*Polyphenols* are the latest obsession (& Preorder Update)
[photo: a beautiful jar of cime di rapa sott'olio gifted to us by a neighbor whose mother can jar everything except air]
Calabria Update
After a very mild winter in Calabria, we're waiting to see if Spring is truly around the corner or if it's a trick! Those faux-spring weather patterns can truly wreak havoc on our trees. This winter we had a few sea storms (ft. sea tornados). One of the local beaches completely washed out and two resorts experienced heavy flooding. Fear not, mother nature herself has (mostly) restored the beach, and construction for the resorts is well underway.
One of the downfalls of being so close to the Ionian Sea is the maintenance required annually for the town in order to 'open' for summer. Each day it seems there's new scaffolding or a truck carrying equipment somewhere or another. It's wonderful to see so much life in our tiny town of 1,400 people after quarantining for months. It appears Calabria will be open to tourists this summer, however, we have not received any official updates from the state.
The Polyphenols Obsession
We need to chat about polyphenols (polyphenols are antioxidants found in EVOO). We've noticed an *odd* trend in the last two years... A lot of people are searching for 'olive oil with a high polyphenol content'.
Well, we have news: Pretty much all high-quality extra virgin olive oil has a high polyphenol content. So if we're being frank, it's sort of silly to seek out extra virgin olive oil with high polyphenol content. It's redundant and a term mostly used for marketing purposes (like the phrase 'first, cold press' but we won't get into that today). Let's dig into why...
High-quality extra virgin olive oil is made from olives harvested still mostly green (we like a mix of green and purple). Green olives yield the highest polyphenol content (you see where we're going?). The olives are harvested then milled and the end product is EVOO. If the trees and olives were healthy and well cared for then the oil should have a high polyphenol content. This is also why it's important to know your producer. And of course, lab work can (and should) be done.
We believe extra virgin olive oil is a food that's meant to be enjoyed because it tastes good and has wonderful health benefits. We shouldn't be after the 'olive oil with the highest polyphenols'. Also, brands that make statements like that better be able to back it up with lab results for each oil and harvest. High polyphenol content is not consistent from year to year. It changes annually with the harvest and with the varietal which is why it's important to test for it annually.
An olive oils' polyphenol level does NOT equal its value. Olive oil is complex and should be treated as such, no matter what a doctor, nutritionist, or chef (sorry!) is telling you.
Of course, there are exceptions.
The Lina 2020 harvest has a polyphenol content of 800+ (our highest ever). This is extremely high for an EVOO, however, it's not the sole reason you should purchase the oil. And we also don't believe in shoving that single fact in your face. The oil is delicious and has a high polyphenol content. Win, win.
Lastly, you'll always get the best advice about extra virgin olive oil from those that actually occupy this industry (i.e. work in it 24/7). That includes chemists, agronomists, biologists, olive farmers, and producers. They will always have the latest updates in this industry because the community is TINY and we all get very excited when a new study is released.
Want more about polyphenols? We wrote a very long article here.
TLDR: Polyphenols
Polyphenols are antioxidants. Don't buy olive oil just because it claims to have a high polyphenol content. Olive oil is complex and should be treated as such. For industry updates and no B.S. turn to chemists, agronomists, biologists, olive farmers, and producers.
Preorders
Oils are on their way and we will notify you as soon as they begin to ship! Thank you so much for your patience. The Avus is currently sold out and in the future will only be available to olive oil club members (we will update you via email).
You can still shop preorders here!
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A presto,
-Skyler & Giuseppe
www.EXAUoliveoil.com