Facts about Olive Oil
THAT olive oil is the healthy substitute for any fat used in any recipe.

THAT people living in the Mediterranean area who use olive oil as their main source of fat have the world’s lowest mortality rate due to cardio-vascular illness. Finland and the United States, where people consume the highest amounts of saturated fat, have the highest.

THAT olive oil contains more monounsaturated fatty acids than any other fat or oil.

THAT olive oil is the most easily absorbed edible fat and it contains no cholesterol.

THAT using olive oil in place of saturated fats as the main fat in your diet may actually reduce cholesterol levels.

THAT you can bake with olive oil. Just substitute the same amount for the fat called for in the recipe. The result is moist, even textured cake with a tender crumb.

THAT you can fry with olive oil. When used in frying, olive oil coats food instead of being absorbed. It also contains anti-oxidants and can be reused 4-5 times before being discarded. Other fats and oils can only be used twice.

THAT there are numerous varieties of olives, and olive oil is the only cooking and salad oil that offers a variety of natural flavors - no two are alike.

THAT the olive tree is an evergreen.

THAT the olive tree was first cultivated in 6,000 B.C.

THAT olive trees can live up to 600 years or more.

THAT it takes 5-8 years before an olive tree will bear its first fruit.

THAT there are over 800 million olive trees now planted worldwide.

THAT olive oil can keep for 2 years or more, longer than any other oil, if stored in a cool dark place.

THAT olive oil is the second best-selling type of oil and the fastest growing segment of fats and oils in the United States.

Courtesy: International Olive Oil Council