The benefits of olive oil by Maria Nicolau

Prodeca implements the "Increasing knowledge of the olive oil potentialities for cooking" project co-financed by theInternational Olive Council (IOC) and record a video with chef Maria Nicolau about the importance of using olive oil in our kitchens.

Mary Nicholas

Maria Nicolau's professional journey in the kitchen began fourteen years ago with a sentence: "I have all my enthusiasm to offer and nothing to lose". Currently, after more than twenty years of international experience in restaurants such as Pershing Hall Paris and Gérard Mulot Paris, he maintains that what turns so much experience into value is precisely this enthusiasm, which remains intact.

In addition, he has worked at restaurants such as Bravo24 – W Barcelona by Carles Abellán, Fonda Europa, Las Duelas, AuraPark Hotel, Margarides i Albercocs, Ramona, Club Nàutic d'Arenys de Mar and Metric Market. This year, she is the head chef of the restaurant El Ferrer del Tall, in Vilanova de Sau (Osona), where she promotes concepts of proximity and knowledge in the kitchen. If there is one word that defines Maria it is passion.

The secrets of olive oil

Maria Nicolau explains that extra virgin olive oil is what gives the opportunity to add value to each and every one of the preparations that are made in the kitchen and contrary to what you think, extra virgin olive oil is not expensive compared to everything it brings us and is worth much more than it costs.

In addition, all the money we invest in the purchase of extra virgin olive oil not only has an impact on the ingredient itself, but goes further and gives life to producers, to traditional crafts and also to our land. It becomes a chain of added value that adds up from the start of the process to the last morsel we put in our mouths.

In general, we have a misconceived idea of the purpose of olive oil, it is thought to be a medium for frying, for dressing, an extra element that does not have the same relevance as the rest of the ingredients and this is unreal.

Virgin olive oil interacts with other foods individually and is equally important. Moreover, it is able to change the character of an entire recipe, as it is able to change the textures, the brightness, the acidity, the bitterness, and the sensation on the palate.

 Therefore, this emulsion, loveliness, creaminess, "spark" and spark of acidity that virgin olive oil awakens in us, is, according to Maria Nicolau, what makes the rest of the ingredients that are in contact with the oil vibrate much more.

Nutritional advantages of olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is considered by the WHO to be one of the essential and most beneficial foods for our diet, as it is a food rich in vitamin E or tocopherol, vitamin A (beta-carotene), and monounsaturated fatty acids that give it cardioprotective properties. In addition, extra virgin olive oil has compounds such as phytosterols and polygenols.

The Mediterranean diet advises consuming between 50-55% of calories from complex carbohydrates and abundant in fiber; 10-12% proteins and 30-35% lipids, i.e. fats. This is why it is so important to consume extra virgin olive oil, as it is part of the monounsaturated fats (healthy fats).

The moderate consumption of extra virgin olive oil (from 3 to 6 tablespoons daily, depending on the caloric needs of each person), together with a healthy diet, can be essential to prevent several cases of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and premature aging. Among the best-known benefits of extra virgin olive oil are: antibacterial properties, improvement of the digestive system, prevention of certain cancers, antioxidant properties, improvement of the immune system, reduction of cholesterol, improvement of skin health, improvement of cognitive functions, helps to prevent circulatory problems, reduces the rise in blood sugar in diabetics, normalizes blood pressure, can improve cases of gastric acidity, improves bone mineralization, among others.