(page 60) DECEMBER 2014
HEALTH TREND BY KELSEY BEWICK
“The fresher the oil, the healthier it is.’
“OLIVE” YOU, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL! Dump the grocery store oils and take a fresh EVOO to dinner. We all know—perhaps even love—that grocery store variety of olive oil. But truth is, it’s an unhealthy relationship. It’s time to spend a little extra money and move on to a better—and ultimately healthier—option. According to Charles Walsh, co-owner of Vita Sana Olive Oil Company in Rapid City, “the fresher the oil, the healthier it is.” And fresh olive oil is exactly what Walsh and his wife Merry Jane have been bringing to Rapid City for more than a year. Once “regular” olive oil consumers, the Walshes changed their habits after digging deeper and discovering the adulteration in everyday oils. Since opening their first olive oil store in Casper, Wyo. in 2012, the couple has worked with a third generation supplier in California, who’s been in the business for more than 100 years. They import their oils seasonally, depending on the olive’s crush date. While autumn and winter bring oils from the northern hemisphere, spring and summer bring oils from the south. In general, olive oils come in a range of quality levels depending on the amount of processing they’ve gone through— extra virgin being the least processed. They also differ in flavor intensity from mild to robust. Vita Sana carries a variety of unfiltered EVOOs in addition to a range of fused and infused selections, including crowd favorites like Tuscan herb and more curious options like Persian lime. Though all natural EVOOs have health benefits, the unfiltered robust ones pack the biggest punch. Olive oil has been found effective against a host of diseases, like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, oxidative stress, and even cancer. But why is fresh olive oil so important? Because olives are a
fruit, and olive oil is essentially a fruit juice. “Think about it this way,” said Walsh, “if you went in to buy fruit, do you buy a rotting fruit or do you buy something that’s fresh?” Most grocery store oils start out as extra virgin, but according to various academic studies, two thirds are blended with a seed or corn oil by middlemen. Virgin olive oils are made from olives that have rotted and fallen from their branches. Subsequently, the oil must undergo additional processing, which depletes it of naturally occurring nutritional benefits. Fresh oils, on the other hand, are loaded with antioxidants like polyphenols, which help delay cell damage and are believed to aid in preventing degenerative diseases. They also contain monounsaturated fatty acids, which are great alternatives to saturated and trans fats. When it comes to getting all this goodness in your body, Walsh suggests throwing back a half-ounce to an ounce each morning. It’s something he does himself to combat gastritis and GERD. “I’m trying to manage my lifestyle without taking biopharmaceuticals,” he said. But if straight EVOO isn’t your thing, try it as a marinade or salad dressing. You can even use it as a recipe substitute for butter or margarine. However you choose to add fresh EVOO to your diet, be prepared to ditch the old grocery store variety forever. “Once you taste this, I don’t think you’ll ever go back,” said Walsh. For more info, visit www.vitasanaoliveoil.com or call (605) 721-6555.