Pomace Olive Oil: Benefits, Types & Comparison With Olive Oil

Pomace olive oil, as its name denotes is akin to olive oil. It is one amongst the different types of olive oil such as extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, refined olive oil and lampante oil. Pomace oil is olive oil but is not 100% pure olive oil as it is ^[1] extracted from the olive pulp that has already been used for the initial press.

The pomace is made from the already squeezed out olive fruit and olive pit and is in the form of dry pulp. The 5 to 8% of olive oil remaining in the olive pulp after the mechanical process of olive oil extraction is used to make pomace olive oil. The extra ^[2] or the remaining oil is then culled out using solvents, a procedure commonly followed for the production of edible oils such as peanut, canola, sunflower etc. The solvent hexane is commonly used in the extraction process.

The oil is refined for consumption through hot water treatment, like how any other type of seed-oils is produced. It is also made by mixing ^[3] extra virgin olive oil with refined olive pomace. Pomace olive oil is commonly used in cooking, especially Indian cooking. Read on to know more about the amazing pomace olive oil.

Benefits Of Pomace Olive Oil

Healthier when compared to that of other edible oils, it is an effective substitute for vegetable oil. Similar to olive oil, pomace olive oil is also good for your body. Some of the benefits of the oil are the following:

1. Manages cholesterol levels

Pomace olive oil has 80% of monounsaturated fat, which is highly beneficial for individuals suffering from cholesterol. The monounsaturated ^[4] fat helps reduce the cholesterol levels, thereby helping your heart function better. Consumption of pomace olive oil will help reduce the burden on your heart that may be caused by cholesterol. The oil will help ^[5] out by keeping your arteries clear, thereby allowing the proper flow of blood.

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2. Improves skin quality

Having the same composition as that of olive oil, pomace olive oil is nourishing and rejuvenating. The oil can be used as a massage oil, which will help ^[6] improve the blood flow due to the motion created by the massage. It helps get rid of dead cells and providing relief from dry skin.

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3. Beneficial for hair

The oil is not only effective and useful for treating dry scalp, but it is also used to treat hair fall. You can apply the pomace olive oil to your scalp and gently massage the oil into the hair follicles. If you heat the oil a little before applying it is useful. Regularly applying the oil will help nourish the damaged ^[7] scalp and prevent hair loss. It also helps in getting rid of dandruff.

Types Of Pomace Olive Oil

Obtained from the pressed out dry pulp, the oil is classified as follows:

1. Crude olive pomace oil

It is the basic form of pomace oil, which is obtained from treating the olive pomace with solvents or through any other physical ^[8] treatments. There is no re-esterification processes or addition of any other oils involved in the making of crude olive pomace oil. Crude olive pomace ^[9] oil is used for human consumption and technical use.

2. Refined olive pomace oil

This one is obtained from refining the crude olive pomace oil. It is the refined form of crude olive pomace oil and does not have or lead to any ^[10] alterations. It has oleic acid, which gives the oil a free acidity. The oil is refined in the same method as refined olive oil.

3. Olive pomace oil composed of refined olive pomace oil and virgin olive oils

This type of olive pomace oil is blended with virgin olive oil that is used for human consumption. These blends are a mixture of the two ^[11] types of oil and cannot be called 'olive oil'.

Pomace Olive Oil For Indian Cooking

The light and neutral nature ^[12] of the oil makes it superior to the different types of vegetable oils available for cooking. In comparison to the other oils, opting pomace olive oil is a good as well as a healthy alternative. The versatility of Indian cooking, especially the fried snacks has a deeper connection to the type of oil chosen for the purpose. As oil is an inevitable part of our cooking, be it deep frying or stir frying, it is critical that one chooses a type of oil that will not cause various health problems.

Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and many other lifestyle disorders are some of the major issues that could arise, as a result of the hike in the bad cholesterol (LDL) and total blood cholesterol level. Therefore, replacing the cholesterol causing vegetable oil with pomace olive oil seems ^[13] like a good alternative. Pomace olive oil is ideal for Indian cooking because

• the high monosaturated fatty acid (MUFA) ^[14] content in the oil helps reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and breast cancer,
• the 'good fat' in the oil does not get deposited in the arterial walls,
• pomace olive oil forms a thin ^[13] protective crust that restrains the oil from getting absorbed into the food,
• it can withstand high temperatures and has a high smoking point. Oils with a high smoking point are healthy because it has the ^[15] ability to retain its nutrition value, unlike oils with a low smoking point. A low smoking point causes the oil to lose its nutritional properties and even develop harmful substances, and
• as pomace olive oil has a high ^[16] oxidative stability, it does not react with oxygen on being heated and does not cause the formation of any harmful products.

Pomace Olive Oil Vs Olive Oil

Although both the types of oil are made from the same fruit, they are not ^[17] the same.

Pomace Olive Oil - Is It Good Or Bad?

Every single element with good properties is inclined to have negative properties too. In the case of pomace olive oil, the debate over its goodness and side effects have been going on for a very long time.

Let's take a look at the good and bad of ^[17] pomace olive oil.

1. 'Good' properties of pomace olive oil

• It is made from olives - Produced from the leftover pulp from the production of extra virgin olive oil, pomace olive oil is also an olive product. That is, it also has the qualities of olive oil even though it is of a lower grade.
• It is the cheapest olive oil - Being the lowest grade of olive oil, pomace olive oil is cheaper than its first quality extra virgin oil.
• It is a refined oil - The refined form of oil has a lighter colour and a flavour that is consistent. That is, using pomace olive oil for cooking is good if you do not want the food to absorb the oil's taste.
• It is non-GMO - Like its first quality extra virgin olive oil, pomace oil is also non-GMO.
• It is gluten-free - Naturally gluten-free, olive pomace oil does not have any cross-contamination.

2. 'Bad' properties of pomace olive oil

• It is produced using solvents - Olive pomace oil is extracted using solvents such as hexane. The extraction process helps in getting even the last drop of oil from the pulp, causing no waste. However, the use of hexane in the extraction process is often criticised by the natural and speciality food industry.
• It is a refined oil - As mentioned earlier amongst the good properties, being a refined oil can be accorded to its bad property as well. This depends on the individual using it because, as it does not give any fresh olive flavour to the food; some may not find pomace olive oil to be the best alternative for cooking oil.
• Considered less healthy than extra virgin olive oil - Olive oil is naturally packed with a plethora of health benefits, which is not entirely found in the pomace oil. As it is the extracted form of the already used pulp, pomace oil does not possess the cancer-fighting polyphenols and other elements found in olive oil.

Therefore, if you are caught between the option to chose a healthy and better alternative for your cooking oil, pomace oil is indeed a good option (even if it has a small number of cons). Why? It is a type of olive oil, it is cheap, refined, non-GMO and gluten-free!

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