Extra virgin olive oil is one of the most characteristic components of the Mediterranean diet and its main source of fat. Since the mid 20th century, the Mediterranean diet has been the object of great scientific interest. Numerous observational studies and clinical trials have related the diet to various health benefits, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Some scientific studies also suggest that olive oil consumers have a lower incidence of being overweight or obese. Olive oil has a high monounsaturated fat content, mainly oleic acid, and also has polyunsaturated fats to a lesser degree. In addition, it has other interesting components for health, such as phytosterols, tocopherols and polyphenols, which are present in extra virgin olive oil.

National and international organizations of recognized prestige affirm that olive oil is one of the main sources of unsaturated fats, which must be present in a healthy diet. The World Health Organization recommends that the calories contributed by fats to the diet should be no more than 30%. Olive oil helps to reduce saturated fats, and especially trans-fats, for the benefit of the unsaturated fats. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends the consumption of olive oil in moderate quantities within a balanced diet. The Spanish Society of Community Nutrition (SENC) recommends the daily consumption of extra virgin olive oil, as the main source of added fat. The guide Small Changes for Eating Better, by the Public Health Agency of Catalonia, recommends that olive oil be the usual source of fat, both for cooking and for salads, and recommends using other oils and fats only occasionally.

When we make extra virgin olive oil at the Cooperative of Cambrils we are very careful to preserve its beneficial healthy components, such as tocopherols and polyphenols. Because they are very sensitive to high temperatures (many can be volatile in certain circumstances), as a complement to the IFS standard of food quality implanted in the Cooperative, we also control the temperature of the process. At the same time, we have incorporated physical barriers into the machinery so that we do not lose the aromas or any crucial volatile elements that extra virgin olive oil contains.

This comprehensive control of temperature, together with working only with local producers (with traceability of origin and without mixing) and because we have our own mill where we produce oil by only mechanical means, allows us to produce a completely natural oil of an exceptional quality. That is, we produce an oil that retains all the properties of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.