Monday, April 19, 2010

Truth about Olive Oil
 
    Okay so what do olive oil and cleaning have in common? Outside of the health concerns surrounding most brands of olive oil, several mis-guided people and their websides, recommend olive oil to treat hardwood furniture. First of all, olive oil turns rancid rapidly when exposed to air for even a short period of time. Unless you enjoy the smell of rancid olive floating through your home, don't use it on your furniture or cabinets. For a wonderful alternative check out Mary's Wood Care.
 
     The real issue with olive oil arose during a discussion of what temperature was safe for cooking olive oil. I am drifing away from my normal cleaning tips but feel this information is important enough to share. When purchased, used and stored properly, olive oil is a tremendous boost to your health. If not, it can cause a host of issues. I was ignorant of the proper use of olive oil and want to pass along what I've learned. I'll give you a website for the rest of the shocking news.
 
     Cooking Olive Oil: Never cook olive oil over 350 degrees and even that is pushing the high end of temperatures. Do not use olive oil or any oil when you BBQ, never allow it to smoke or use it when broiling food. When frying keep the heat turned down to medium-low. Rancid olive oil, which is caused by improper storage, purchasing and cooking destroy's the body's antioxidants and promotes free radicals.
 
    Storing Olive Oil: Store olive oil in a cool dark place. The refrigerator is best if you don't have another dark place that stays cool year round. Keep it out of the light and in a dark glass container with a tight lid or a high grade stainless steel container. Never store it in plastic as it will absorb the PVCs from the plastic. It will turn thick in the refrigerator so keep just out just enough to use for the week. Keep this is in a dark glass container and inside a cabinet. NEVER buy olive oil in a clear glass bottle or plastic container and choose a bottle from the back of the grocery shelf where it has been exposed to less light. 
 
     Buying Olive Oil: This is where we part company and I'm sending you to  http://www.living-foods.com/articles/oliveoil.html to read the nasty truth about the processing of olive oil. When it comes to cleaning chemicals, manufacturers can say what they want on a bottle label. That is true for the food we eat as well. It's no wonder we have a nation of unhealthy people.
 
This article may only be reproduced giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com