Welcome to our new series here on the Mother Raw Blog called "Ingredient Spotlight". We are so proud of the natural, clean and minimally processed ingredients we use in our products. What better ingredient to kick off the series with than one of our main ingredients, first cold-pressed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil!
We love Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Here at Mother Raw we believe in using the freshest, cleanest ingredients possible. For that reason, we only choose the highest quality cold-pressed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) as the base to all our products. Our EVOO is different because it’s first cold-pressed! Cold pressing is the process of extracting oil (in this case– from mother earth’s delicious olives) without breaking down the good stuff that’s inside. No heat, no chemicals...no worries!
Do you know what’s a sign of high quality EVOO? When it separates and solidifies in the fridge! You bet your Mother Raw dressings will separate and they may even solidify - and we're damn proud it! So the next time you grab a bottle of our dressing from your fridge, give it a good shake before you enjoy!
What is “First Cold-Pressed" anyways?
First-pressed means that the olives were crushed only one time to ensure the purist and highest grade oil possible! First cold-pressing has both nutritional and taste benefits. When olive oil is minimally refined and processed, it maintains a good source of tocopherols (Vitamin E) and polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants naturally present in olive oil. In terms of taste, our cold-pressed EVOO has a rich, nutty, and buttery flavor, with notes of pepper. We love how these yummy flavors come through in our dressings!
Why we use EVOO
We use EVOO because you use it! Our research has shown that 92% of people who make their own salad dressings use EVOO! It’s clear to us that EVOO is important to you, and that’s important to us. It’s also essential to select ingredients that, not only taste great but are nutrient packed. EVOO is a wonderful source of monounsaturated fat (MUFAs), which is a heart healthy fat. EVOO is chalk-full of the antioxidants mentioned above (tocopherols and polyphenols), which have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. Studies looking at EVOO as a whole have found connections between olive oil consumption and reduced blood pressure, risk of stroke, and prevention of heart disease. Talk about a nutritional powerhouse!EVOO: The Top Dog
Sure, there are other oils we could use, but in our opinion EVOO takes the (plant-based) cake. Like EVOO, canola and sunflower oils also contain MUFAs, but they’re not as rich in it as EVOO is. Sunflower oils today are altered to increase their MUFA profile to allow for better stability and longer shelf-life. Historically, canola oil was inedible and didn’t have any of the health benefits it does today. Scientists genetically modified it to make it more pleasant and appealing for use in the kitchen. We believe in products that are originally nutrient packed and undergo the least amount of processing.The Bottom Line
We at Mother Raw are proud of the clean ingredients in our products. First cold-pressed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil is the foundation of our dressings because of its proven health benefits, minimal processing, high quality, and unbeatable taste. Go ahead - try one of our delicious products and taste the difference for yourself!
RAWesome References
- http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/fr/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252FStandards%252FCODEX%2BSTAN%2B19-1981%252FCXS_019e.pdf
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejlt.201400623
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29495598
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15380903
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15447913
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24775425
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25274026
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23432189
- https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/092208p36.shtml
By Lia Barroso