If you didn’t grow up with olive groves as part of the local landscape, you might not have grown up with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in your kitchen. It’s normal to consume what’s readily available. EVOO, for all its health benefits, can be an acquired taste and costs more than blended oils or regular olive oil on the market. However, EVOO is in a league of its own, and it’s not an accident that it’s also called “liquid gold.” The flavor profile can range from mild to pleasantly bitter, with a color palette spanning lustrous gold to gem-like green.
If EVOO is not a part of your pantry, I encourage you to take the plunge and make it part of your daily routine. So, I dare to say by paraphrasing a past campaign for another product: got EVOO?
Here are a few super simple ways to reach this goal:
Feta Cheese Appetizer
Take pieces of feta cheese, grind a little black pepper on top, and sprinkle it with dried oregano. Finish with a healthy drizzle of EVOO. Enjoy as an appetizer with pita or any bread you prefer.
Caprese Salad
A wonderful Caprese salad requires nothing more than summer tomatoes topped with fresh mozzarella, a basil leaf per slice, salt, and EVOO.
Pinzimonio
Common in the north and central regions of Italy, Pinzimonio is nothing more than a mix of carrot and celery sticks, sliced fennel, and radishes. Arrange them in a basket or on a plate and serve with a bowl of EVOO for dipping. Purists use nothing more than EVOO for dipping, while others add balsamic vinegar to taste and salt. This is commonly eaten at the beginning of dinner.
Salmoriglio
Very common in the southern regions of Italy, Salmoriglio is a mix for marinade or dressing made of vinegar, garlic, oregano, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil. It is delicious with grilled fish or meat.
Crusty Bread
Crusty bread provides the perfect accompaniment for EVOO and an excellent way to experience different EVOO varieties.
Please remember, as I always say, it is never too early and never too late to start a new dietary habit, particularly one as beneficial as incorporating daily EVOO into your diet. It brings extraordinary health benefits for our body and mind!
By embracing EVOO, you’re not just adding flavor to your meals; you’re making a choice for better health. Start today and experience the benefits for yourself!
Domenico Praticò, MD, holds the position of the Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation Chair for Alzheimer’s Research and serves as a Professor and the Director at the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple, as well as a Professor of Pharmacology at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.
For more information on the research conducted by Dr. Domenico Pratico, please visit this link.
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Stay updated with the work happening at Dr. Domenico Pratico's lab by visiting the Pratico Lab website.
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