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Is olive oil healthy
for babies?
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Yes. Olive oil is a good source of healthy fats and the antioxidant vitamin E, which supports healthy immune and neurological development in growing babies. Olive oil also contains polyphenols – plant compounds that offer anti-inflammatory benefits and support heart health.1 Olive oil retains its nutritional value after production if it is kept in a cool, dark environment so refrain from keeping olive oil on the countertop and store bottles away from light and heat.2 Like many oils, olive oil is perishable so don’t let an open bottle languish in the back of the pantry. Once a bottle of olive oil is opened, the flavor begins to expire within four months.
It's a fact!
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Greek philosopher Homer referred to olive oil as liquid gold, which is a fitting way to describe the healthy fat extracted from the fruit of the olive tree – an ancient plant that originated in the lands around the Mediterranean Sea millions of years ago. The plant’s exact origin is unknown, but archaeological evidence suggests people living in the region learned to press olives for their oil as early as 8,000 B.C. The innovation created more than food; historical texts show how olive oil was widely used as medicine, as fuel for lamplight, and as a symbol and tool in rituals and ceremonies.
Hundreds of varieties of olives are grown globally, from Australia to Chile to Israel to South Africa to New Zealand, which means this staple food offers a world of flavor to use in your sweet and savory cooking. Try using olive oil in place of butter in baking, drizzle your favorite flavor on fruit or grains, or take a cue from Greek lathera, a catch-all term meaning “the olive oil ones” that is used to describe any vegetable cooked in olive oil.
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