The name of the product is “Our Olive Story” which can either refer to Greece’s 5000 year old olive experience, Kythira’s story producing olive oil, or simply how two friends got together and embarked on an amazing journey producing a superior quality olive oil on their home island. On the front label of the bottle is an ideogram. It symbolizes the actual word for olive oil in Linear B’, the first written Greek language, (Mycenaean period 1500-1200 BC).
An ideogram or ideograph (from the Greek ιδέα “idėa” and γράφω grȧpho “to write”) is a graphic symbol that represents an idea or concept. Below is a quick explanation of the individual elements of our ideogram and it is in reading it from left to right that makes up the words “olive oil” in Linear B’:
When we embarked on this journey we could only imagine how much we would learn and be able to share with friends and family. This allowed for the creation of our own story which convinced us to share it with the secret hope of, maybe, becoming part of your story as well.
In the pages that follow you will find details on Premium quality olive oil or Extra Virgin as it is more commonly known, what it is, how it is made and why it is good for you and your family.
Our Olive Story highlights:
We carefully created a bottle that both would be elegant at the dinner table and a protective means for transportation. Its minimalistic appeal might take you back to an era long gone where products were still “honest”.
Olive oil is susceptible to sunlight and sudden external temperature changes. Storing in dry dark places might not always be enough. Our bottle is painted externally so as that the olive oil remains protected during display, transportation and well after it is purchased. By not allowing light to reflect through the bottle decreases the risk of the olive oil being altered.
The bottle is secured with a synthetic cork avoiding the use of any kind of metal/plastic to come within direct contact with the liquid and can alternatively be used for your own bottles. It is engineered into two separate pieces, the bottom part as a practical pourer and the top as a neat cap.
An extra virgin olive oil containing the highest nutritional value made exclusively from olives of the Koroneiki variety. The fruit has been harvested before it has fully ripened just as its color is turning from green/yellow to purple/black and it has been processed hours after its harvest. It is processed strictly by mechanical means and cold pressed at temperatures that do not exceed 27oC, safely stored in stainless steel tanks with cone shaped bottoms. The extra virgin olive oil is directly bottled upon demand. The early harvest will not only ensure a extra virgin quality but will enable the olive oil to acquire very low acidity levels , rich in polyphenols and have a natural deep green color. It has a mild fruity aroma, a moderate bitter taste and a spicy flavor. It is ideal for both cooking and salads but also for direct consumption. It is an olive oil high in nutritional value and beneficial properties for the body due to the number of polyphenols which protect mainly against cholesterol, heart disease and cancer.
The extra virgin olive oil is directly bottled upon demand having undergone a filtering process. It is available in a white glass bottle of 500ml and 200ml protecting your extra virgin olive oil from sunlight and external temperature fluctuations.
The extra virgin olive oil is directly bottled upon demand without undergoing a filtering process.
It is available in a brown glass bottle of 500ml and 200ml protecting your extra virgin olive oil from sunlight and external temperature fluctuations.
Our production method Is based on the combination of experience and science.
What follows is a simple yet detailed step by step explanation of how it is done.
As a rule of thumb, Our Olive Oil is handled as few times as possible, to avoid contagion and loss of quality that may arise due to too many transfusions and transportation stages.
In addition to being a healthier alternative to vegetable oil, olive oil has been considered sacred since ancient times and is still used in religious ceremonies today.
The health benefits of olive oil are unrivaled, and research reveals more benefits nearly every day. In fact, we are only just beginning to understand the countless ways olive oil can improve our health, and our lives. Olive oil is the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet — an essential nutritional foundation for the world’s longest-living cultures. Good quality olive oil has antioxidants that help in the prevention of certain forms of cancer and polyphenols help in the regeneration of brain cells and make you effectively, smarter.
Some of the most important health benefits gained from consuming extra virgin olive oil are:
Cancer - The phytonutrient in olive oil, oleocanthal, mimics the effect of ibuprofen in reducing inflammation, which can decrease the risk of breast cancer and its recurrence.
Heart Disease - Olive oil lowers the levels of total blood cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. At the same time it does not alter the levels of HDL-cholesterol (and may even raise them), which plays a protective role and prevents the formation of fatty patches, thus stimulating the elimination of the low-density lipoproteins.
Oxidative Stress - Olive oil is rich in antioxidants, especially vitamin E. It is the highest in monounsaturated fat among plant oils, which doesn’t oxidize in the body, and is low in polyunsaturated fat, the kind that does oxidize. Protects the liver from cell damage.
Blood Pressure - Recent studies indicate that regular consumption of olive oil can help decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Diabetes - It has been demonstrated that a diet that is rich in olive oil, low in saturated fats, moderately rich in carbohydrates and soluble fiber from fruit, vegetables, pulses and grains is the most effective approach for diabetics. It helps lower “bad” low-density lipoproteins while improving blood sugar control and enhances insulin sensitivity.
Obesity - Although high in calories, olive oil has shown to help reduce levels of obesity.
Rheumatoid Arthritis - Although the reasons are still not fully clear, recent studies have proved that people with diets containing high levels of olive oil are less likely to develop rheumatiod arthritis.
Osteoporosis - A high consumption of olive oil appears to improve bone mineralization and calcification. It helps calcium absorption and so plays an important role in aiding sufferers and in preventing the onset of Osteoporosis.
Acute pancreatitis - Extra virgin olive oil is rich in oleic acid and hydroxytyrosol, which affect the development of acute pancreatitis (sudden inflammation of the pancreas).
Ulcerative colitis – is a type of inflammatory bowel disease, consuming more olive oil helps fend off inflammation to the large intestine (colon).
Alzheimer's disease - Oleocanthal is a type of natural phenolic compound found in extra-virgin olive oil. In laboratory experiments with mice, researchers discovered that oleocanthal helps shuttle the abnormal Alzheimer's disease proteins out of the brain.
Though there are a lot of oils in the marketplace that are categorized as Extra Virgin, many are those that differ between them. It is often up to the consumer to understand these differences and make the right choice.
Despite the fact that there are many parameters for which oil is tested, when examining the chemical analysis of an Extra Virgin Olive Oil you will be looking at five basic parameters. However, when determining the quality of olive oil only the Acidity parameter is taken into account. The rest of the parameters are ignored. By law it is only enough for the acidity of the olive oil to be less than 0.8% for the oil to be categorized as Extra Virgin.
The table below lists out the 5 main parameters and what makes them important:
PARAMETER |
UoM |
Result |
Limit |
COMMENTS |
Acidity |
% |
0.26 |
<0.8 |
|
Peroxide value |
mEq/Kg |
5.70 |
<20 |
|
K232 |
UV absorption (nm) |
1.75 |
<2.5 |
|
K270 |
UV absorption (nm) |
0.16 |
<0.22 |
|
ΔΚ |
UV absorption (nm) |
-0.006 |
<0.01 |
|
This table should be used only as a guide.
Parameter: The Parameters as established according to the official EU directive 61/2011.
Unit of Measurement (UoM): The units of measurement assigned to each parameter
Result: The Result is an example based on a single sample batch of olive oil produced (harvested and milled) November 2015 and is oil our families use at home.
Limit: The limits assigned to each parameter specifically for Extra Virgin categorization.
Explanation: Brief description of each parameter and what do high and low levels actually mean.