In the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic our planet is going through, it is very important to highlight what the nutritional and food-based dietary guidelines are, specially to maintain and to strength the immunological system of our older adults, and in general, of all the population.

Measures against CORONAVIRUS (COVID 19) Suppliers and clients In relation to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID 19) and following the recommendations of the World Health Organization and national health authorities, Oleoestepa SCA immediately applies a contingency plan with certain actions to reduce exposure and mitigate the risk for the health of its clients, employees and suppliers.

Jaime Loring smiles while holding a catavino stuffed with extra virgin olive oil. "My ancestors were exporters of wines and nuts - it supports the origin of their surname - and they came to Málaga 200 years ago." He runs an agricultural farm of 600 hectares, just olive groves, and the oil extracted from its fruit has been recognized as the best extra virgin in Spain for the fourth consecutive time by the Consumers Union (OCU). "It's no surprise anymore, but it's a joy for everyone." Oleoestepa is present in all communities (although especially in Andalusia and the Canary Islands) and in supermarkets such as Carrefour, Alcampo, Eroski, El Corte Inglés, Hipercor, Supersol and Aldi. As well as being a farmer, Jaime has been president of the Sor Ángela de la Cruz olive grove for 25 years, a cooperative associated with Oleoestepa , a second-order cooperative that brings together 17 mills and more than 5,500 families that cultivate 54,000 hectares of olive groves in the regions of Estepa and Sierra Sur in the province of Sevilla and Puente Genil in Córdoba . "Oil is a fundamental product for agriculture in the area; in Estepa, or put olive trees or put olive trees", he confirms. "It is a land in which any other crop would be very complicated to work; On the other hand, here the olive grove is wonderful." The conditions that Estepa meets are very favorable for the olive, mainly Hojiblanco and Arbequina, which annually gives 30,000,000 kilos of oils on average. "It is not an olive that falls to the ground, we collect it mostly from the tree and there is no excess moisture in the environment, which avoids having fungal problems -he continues-; It is a fresh land with little rainfall, which yields a more than acceptable yield. " The cooperative presided by Jaime has an average turnover of around 100 million per year and its production is mostly extra virgin. "The first years cost to bet for the quality, although the farmer was used to a clean collection - without mixing the collected in the ground with the one obtained from the own olive tree, but the farmers of Estepa have a high average of knowledge and are easy to convince to bet on quality ". In total, Oleoestepa produces almost 10 million bottles per year (more than 2.5 awarded by the OCU). From highest to lowest, they cost: 5.25 euros for bottles of one liter of extra virgin olive plastic, 25 euros for five liters of the same variety, 6.99 for extra selection 750ml and 10 euros for "Estepa virgin" of 500ml. 90% of the olive oil obtained from your mill is extra virgin. Its secret: an early collection of the olive in veraison, just the process in which the color of the fruit changes from green to purple, back in the months of November and December. At that point, the olive gives an exquisite juice, although in a much smaller production volume. ESTEPA, appellation of origin Rosa has been eleven years as agricultural technician of the API , Integrated Production Groups, and zigzags among the olive trees while observing in detail each plot, each fruit. "Do you see the terrain? -She asks to ask while looking down-; It has not stopped raining and maintains good conditions. " The young Estepeña studied to become Agricultural Technical Engineer at the University of Seville. "In the area where I grew up I thought that the best thing would be to do something related to oil," he says. Rain threatens and Rosa travels every hectare of the farm with her field notebook, where she writes down all the tasks that are developed in each plot. "The role of the API technician is based on quality, care for the environment and sustainability, monitoring traceability from the field to the grinding of olives," he says. we work in the control of the plagues of the olivar and advise to the agriculturalists that are our fundamental pillar ". "When the farmers come to bring us their olives we know all their way from the moment they bloomed in the fields until they became oil and they