OH! Magazine - Australian Version January 2017 | Page 13

( Nutrition )

HOW FRESH

IS YOUR OIL?

o you keep a bottle of your ‘good’
extra virgin olive oil in the back of
the pantry, only to be used only ‘special’
occasions? If the answer is ‘yes’ then
read on to learn why this is not a good
idea!

D

Extra virgin olive oil is not like wine – it
doesn’t get better with age; it’s actually
the complete opposite. You want to
consume your extra virgin olive oil as
fresh as possible. Think of it more like
fruit juice because that’s what it is – the
juice of the olive fruit. The ‘extra virgin’
refers to the way the juice is extracted
which in this instance is the gentlest
process available (i.e. essentially just a
pressing of the fruit).

Dr Joanna explains how to
recognise the freshness of your oil.

are the better. You are, however, best to
use up your oil within four to six weeks of
opening the bottle, as this ensures
optimum benefit from the health and
taste.
Finally, how you store your oil also
matters. To keep the oil fresh choose a
cool, dark pantry… but don’t hide it away
at the back! Keeping it in an easy-toreach position will ecnourage you to use
your extra virgin olive oil every day, which
will generate the best health (and taste)
benefits.

Secondly, look on the bottle for the
harvest date. Although you can safely
consume extra virgin olive oils for about
two years from harvest, the fresher they

vinegary, musty or earthy (like mouldy
damp wood/floor) or even a muggy dirty
car smell.
Next, taste it. Fresh extra virgin olive oil
tastes fresh and clean on your palette,
and is not greasy or oily. You will also get
a slight tingling in the back of your throat
after you swallow – this is the antioxidants
in the oil.
Rancid or refined oil tastes rough; you
may taste cucumbers and it will leave a
greasy, oily film around your mouth or
sometimes even a sticky taste.

Can I taste the difference?
Yes, you can! In fact, you can taste and
smell the difference.

How do I know I’m getting a fresh oil?
The best way to know if you are buying a
good oil is to look first and foremost for
an Australian extra virgin olive oil. The
standards are exceptionally high in our
local industry, so you really can place
your trust in Aussie manufacturers.

DR
JOANNA

Try testing the oils in your pantry at home.
Tip it into a small cup, swirl the oil around
with your hand on top of the cup and
then put it close to your nose.
A fresh oil smells like freshly cut grass,
banana leaves, or the delicious smell you
get when you walk into the fresh produce
section of the supermarket – like vine
ripened tomatoes or apple cider.
Rancid or refined olive oil might smell

Fresh olive oil which smells and tastes
like the above is what you’ll find with
Australian extra virgin olive oils. They
taste better and they’re better for you.
To find out more or to learn about Dr
Joanna’s fresh, personalised, researchbased approach to getting lean visit
www.drjoanna.com.au
YOU CAN FOLLOW DR JOANNA VIA:
Web: drjoanna.com.au
Facebook: drjoannamcmillan
Twitter: @joannanutrition
Instagram: @drjoannamcmillan

( JANUARY 2017 ) OH! MAGAZINE

13