It is a common research, Olive oil is extracted from olives, but, comes in many different forms for several uses. The amount of nutrition olive oil contains is also termed as ‘liquid gold’, whether you apply it on your skin or eat as a source of healthy diet.
Although olive oil is used by chefs in cooking or dripping as a dressing, but this wonder oil is a lot more of us than just being a kitchen ingredient.
According to some research, sipping olive oil in the early morning just after you wake up is considered as healthy day ahead. A kind of spice you feel going down your throat is eventually proven to be the holder of the health boosting essence of your body.
Olive oil is accepted as a healthy fact by the people of Mediterranean as it is mostly grown and consumed by them. Of course, there is a reason that olive oil is consistently rated the healthiest diet in the world. It can be a wall against diseases like, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, weight loss, arthritis and cancer.
Further kinds and benefits of olive oil are discussed below.
Kinds of Olive Oil
Mostly people are not aware of it that Olive oil is itself divided into different types, having their own ways to use it. With many benefits, there are also pros and cons of using Olive oil, to get the best result make sure to choose the right kind for the right use.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is the superior quality of olive oil, you can say it is a raw form of oil extracted from olives with no chemical treatment and contains least acidity almost to none comparing to other types. As it is a higher grade oil, extra virgin olive oil seems to be the most costly one, prices depending upon the brand you chose.
Its natural flavor and aroma gives a hint of delicious food, mostly use to drip on salads to make it a healthy meal. Apart from adding extra virgin olive oil in your dishes, you can drink a spoonful of it each day for health benefits.
Virgin Olive Oil
The virgin olive oil is an unrefined form which includes no chemical or heat while extracting the oil. It is the second best olive oil, after extra virgin used for cooking, sautéing, baking and dressing salads too. Virgin olive oil is slightly acidic between 1 to 4 percent and have a milder taste than extra virgin olive oil.
Refined Olive Oil
Usually in the grocery stores you can see olive oil labelled as “pure olive oil” or just “olive oil”, they are basically refined olive oil extracted from black and ripe olive fruit. In comparison to extra virgin olive oil and virgin olive oil, refined olive oil is seen to have the inferior vitamins, nutrients and even taste and odour.
This is the most marketed olive oil than the regular one, although it is lower quality oil and used for only cooking purposes. Refined olive oil has a free acidity not more than 0.3 percent and often blended with stronger oils.
Pure Olive Oil
This type of oil is not pure at all and is a combination of refined olive oil with extra virgin olive oil. This mixture is made to improve the quality of oil either with extra virgin or virgin olive oil. Pure olive oil is commonly used for cooking (rarely), body massage and preparing herbal products or oil.
Pure olive oil also lacks nutrition and that is why it is not highly recommended for cooking, instead it is a great use for your scalp, hair and skin purposes.
Pomace Olive Oil
The pomace olive oil is the lowest quality of olive oil. It is the leftover olive fruit when all the oil is extracted for extra virgin and virgin olive oil, a little amount of water and oil remains as a residue on the fruit. Once the water is removed certain amount of oil can be extracted for use.
To make pomace olive oil a better quality, it is mixed with the high quality extra virgin or virgin olive oil. But still you cannot use it for cooking or drinking purposes like others. Pomace olive oil is highly recommended for cleaning (furniture polish).
Skin Benefits of Olive Oil
With no doubt, Olive oil is a key ingredient in cuisines and has a huge amount of healthy properties. But lately people are looking toward olive oil for its benefits as a facial moisturizer rather than just a cooking ingredient.
1. Hydrates Your Skin
Most of the olive oils are prepared for body massage because of its exceptional moisturizing and nutritional properties to hydrate your skin, whether your face or body. Olive oil contains vitamin A, E, D and K which makes it an ideal product for even sensitive skin.
Extra virgin olive oil is recommended for your skin, massage as it is raw and free from any mixture or chemical. It is best to apply on your skin at night before going to bed, either dab or you can massage in a circular position on your face.
2. Make-up Remover
Olive oil has the power to remove makeup on your skin as it can break down any water resistant substances and is far better than using other chemical products which eventually leads you to skin problems.
Just apply 2 to 3 drops of olive oil on any cotton pad and gently wipe it off your make up. Make sure to use a washcloth dipped in the warm water to clean the excess oil on your face and if there are some traces of makeup left.
3. Has Anti-Aging Properties
Aging is a natural process, but some other external factors like sunrays, pollution and unhealthy habits are also harmful and can make your skin worse. However, extra virgin olive oil contains polyphenols and works as an antioxidant and anti-aging of your skin.
Olive oil can prevent or reverse damage to your skin as it has impressive free radical fighting abilities. It helps in lightens dark spots and slow down fine lines and wrinkles from growing.
4. Repair Damaged Skin Tissues
Skin is the biggest yet most sensitive part of our body and it of course needs protects from any damage whether external factors or sun rays. Olive oil helps to speed up wound healing as it contains Vitamin E in high content and eventually leads to scarring reduction mostly which cause by surgeries.
It can also prevent stretch marks, dry and cracked skin (like elbows, knees or heels) and hyperpigmentation, where your skin has darkened and helps your skin cells to regenerate.
5. Strengthens Skin’s Tonicity
Extra virgin olive oil helps you to revitalize your face, giving it shine, softness and tonicity. The vitamins A and E helps to strengthen the firmness of your skin layers and helps to stimulate skin cell regeneration, forming elasticity and natural glow.
6. For Healthy Nails
Just like your skin, nails also need the same kind of attention to be healthy and strong. The vitamin E in olive oil helps to recover your dry, brittle nails and a natural shine. Simply use a cotton ball and dip it in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then apply it on your nails for healthy growth.
7. Good for Your Scalp
Olive oil moisturizes your hair and reduce scalp irritation and dandruff. Vitamin E and B helps your hair to provide best nutrients and fight for your hair loss. Other than these vitamins, it also contains magnesium, zinc, sulfur and calcium that aid hair growth and keeps it healthy.
Risks and Warnings
Every product in this world has their pros and cons, just like that, olive oil also comes with a warning with a lot of benefits. If we talk about certain studies, it has suggested that if you have sensitive or oily skin and have a skin condition, olive oil may not be the best choice.
It is also found that certain conditions make skin worse for adults and as well as for infants. It may cause redness and damage to the outer layer of your skin. And for infants they may suffer from eczema in later life.
Before making olive oil a part of your routine it is better to do an allergy test on a little part of your skin like, elbows or heels. If nothing happens within 24 to 48 hours it would be safe to use.
Olive oil is a heavy oil and is not completely absorbed into your skin. It is better to remove excessive oil from your face or else it may prevent from clogging pores and trapping bacteria. Never use low quality olive oil as it contains chemicals and other additives which eventually damage your skin.
Takeaway
If you would like to make olive oil a part of your routine, never compromise on its quality. There are lots of ways to use olive oil, just be mindful that it is not necessarily suitable for all types of skin. Always look for a label with a certification from the International Olive Council on your olive oil bottle.
Olive oil can be ruined during transportation if heat, light or oxygen doesn’t suits it or if it is stored improperly. It is better to use olive oil as a patch test on a certain part to know the result.
Olive oil proves to be the best remedy for skin and hair problems, even it is very effective in curing diabetes, breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol, obesity and kidney stones.
Be Healthy!