f you have been on the internet looking for ways to lose a few extra pounds, you have most certainly heard of how beneficial a vegan diet can be. However, the vegan diet can be a tricky thing t master, you have to pick the ingredients most carefully and of the choicest quality.
When looking for the right oil, olive oil comes to mind. However, is olive oil vegan-appropriate? Let us examine this.
What is Olive Oil
Olive oil is obtained from olives, which are the fruits of the olive tree that is cultivated in regions with Mediterranean climates. Most of the world’s olive oil production is around the Mediterranean basin which consists of countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, Tunisia, and Morocco among a few others. The oil is extracted by pressing whole olives and separating the oil from other fruit contents.
Olive is one of the healthiest sources of fat as it is just more than 85% unsaturated fat.
Unsaturated fats tend to have fewer hydrogen atoms than saturated fats making them less prone to oxidation. This means that olive oil is an antioxidant and has health benefits compared to other sources of fat. Olive is known to increase good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol hence reducing the risk of heart ailments and stroke.
What is a Vegan Diet Plan
A vegan diet consists of only plant-based foods and excludes all animal-based products such as meat, eggs, and dairy. Studies have shown that a vegan diet is less harmful to the environment than a diet that included animal products. Vegan diets can be nutritious if followed properly and can also help in weight loss. The number of people opting to go vegan has been increasing year on year and about 3% of Americans are vegan.
Vegan diets are rich in vitamins and nutrients and low in fat and protein. People opting for a vegan diet should be aware of the sources for calcium, vitamin B-12, and iron that usually come from a mix of plant and animal-based diet. Vegan lifestyles have gained impetus due to environmental, health, and animal welfare concerns.
Plenty of fruits, vegetable, beans, seeds, and nuts are part of a vegan diet. These foods tend to be nutritious and are a good source of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and healthy fat. Vegan food lacks iron, calcium, and vitamin B-12 but foods such as beetroot and whole grains can be consumed as an alternative to meat to get these nutrients. Vegan diets are healthy, and studies have that a vegan diet reduces the risk of heart diseases. Animal products contain a high amount of saturated fats that can raise the body’s cholesterol leading to heart problems. Vegan diets consist of a negligible amount of saturated fats and are thus cholesterol-free. Plant-based diets are also rich in fiber which is linked to improved heart health. People following a vegan diet also tend to intake fewer calories than those following an omnivorous diet.
While cooking, vegans use plant-based oils and sources of fat instead of animal fat or lard. Plant-based fats come from vegetable oils and seeds such as sunflower seeds, flaxseed, and sesame seeds. Plant-based oil is low in saturated fats and is healthier than animal fat. The healthiest oils for vegan cooking are olive oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, and vegetable oil.
How is Olive Oil Extracted
Olive oil is extracted mechanically or chemically by grinding olives. To produce good quality extra virgin olive oil, extra care must be taken to check that the olives are perfectly ripe because raw olives generally produce oil that is slightly bitter and the oil from overripe olives can taste foul. The process of olive oil extraction is as follows:
- Olives are crushed into a paste using millstones traditionally, while more modern methods use steel drums to make the paste.
- The paste is mixed for 20- 45 minutes, this allows the smaller oil droplets to merge with the bigger ones. The mixers are usually horizontal with spiral blades. The paste can be heated, or water can be added to increase yield, but this can lead to lower quality oil. Increasing the mixing duration increases yield but is also conducive to oxidation which decreases the shelf life of the oil.
- The next step is separating the rest of the olives from the oil. Traditionally this process was carried out with presses called a first press and a cold press, but the more modern method of
There are two types of centrifuges namely three-phase centrifuges and two-phase centrifuges. Three-phase centrifuges separate all three components i.e., the oil, water, solids. A two-phase centrifuge separates the oil from wet fruit contents. The oil is then stored in tanks where, if needed, a final separation can be done through gravity (as oil is less dense than water) this is called racking. The oil can be filtered for consumption.
Another alternative to the vegan diet is a keto diet. Would you like to know if your oil fits in the keto diet? Click on this article about “is palm oil keto friendly?”.
Olive Oil Grades
Two types of olive oils are directly sold to consumers: virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil. Virgin olive oil can be considered regular quality and is usually produced through mechanical processes. Its maximum acidity is two degrees, and this type of oil is mostly used in cooking applications. Extra virgin olive oil is of a higher quality with acidity below 0.8 degrees and a distinct taste. Extra virgin olive oil is used as a dressing for salads, other cold foods or is consumed raw.
Virgin olive oil does not usually have the same quality control as the extra virgin variety and is produced keeping high yield as a priority over quality. On the other hand, olives are handpicked for extra virgin olive oil and are perfectly ripened to ensure a uniform flavor. There are several methods to produce extra virgin olive oil with each method affecting the price consumers pay.
Extra-virgin olive oil is unrefined because it does not undergo any chemical processes. It usually has a greenish hue and a slightly peppery taste. Since it has not been refined, extra virgin olive oils have a truer olive-like taste, lower oleic acid (fatty acids) compared to other olive oil varieties, and they contain more minerals and vitamins found in olives.
