5 Reasons to Include EVOO in 2013 (and 5 Tasty Ways to Do It!)

Posted by Olivia on Wed, January 23, 2013

From “Eat more veggies” to “Save more money,” we’re all making resolutions for 2013 in hopes to be happier and healthier. Among our list for the year ahead is to consume more extra virgin olive oil—and there’s no shortage of the benefits.

Here are our top 5 reasons to include extra virgin olive oil in 2013:

1) Extra virgin olive oil can help you lose weight. “Lose weight” is possibly the number one resolution we all try to tackle each year, and research shows that olive oil consumption may help us get there by reducing belly fat and breaking down fats in our bodies.

2) Eating extra virgin olive oil can help you live longer by preventing disease. There are many documented health benefits of consuming olive oil. Some of the top advantages include reducing “bad” cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, preventing cancer, and preventing against dementia over the years.

3) Cooking with extra virgin olive oil elevates your menus to gourmet status. Learn to cook with olive oil and you’ll be joining the ranks of famous chefs and foodies taking the delicious plunge. Whether mastering homemade salad dressing, debunking the no-frying myth, or replacing butter with olive oil, there are countless ways to kick up your cooking game with a little experimentation. The results? More delicious—and not to mention healthy—food all year long.

4) There’s always something new to try in the world of olive oils. Did you know that no two extra virgin olive oils are alike? Similar to the world of wines, there are several different types of extra virgin olive oils out there, made from different varieties of olives and harvested at different times of the year. From Delicate to Robust, there’s an olive oil out there for every palette and every occasion. Once you start to experiment with their different tastes and uses, it’s hard not to become hooked.

5) Buying local extra virgin olive oil stimulates the economy. That’s right—you can support your local economy by cooking with extra virgin olive oil! Recent reports show that just around 2% of all olive oil consumed in the United States is actually produced in our country. Here at The Olive Press, we’re pleased to create a sustainable, nutritious product for the local economy—and for being the most awarded olive oil producer in the nation!

Ready to get started? Here are 5 tasty ways to start using more olive oil today:

1) Drizzle over your breakfast. Scrambled eggs, oatmeal, pancakes—every morning meal can be made even brighter with a little help from olive oil. Here are five easy tips to get you started.

2) Use it in baking. Don’t be afraid to use olive oil in your baking! It can make your sweets and savories more tender and moist—and substituting it for butter is a cinch with our conversion chart.    

3) Make a no-fuss family dinner. Extra virgin olive oil is our go-to cooking oil, even when we’re short on time to get dinner to the table. From sandwiches and pasta to seafood and leafy greens, we always reach for a bottle of olive oil to get the job done.

4) Brown bag it! The versatility of olive oil goes beyond hot dinners; it’s wonderful to use in your everyday lunches. Use in pastas, salads, veggie dips, and more. Here are some tips for your very own brown bag inspiration.

5) Master the vinaigrette. Making restaurant-worthy salad dressings and sauces is easy when you’re using a high-quality olive oil and a few basic kitchen ingredients. Read on for our primer on perfecting salad vinaigrette from scratch.