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A good avocado oil is more than the sum of its parts.
Everything from the colour to the type of bottle it’s in, all add to the final quality of the finished product, with drastically varying results for different brands.
The following 10 aspects all come together to create what is, in our humble opinion, not just a good avocado oil, but the best in the world – Olivado.
Containers
One of the first things you’ll notice about a good avocado oil is the bottle it comes in.
Good oils should only come in dark glass bottles which keep out light and oxygen to stop the oil from going rancid.
Plastic or PET bottles allow the diffusion of oxygen, turning the oil and giving it an unpleasant smell and taste.
Extra Virgin
We’ve talked before about what extra-virgin actually means for cooking oils.
Olive oil is the only oil with international set standards – there are currently no official standards for any other cooking oils.
To be classed as extra virgin olive oil, the oil must contain no more than 0.8% acidity. To get this level, no chemicals are used in the extraction method, and instead, only machinery is used to squeeze the oil from the olive. The temperature is also kept low, ensuring the essential nutrients and minerals are not boiled away.
Many olive oils claim to be “extra virgin” but are not. A pale or so-called “light” oil will, to some extent, have been refined.
Cold-Pressed
The cold-pressed extraction method was pioneered here in New Zealand by Olivado and is now industry standard around the world.
The difference between the traditional method and our cold-pressed one is simple but essential – the temperature.
During the washing, blending, and spinning stages, we are very careful not to let the temperature rise above 50° Celsius.
This allows the oil to retain its essential nutrients, including its levels of chlorophylls and carotenoids, which gives our avocado oil its gorgeous jade green colour.
Taste and Colour
High-quality oils should have the taste and colour characteristics of the fruit or vegetable they come from.
Our award-winning avocado oil tastes like avocados, and that’s because we keep the fruity goodness from tree to bottle.
Stability
Stability is another word for rancidity.
Oils high in acidity quickly become unstable, and therefore unusable. Our avocado oil is created in a manner which makes it stable for five years, with a shelf-life of 4 years minimum.
Acidity
A good extra virgin oil should have low acidity.
This means that it has not only been produced to the highest standard, but it also makes it a much more stable oil, particularly if its vitamin E levels are high.
Olivado uses a standard of 0.8% for its extra virgin avocado oil.
Culinary Uses
Different oils have different uses. Cooking oils come in a vast range of options, all differing in taste, colour, and culinary uses.
Each have their own pros and cons, and different types come with different health benefits, as well as cost.
A one-oil-fits-everything 3 litre bottle may sound tempting, but it’s not worth it.
Health Benefits
Avocados are crammed full of minerals and vitamins, one of the reasons they have been lauded for centuries for their health properties.
Avocado oil not only lowers bad cholesterol, but raises the good type of cholesterol. A diet high in monounsaturated fat enriched with avocado can have a range of health benefits, including helping people with diabetes regulate their insulin more effectively.
Avocados are also high in potassium, which helps with everything from lowering blood pressure to keeping your muscles and nerves working properly.
High levels of Vitamin E and other health benefits make this Extra Virgin oil both versatile and healthy.
Cost
Not all oils are created equal, and like most things in life, you get what you pay for. If you buy cheap, you get cheap.
Spending a little extra on a high-quality cooking oil is worth it for the health benefits alone, never mind the flavour good cooking oils bring to a meal.
Cost-Effectiveness
Remember, it is better to use less of a quality oil than a lot of a cheap oil.
If you do buy a good avocado oil, then buy it in small quantities. As soon as a bottle of oil is opened and exposed to oxygen, it will begin to deteriorate.
Buying in bulk may seem cost-effective, but it will quickly go rancid and much of it will be wasted.
Look no further for a good avocado oil
A good avocado oil is well worth the bit extra you might pay for it in the shops.
Good oils keep the minerals, nutrients, and vitamins from the original fruit they are made from, bringing with them the associated health benefits.
Then there are the flavours!
If you’re in any way serious about your cooking, then you’ll know the importance of a high-quality cooking oil.
The rich smooth taste of our oils enhance the flavours of delicate foods, and our range of smoking points make everything from salad dressing to deep frying a pinch.
If you would like to know more about what to look for in a good avocado oil, please feel free to contact us, or check out our range here.
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