were stored in the cellar," he adds. That is, in his opinion, another of the secrets of Oleoestepa. The olive is known, and is pampered throughout his life in the olive tree. Pressed in less than 24 hours Rosa and Ricardo are brothers. She cares for the olive in the tree; he, when he is no longer there, is a master olive-grower and decides everything that is done in an oil mill. He has been training and learning for years from his predecessor, who retired a year ago. "Inherit the position of teacher has been a very bearable transition in time, have been many years learning from your hand," he tells EL ESPAÑOL. "He taught me a way of working that does not look at the clock," he says, "also to take care of all the points of the process, both the reception of the fruit, its classification, and all the parameters that influence the process." Although its day to day differs greatly from what the outgoing teacher lived, all the facilities are now controlled by an automaton, which facilitates the real-time master by a computer or a mobile phone. A little while ago and, after a week full of rain, the oil mill is barely active. The deafening noise of the machines is now calm, a breath before what is coming on Monday, with a more flattering forecast. Water always suits the countryside. Meanwhile, workers are striving to keep the facilities in perfect condition by the time the activity returns and production soars. "Only in this mill, we have reached almost one million kilos daily, Oleoestepa sets us a quality standard," says Ricardo ; We have to grind it before 24 hours from the olive harvest, but we try to do it in less time ". In 2015 they already lowered the 20-hour mark and in the last campaign it was possible to lower the age of 16. "In some cases we did not exceed two hours", presumes the teacher, agronomist training engineer. What is the secret of Oleoestepa? It is a calculation of several things, from the quality of the product to the treatment at the mill. I always insist a lot on the temperatures. For each line of work we have 10 or 12 temperature probes, where we set a maximum so that it is never exceeded; what today they call the elaboration in cold. If it is made with heat you get more oil than cold, but not with the same organoleptic characteristics. Our oils taste like freshly cut grass, green almond, aromatic herb; There are few oils with that kind of notes. It is difficult to remove this type of oil because many factors are involved, but if the fruit is good our duty is not to spoil it. It is very important to work in this way even if you get less quantity because it will be of higher quality. Great part of the secret of our success was the sensory analysis, introduced in the ninety-first year, and since ninety-five, the creation of our tasting panel. Thanks to him, we maintain a regularity in our oil profile during the three hundred and sixty-five days of the year, and when you open a bottle next year, it tastes like the bottle of the previous year. The quality of our product is therefore measured through some physical-chemical parameters but also by other sensory ones. The market buys for the smell or the taste and not for the chemical characteristics of the oil. The tasting panel, a well-kept secret Only one door remains closed in the Oleoestepa facilities. Few are those who manage to cross it when there is activity on the other side. Miguela keeps with zeal that nobody enters. She is responsible for laboratory and tasting panel, the only private space of these characteristics in the province of Seville. Nobody can distract the tasters during the process. "The tasting is fundamental, the main thing," confesses Miguela González,together with the managing director, the two most veteran employees of the organization. "Here we do not just fill in an attribute sheet, we also value the sensory notes that, depending on the variety or the time, will indicate the intensity of fruity or the flavors that you remember. The objective is to achieve a homogeneous profile throughout the year. " Twenty-three official tasters taste the different oils that Miguela offers them. From his verdict will come the pattern by which the quality of an extra virgin of Oleoestepa is guaranteed. These are external personnel with specific training and who only taste for this brand. "Everyone can be a taster," says Miguela. "But a good taster is made over the years." And ditch: "The chemical quality can be met by almost 100% of the oils, but it is the tasting that gives the category of extra virgin, and the Denomination of Origin Estepa is the most demanding in Europe, it is a guarantee of quality" . A cooperative of cooperatives