Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Organic Kitchen - 500ml

A healthy diet rich in fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes and pulses provides our bodies with vitamins, minerals and fibre, boosting our immune systems and preparing us to fight against infections. Everyone knows what it means to eat healthy food and what is a healthy diet but only some follow the rules on a daily basis. There are countries where they know how to eat better and maintain their bodies healthier. Through the centuries, local people have perfected a balanced diet, cultivating and eating mainly local produce and high-quality foods. Furthermore, they developed habits and practices that allow them to enjoy eating food without any side effects. Unfortunately, the UK is not one of these places. But where is it in Europe that people eat the healthiest? Mediterranean diet - whole grains, a lot of vegetables and olive oil The Mediterranean diet, which is predominantly plant-based, is considered one of the healthiest. It is very popular around the world, but the countries which benefit from this cuisine on a daily basis include Italy, Greece, and Spain. The Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy snacks like nuts, healthy fats like olive oil, herbs and seafood. Many Mediterranean diet staples are low in calories and high in fibre. These foods help promote healthy weight management, low cholesterol levels and normal blood pressure. This type of diet prevents you from conditions like obesity, diabetes and heart disease. According to research by Harvard University, people who eat a Mediterranean diet have 25 per cent less risk of developing cardiovascular disease over the course of 12 years. Moreover, those who strictly followed this diet had a 24 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and 23 per cent lower risk of premature death compared with those who had the lowest adherence to this diet. French diet - everything in moderation French cuisine is all about the perfect portion and quality. French people never overeat during a meal and keep their meals regular, which means they never skip them, but they choose products with high quality. This allows them to eat some 'forbidden' products rich in fats like cheese and butter, carbs like bread, or even meat, as they will always have them in moderation. Thanks to this habit of eating little or just enough, the numbers of obese people and those suffering from heart disease are pretty low in French society. The French don't eat junk food, deep-fried items or low-quality sweet snacks, which also has a great impact on their overall health and body weight management. Nordic diet - whole grain bread and seasonal produce The Nordic diet may not be as popular outside the North of Europe, but it's worth mentioning as the health of inhabitants of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark is not so bad either. The quality and nutritional profile of many Nordic staples is better than that of the British. People eat more seasonal produce, locally sourced vegetables and fruits, choose darker rye bread over white bread, and occasionally eat oily fish like salmon.

Where is olive oil from? Liquid gold - that's what Homer used to call olive oil in Ancient Greece. Olive oil has always been the most important ingredient of a healthy Mediterranean diet. Olive trees have grown for thousands of years around the Mediterranean Sea in Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. With hot and dry summers, the local climate of these countries is perfect for these resilient trees. Today, Greece is the biggest consumer of olive oil per capita (20l annually), following Italy (13l). Spain is the biggest producer of olive oil. However, Greece and Portugal produce olive oil of the best quality - the premium extra virgin olive oil with a rich, fruity aroma and less acidic flavour. How is olive oil made? Made from the fruits of the olive tree, olive oil is technically a juice. Harvesting takes place once a year, early in autumn, when the olives are fresh and at their best quality with low acidity levels. Then they are the most nutritious and contain the most antioxidants. The olives are crushed just like any other fruits. Olive oil, just like any juice, is best when it's cold pressed and fresh, and this is what we call extra virgin. What is extra virgin olive oil? Extra virgin olive oil is purely extracted from cold-pressed olives, and it's not blended with other oils. Non-extra virgin olive oil may include both cold-pressed and processed oils. Extra virgin olive oil means there were no chemicals used in the process of extracting the oil. When oil is cold-pressed, it means it was not heated over 27 °C during the production. This kind of olive oil contains more nutrients and vitamins. Why is extra virgin oil healthy? In recent years, the popularity of olive oil as a healthy ingredient has been growing, and many families around the world have a bottle of it in a kitchen cupboard. The fatty acid (oleic acid) in olive oil is mainly monounsaturated fat (73% while14% of the oil is saturated fat, and 11% is polyunsaturated). Olive oil contains omega-6, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins E and K and lots of antioxidants which protect our cells from free radicals. The oleic acid can help reduce inflammation and have great effects on genes linked to cancer, minimising the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease. Consuming olive oil is also not linked to weight gain. How to cook with olive oil? Although you can use it in many healthy recipes, including for sauténing and frying, olive oil loses some of its beneficial properties when cooked or warmed up. The best is to use olive oil for uncooked recipes such as salads, dressings and dips or just drizzle it on top of all kinds of dishes for a finishing touch. You can now buy Greek extra virgin olive oil at Wholefood Earth and enjoy the goodness of this liquid gold. Browse our collection of healthy oils! From hemp seed oil and flax seed oil to organic coconut oil, you will find a perfect option for your cooking and baking.

When you look at the oil shelf in a typical UK supermarket, you’re mostly seeing products that have been through a lot of stress. They’ve often been heated, chemically refined, and stripped of their natural character just to make them stay "shelf-stable" for years. But if you’re using oils from the Rawgorilla range, you’re dealing with something completely different. These are single-ingredient, cold-pressed, raw oils. Here is why that difference actually matters for your health and your cooking. 1. The ‘Cold-Pressed’ Difference The term "cold-pressed" isn't just a marketing buzzword; it’s a description of how the oil is extracted. Instead of using high heat or harsh chemicals to force the oil out of a fruit or seed, it is physically squeezed out at low temperatures. The Truth: High heat damages the delicate structure of healthy fats. By keeping things "raw," you preserve the vitamins (like Vitamin E) and the antioxidants that naturally protect the oil from going rancid. You get the nutrients exactly as the plant intended. 2. The Power of Single Ingredients In a world of "vegetable oil" blends, a single-ingredient oil is much more transparent. The Truth: When an oil is a blend, it’s often a mix of one high-quality oil and several cheaper, refined "filler" oils. With a single-ingredient oil—like pure Avocado, Walnut, or Hemp oil—you know exactly what you’re putting into your body. There are no hidden additives and no "mystery" fats. 3. Flavour That Actually Tastes Like Food If you’ve only ever used refined oils, you might be surprised to find that raw oils actually have a distinct taste. The Truth: Refined oils are "deodorised" (a process of heating the oil to strip away its smell and taste). Raw oils, however, carry the essence of the plant. A raw walnut oil tastes like real nuts; a raw hemp oil has a fresh, earthy note. This makes them a brilliant tool for adding depth to a dish, rather than just being something to grease a pan with. How to Use Them in Your Kitchen Because these oils are so high-quality, you want to treat them with a bit of respect. Don't Overheat Them: These oils are perfect for drizzling over steamed vegetables, mixing into salad dressings, or stirring into a finished soup. If you use a raw, cold-pressed oil for high-heat frying, you’re essentially burning away the nutrients you’ve paid for. Store Them Right: These oils are "alive." Keep them in a cool, dark cupboard—not right next to the hob where it gets hot—to keep those delicate fats stable and fresh. Choosing raw, single-ingredient oils is about moving away from industrial processing and getting back to basics. It’s about quality over quantity. A drizzle of a high-quality oil provides more biological benefit than a cup of cheap, refined "vegetable" oil. Shop the Rawgorilla Cold-Pressed Oil Range