Is Olive Oil a Good Choice for a Vegan Diet
The answer to this question is a resounding yes! Olive oil is one of the healthiest sources of vegetable fat. Olive oil is extracted from the olive fruit and no animal is harmed in the processing of olive oil.
Vegans tend to avoid processed food even if they are plant-based and this is what makes olive especially friendly to a vegan diet. Extra virgin olive oil is not processed and does not undergo any refining, it is cold-pressed, and it fit for consumption. Even virgin olive or refined oil though they are processed are healthier options to other sources of fat as they are low in saturated fats.
Salads comprise a major portion of a vegan diet using extra virgin oil as a dressing for your salad not only adds flavor but is also a source of healthy fat. If you are frying or cooking the cheaper virgin olive oils can be used as they have a higher smoke point than other oils which means that olive oil doesn’t break down even at high temperatures and remains healthy.
Olives are not genetically modified and are also not sprayed with copious amounts of pesticide. This makes cultivating olive difficult and the end-product is expensive, but the health benefits cannot be ignored. Vegans tend to avoid genetically modified products and prefer organically grown produce which makes olive a good candidate for inclusion in a vegan diet.
There are, however, a few concerns before choosing olive oil as your preferred choice of fat for cooking.
One of the main objections raised by vegans for including olive oil in their diet is the environmental impact of olive oil cultivation. While small-scale cultivators do not damage the environment adversely, mass manufacturers can do some severe damage to the environment.
A huge amount of water is required in the production of olive oil. Some estimates say that around 3,900 liters of water are required to produce one liter of extra virgin olive oil! Water consumption is a serious concern and using olive oil may not seem like such a good idea anymore. Another reason to avoid olive oil is that its production is wasteful.
Once the oil is extracted, the crushed fruits cannot be used for any other purpose and hence must be discarded. This leads to the wastage of tons of crushed fruits, moreover, the wastage for refined olive oil can be toxic. For olive oil that is refined using chemical processes, phenols form a huge part of the waste. These chemicals are hazardous if ingested, breathed, or contacts your skin and they can even cause harm to surrounding animal and plant life.
Soil erosion is a common problem when cultivating olives. The large amounts of water used washes away fertile soil and leads to erosion which can eventually cause desertification. The chemical run-off from refining olive oil can leach into the soil leading to contamination. Contaminated soil can lead to the death of beneficial microorganisms and can make the soil useless for further cultivation. These environmental factors can lead to vegans being turned off by olive and they may choose other suitable alternatives like coconut oil, rapeseed oil, or sunflower oil.
If you have environmental concerns about olive oil being a part of your vegan diet you can always check the labels to understand how the oil has been extracted. Good quality extra virgin olive oil manufacturers usually take into account the damage that is caused and use methods to mitigate it. Extra-virgin olive oil also causes the least amount of environmental degradation as it requires no chemical processes for extraction.
However, please note that extra virgin olive oil isn’t the same as virgin olive oil, read this article on “is extra virgin olive oil the same as cold-pressed olive oil?”.
Conclusion
When it comes to a vegan diet, the ingredients are the main thing. Extra virgin olive oil goes through no chemical treatment, which maximizes its nutrition and minimizes its adulteration. However, the same can’t be said for refined virgin oil. Refined, virgin, or lite olive oil categories come with chemical purification.
Olive oil, majorly, is beneficial to a vegan diet as it is purely plant-based and is a great source of healthy unsaturated fats. With a high smoke point, olive does not easily break down into toxic compounds with high-temperature cooking. While a vegan diet contains less fat, olive is a good choice for healthy fat and can be used to add flavor to salads as well as other cold foods. However, since olive oil is fat after all it is recommended that you use it in moderation. Using too much olive oil can be as bad as having a burger which means that it is an expensive way to be unhealthy. Extra virgin olive is extracted with the least amount of processing and is a pure as oil can get which makes it a great option for vegans who avoid processed foods.
That said, olive oil cultivation does have a murky side to it, which is environmental degradation. Wastage of water is a huge concern. Olive is grown in the Mediterranean region and water resources can be scarce in some of these countries. Using enormous amounts of water to cultivate olive can seem counterproductive to the water needs of the country’s populace.
Olive oil production also leads to huge wastage and some of the waste can be toxic. The European Union has come with certifications for those olive oil makers, who dispose of their waste sustainably. This does lead to an increase in the price of the final product. Unsustainable practices also lead to soil erosion which can gradually make the soil unfit for further cultivation. It is more important now than ever that olive oil producers take cognizance of the environmental damage and move to sustainable methods of cultivation such as organic farming.
As a consumer, it is your right to know what you’re buying and where it comes from. Most reputable olive oil producer print details of the manufacturing process on their labels and can be traced back. Connoisseurs of olive prefer purchasing olive oil from olive bars rather than from the supermarket as they value keeping a relation with the olive oil produces. Vegans can look at this option while going to sustainably produced olive oil. Olive bars allow you to taste the olives and olive oil before buying. If the oil slightly tickles your throat and has pepperiness that means it’s a good thing. Purchasing olive oil from an olive bar will cost you more but it’s worth it. For a vegan, it is important to mind what you’re getting, if you can afford to pay a premium for real extra virgin olive oil go ahead and buy it. If not, then maybe you’re better off choosing a different alternative.