio of absorbed and used calcium to calcium taken in.

Vinegar’s calcium absorption assistance is especially useful for people who are lactose intolerant. Their aversion to dairy limits the number of calcium containing foods available to them. But by eating calcium dense leafy greens with a little vinegar, one can work towards offsetting that deficiency.

All evidence considered, it’s hard to conclude that vinegar is the magical cure-all that some purport it to be. It is, however, safe to say that incorporating vinegar into a given person’s diet can have some very beneficial health effects. Whether it’s being used to control blood sugar, lose a few pounds, or increase calcium absorption, vinegar has been demonstrated as an effective tool for a widely varied number of health goals.

Made from grapes, balsamic vinegar is known for its rich flavor and velvety black color. It’s fermented in wooden barrels, much like wine and, and the taste of balsamic vinegar intensifies the longer it is aged. The thicker and more intense the flavor becomes, the less you need to use to provide a taste boost. Balsamic Vinegar offers a number of health benefits, though the serving size is small.

One potential contribute to cancer is oxidative damage due to free radicals, but extra virgin olive oil is high in antioxidants that reduce oxidative damage (28,29). The oleic acid in olive oil is also highly resistant to oxidation and has been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer (30, 31).

How rad is this? Veronica Foods Olive Oil and Balsamic was hand selected to be served at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. Currently our products are being served in all venues and starting today will also be on the buffets in USA House and NBC’s VIP hospitality pavilion. The product is a huge hit. Guests are already asking how they can buy when they return to the states…stay tuned for more photos and a press release.

http://www.deliziaoilandvinegar.com/2014/02/veronica-foods-olive-oil-balsamic-being.html

The Mediterranean diet is a pattern of eating that lately has become a darling of medical researchers. It includes vegetables and grains, not so much meat and, of course, generous portions of olive oil.

Mary Flynn, an associate professor of medicine at Brown University, says the evidence that olive oil is good for your heart has never been more clear. “Olive oil is a very healthy food,” she says. “I consider it more medicine than food.”

She points to a big study published earlier this year in the New England Journal of Medicine where researchers in Spain had men and women in their 50s, 60s and 70s who were at risk of heart disease follow one of three diets.  To read more visit http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/09/30/226844915/to-get-the-benefits-of-olive-oil-fresh-may-be-best

April 13, 2011

Nearly three-quarters of the samples of top-selling imported olive oil brands failed international extra virgin standards, according to a new report by researchers at the University of California, Davis, and in Australia.

“The United States is the third-largest consumer of olive oil in the world,” said Dan Flynn, executive director of the UC Davis Olive Center. “While there are many excellent imported and domestic olive oils available, our tests indicate that there are serious quality problems out there.”

In this second and final report in a yearlong study of extra virgin olive oil sold at retail, the research team examined 134 samples of eight high-volume brands of olive oil, purchased in major supermarkets throughout California. Sensory and chemical tests were conducted by the UC Davis Olive Center and the Australian Oils Research Laboratory.

Extra virgin is the top grade of olive oil, evaluated according to standards established by the International Olive Council and the United States Department of Agriculture. To be considered extra virgin, the oils must have no sensory defects such as rancidity. They also must offer some fruity flavor and aroma and meet very specific chemistry-based criteria.

During the study, all tests were performed “blind,” meaning the researchers and technical personnel did not know the brand name or country of origin of the sampled olive oils.

The report revealed that 73 percent (66 of 90 samples) of the five top-selling imported brands failed international sensory standards for extra virgin olive oil by failing two International Olive Council-accredited taste panels. The samples had objectionable sensory attributes such as rancidity and “fustiness,” a fermentation defect.

The same five brands failed sensory tests at the same 73-percent rate (11 of 15 samples) in a UC Davis report released in July 2010. Of the samples that failed both sensory panels, 35 percent also failed an International Olive Council standard for ultraviolet absorption. The report states that the council’s other common chemical standards were not useful in confirming negative sensory results.

None of the Californian and Australian olive oil samples failed both sensory panels, and just 11 percent of a high-volume premium Italian brand failed both sensory panels.

The California and Australian brands passed all of the International Olive Council chemical tests used in the study, and just 11 percent of the premium Italian brand failed one of the IOC chemical tests.

Two tests for standards that have not been adopted by the International Olive Council yielded results that supported the negative sensory results. These tests, known as diacylglycerol content and pyropheophytin, have been adopted in Germany and Australia. They confirmed negative sensory results among the olive oils sampled in this study, with 65 percent of the samples failing the diacylglycerol test and 49 percent failing the pyropheophytin test.

In the report, the researchers suggested that International Olive Council and U.S. Department of Agriculture standards would be more effective in assessing and enforcing olive oil quality if they included the German/Australian tests.

“The best extra virgin oil will smell and taste fresh,” said Flynn. He added that quality oils often show the most recent harvest year on the bottle, and have containers that protect the oil from light and are not dusty or shopworn.

The report recommends that further research should be conducted to investigate chemical markers for sensory defects and determine the effects of minor olive-oil constituents on the oil’s flavor and stability. The researchers also suggest that chemical profiles of California olive oils should be analyzed.

Funding for the new study was provided by Corto Olive, California Olive Ranch and the California Olive Oil Council.

The new report is available online at http://olivecenter.ucdavis.edu.

Balsamic vinegar is made from white Trebbiano grapes in the northern Italian region. The grapes have a high sugar content, and their unfermented juice is used to make the vinegar. The balsamic vinegar is aged for three or more years and has a dark, syrupy consistency with a strong and sometimes bitter flavor. Some of the balsamic vinegar that is available in the store is synthesized and includes high amounts of caramel and sugar. However, true and natural balsamic vinegar is available as well and offers rewarding health benefits.

Balsamic vinegar can be used as a substitute for salad dressing or marinades. When used in place of other dressings or marinades that are more fattening, it results in a lower calorie intake. Balsamic vinegar also works to suppress the body’s appetite and increase the amount of time it takes for the stomach to empty, which can contribute to weight loss by preventing overeating. According to Nutrition Data, balsamic vinegar is a source of calcium, iron, manganese and potassium, which improve the body’s functioning and weight loss abilities.http://www.livestrong.com/article/87969-balsamic-vinegar-health-benefits/