In the Fall of 2017, Rishona Myers, owner of Olive Lucy, was interviewed, by Elise Deming, a registered retail nutritionist who writes for Philly.com about what consumers should look for when purchasing Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Rishona informed Ms. Deming of the importance of what to look for when purchasing your Extra Virgin Olive Oil including:
1. Freshness – All of our Extra Virgin Olive Oils are labeled with the Crush Date of the olives from the harvest. From the time of Crush your Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a shelf-life anywhere from 12-24 months, depending on the olive varietal, whether it is filtered or unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil and how the oil is stored (temperature stable, dark, airtight containers are best). High heat/temperatures will shorten the life-span of the oil by anywhere from 6-12 months.
2. Polyphenol/Biophenol Count – Again, all of our Extra Virgin Olive Oils are labeled with the tested chemical composition of the oil at the time of crush. One of the items tested for is the polyphenol/biophenol levels. Polyphenols/biophenols are the antioxidants found in olives which provide the claimed health benefits of using high quality premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil. These antioxidants have been found to reduce LDL cholesterol, aid in the prevention of heart disease, work on the prevention of some cancers and reduce inflammation. Most recently, in June of 2017, there was published research from Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, which provided evidence that Extra Virgin Olive Oil promotes brain health and protect against the development of Alzheimer’s. For the article, click here.
3. Single Country of Origin – At Olive Lucy, all of our Extra Virgin Olive Oils have the Country of Origin listed on our information cards. It can be found at the bottom of the card on the fusti (metal container which stores our Extra Virgin Olive Oils until we are ready to bottle the oil for purchase). Single country of origin helps insure that the olives did not travel after harvest to be pressed and processed, which allows for further deterioration of the olives once they’ve been harvested. The olives used for the Extra Virgin Olive Oils at Olive Lucy harvested from the tree when they are green-ripe and not taken from the ground. The the amount of time from harvest to press is typically no longer than 3-4 hours, to help maintain and insure the premium quality of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
To read Ms. Deming’s article, please click here. Her article was published on November 16th, 2017. Two minor editorial notes – Olive Lucy is a “Try before you Buy” store. We love when you come to the store to try our Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oils, Flavored Olive Oils and Aged Dark and White Traditional and Flavored Balsamic Vinegars. Also, our second location is now open in Jenkintown, PA. You can find us on the corner of Leedom and Greenwood Streets, next to Velvet Sky Bakery & Cafe and across from the Town Square.