An intermittent sun bathes the facade of the headquarters of Oleoestepa. There are still clouds picking up water in the sky. The cooperative was born 32 years ago, just with the entry of Spain into the European Economic Community, coinciding with an incentive movement of the associative movement. Currently, it is composed of 17 first-degree cooperatives, some 5,000 farmers and some 50,000 hectares of olive groves. The Oleoestepa is, with 90% of its production of extra virgin, the largest cellar of the best green gold in the world. At the head of it, at 52 years of age, 32 of them dedicated to Oleoestepa, is Álvaro Olabarría, managing director of Oleoestepa, little surprised at the recognition of the OCU . Its brand is above 40 other references of the main Spanish producers in both sensory and physical-chemical. And as a leader since 2003, the first time this study was published, which is produced every five years. Although when Oleoestepa started, nobody dared to think that so many recognitions would come. "From the first moment we were confident that we would know how to make extra virgin olive oil," says Olabarría . "Because the province of Seville was the first producer of table olives in the world and all our farmers were oriented towards this sector, which requires very special care", justified convinced. The extra virgin olive oil recognized by the OCU , which they call Big Consumption, is a mixture of different varieties, mainly Hojiblanca and Arbequina, to please the general public. It is sold in three different containers of one, three and five liters and its price ranges around five euros depending on the chosen size. You can buy on their website and in the main national distributors, but not all. This extra virgin is an oil with a very fresh, fruity aroma of green olives typical of Hojiblanca variety. Its aroma reminds of fresh grass, green olive leaf flavor with touches of apple and artichoke. Very fresh while delicate with elegant bitterness and itching. In addition to this product, which is successfully marketed in the United States for the catering sector, Oleoestepa also sells extra virgin monovarietals such as Hojiblanca and Arbequina. Or its internationally awarded Estepa Virgen, a selection of olives still in the veraison harvested at the beginning of November that harvested in 2013 the Gold Medal Mario Solinas granted by the International Olive Oil Committee, in addition to many other recognitions. "We are serious, responsible with our brands and passionate about extra virgin olive oil and we never deceive anyone," presumes Olabarría. Part of this success is also justified by the enormous competition between the 17 cooperatives that brings together Oleoestepa. Daily, and in real time, the members of the oil mills are getting to know the quality of the different oils and a classification is being established. "Here we do not pay for volume, here we pay for quality, we promote that pique among the oil mills and that shows in the final result", explains the managing director of Oleoestepa. Oleoestepa holds the vice presidency of QvExtra !, a private association whose purpose is to promote the competitiveness of producers of extra virgin olive oil. This international organization grants the SIQEV seal, a label that certifies that the product meets more stringent quality requirements than those required of any extra virgin. Currently it is made up of some 41 brands from all over the world. From the olive to the plate Not only the quality convinced Ceferino to use Oleoestepa oil in his restaurant. "This extra virgin is a number one, but being in Estepa if we use another one they can crucify us," he laughs. It is Wednesday and Ceferino has come, as every month, to buy the necessary oil to cover the demand of his establishment, the restaurant El Homenaje. This time, in addition, he takes a couple of bottles for his daughter, who goes to study in Paris . "The oil here is something that is given to friends as something very much ours, like the shortbreads and polvorones so typical of Estepa". In his day, decades ago, it was he and his father-in-law who sold Oleoestepa oil at the foot of the road, not far from where his current restaurant is today. "We used to sell cans and carafes and today I use it in the kitchen," he told reporters. In the dining room, apart from the olives, Ceferino pours a little extra virgin in a shell so that his clientele can taste it with a little bread. On the table he also puts some broken eggs with prawns and potato chips. All cooked with the, according to the OCU, the best extra virgin olive oil in Spain. "You put what you put, with this oil everything tastes better".

