Olive oil was used for its health and beauty benefits long before people used it to cook with. The ancient Greeks knew all about using olive oil for beauty benefits. Young men would slather the oil all over, and then they used a special scraper to remove the oil. This treatment was famous for imparting a wonderful glow to the skin. It's surprising, given the beauty benefits of olive oil, that people do not do this any longer. Though olive oil is associated with great beauty and health benefits, Extra Virgin Olive Oil also known as EVOO is even better.

€Extra Virgin€ oil is oil from the first pressing of the highest quality olive fruit, done immediately after the harvest and undergoes minimal processing. By not being processed, all of the oil's natural nutrients, anti-oxidants and vitamins are preserved€"heavy processing zaps olives of many of their benefits. Extra Virgin oil is never subjected to temperatures above 86 degrees Fahrenheit, because a loss of flavor is associated with higher temperatures. Obviously, EVOO must not be mixed with other oils, such as oils from seeds and nuts. Significantly, Extra Virgin oil must pass more than 20 tests to verify its purity. Olive oil is great, and EVOO is the best of the best.

There are several benefits of using EVOO; benefits which make its higher cost worth every penny. EVOO is used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and soaps. Since EVOO is more expensive, experts recommend either buying it in extremely small quantities or splitting a larger quantity with friends and family. If the oil is split among several people, those people need to make sure they put the oil in a dark container since light can harm this fine oil.

This specific kind of oil is superb for cooking. It is great to drizzle over salads and to make dressings and delicious vinaigrettes. It can also be drizzled over slices of bread to enhance the flavor. It is also delicious on baked potatoes and mashed potatoes. Basically, it can be used as a substitute for butter. One can find, online, charts for converting butter to the oil. Also, EVOO is often used on cooked vegetables or brushed over meat and fish.

Again, Extra Virgin olive oil is an indispensable beauty product. As the ancients knew, it is a natural and hypoallergenic moisturizer. The oil penetrates deeply into the skin, maximizing the moisturizing benefits. Those anti-oxidants that are preserved by the minimal processing of the oil stimulate cells naturally, which results in smoother skin. Its antioxidants are believed to slow the aging process: over time, a good EVOO may help to ease the appearance of wrinkles. It can also be mixed with lavender and other ingredients to gently exfoliate skin. It is a gentle and effective cleanser and makeup remover. The prized oil can also be used for cuticle and nail care: it counteracts dry cuticles and gives nails more shine. As the ancients knew, Extra Virgin olive oil imparts a beautiful shine, on the skin or even in the hair. To obtain that wonderful shine that has been admired for over two millennia, many people today use it as a bath oil.

There are health benefits associated with this liquid gold as well. First of all, the oil is high in monounsaturated fat€"this is a €good€ fat that lowers cholesterol. Studies suggest that the oil may be able to reduce inflammation, giving relief to those who suffer from arthritis. Extra Virgin olive oil is also reputed to be able to decrease the risk of heart disease. In addition, it may also reduce a person's chances of cancer, particularly of the breast, respiratory tract and upper digestive tract. Extra Virgin olive oil also helps the body to absorb calcium and it may be linked with improved cognitive functioning, especially in older people. Surprisingly, as little as one tablespoon of a good Extra Virgin olive oil daily can impart benefits. Scientists are eagerly studying the effects of Extra Virgin olive oil, and they are finding more and more benefits and it is as close to a panacea, or €cure-all€ that there is.