The latest study carried out by the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) which is set to officially publish on Monday October 29th, ranks the quality of the top selling extra virgin olive oils in Spain, once again placing the OLEOSTEPA brand, sister brand of EGREGIO Extra Virgin, both produced in Estepa, Spain, at the top with the highest quality in the national market. To carry out this study, the OCU has taken 41 references of the top selling extra virgin olive oils, submitting them to a physical-chemical and sensory analysis, also evaluating the information provided in their labels. The study presented by the OCU consists of the physical-chemical and sensory analysis (panel test) of 41 brands that hold the category of “extra virgin olive oil” found in supermarkets nationwide, where Spanish and International brands are present, with the OLEOESTEPA brand ranking the highest. This is a study that the OCU performs every 5 years, the previous editions having been performed in 2003, 2007 and 2012. In each year, OLEOESTEPA was awarded the first position in the quality ranking among the bestselling extra virgin olive oils in the national market. More info at: https://www.ocu.org/alimentacion/alimentos/test/comparar-aceite-oliva/results?filter=&sorter=

These days, the shelf of the cooking-oil section of the supermarket is a crowded spot. This abundance of oil options can cause confusion about which oils may be the healthiest ones to use. Over the past 10 years, the landscape of cooking oils has changed, said Jo Ann Carson, a professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She pointed to the increased availability of high-oleic oils, the fairly recent arrival of coconut oil, and the wider availability of lesser-known oils such as grapeseed oil. With so many cooking oils out there, it can be difficult to make sense of the latest health headlines about dietary fat in general, Carson said. [ Special Report: The Science of Weight Loss ] Many consumers are confused about which types of dietary fat experts encourage or discourage in order to promote heart health, said Alice Lichtenstein, a professor of nutrition science and policy and director of the cardiovascular nutrition laboratory at the Tufts University Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston. Further complicating matters, there's been hype about coconut oil, and claims have circulated that "butter is back," Lichtenstein said. Lichtenstein was part of an advisory panel for the American Heart Association that wrote a report on dietary fats and cardiovascular disease. For the report, which was published in June in the journal Circulation, the panel did a careful review of the scientific literature to clarify some of the controversies surrounding dietary fat, she said. After evaluating the evidence, the panel recommended that Americans decrease levels of saturated fats (fats that come from meats, poultry, cheese, dairy products and tropical oils, such as coconut and palm oils) to reduce their risk of heart disease. People should replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats, which include polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, Lichtenstein said. The overall message is to encourage healthy fats in the diet by replacing animal fats with vegetable fats, Lichtenstein told Live Science. She said the bulk of the evidence favors polyunsaturated fats — found in fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds, as well as sunflower, safflower, soybean and corn oils — rather than monounsaturated fats, found in other types of nuts and seeds, avocados, and olive, canola and peanut oils. The data showed that if people replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats, they reduce their risk of heart disease somewhat more than if they replace saturated fats with monounsaturated fats. In other words, polyunsaturated fats may be a little healthier, especially for people concerned about heart health, Lichtenstein said. The panel's analysis of four so-called randomized, controlled trials — considered the "gold standard" of scientific evidence — showed that replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat resulted in a 29 percent drop in the risk of heart disease. This reduction is comparable to that seen when people take statin drugs, according to the report. Replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats is good for the heart because it decreases the levels of LDL ("bad")cholesterol and as well as fats in the blood called triglycerides, both of which are risk factors for heart disease. Selecting oils So what do the findings of the report suggest about how you should use cooking oils? The main points are to use cooking oils in moderation, Lichtenstein said. The government's U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that Americans include a small amount of oils in their diets every day to supply essential fatty acids, because the body can't make these acids and thus must get them from food. There are two such fatty acids, and both are polyunsaturated fatty acids: linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. But all cooking oils are composed of three different types of fatty acids: monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and saturated fats. Each oil is categorized based on which type of fatty acid is the most prominent in it. For example, olive and canola oils are considered mostly monounsaturated fat, while corn and soybean oils contain mainly polyunsaturated fat. Coconut oil is predominantly saturated fat. To help you select some of the healthiest oils while still pleasing your taste buds, here is a rundown of 10 cooking oils. Some oils have been well studied for their health benefits, while others have too little research from which to draw firm conclusions about their effects on heart health. (Story continues below infographic.)

One fine day you finally walk into a supermarket to buy a bottle of olive oil because you are totally convinced with all the wonderful health benefits it provides. But, as soon as you reach the shelf, you are confused to see the diversity of choices. Of course, nobody told you that there are many types of olive oils that are available - from virgin to extra virgin and premium extra virgin. Which one should you buy? Or what is the difference between regular olive oil and the virgin variety? You'll find all your answers right here. The two most common types of olive oils, you may have heard of them before, are 'refined olive oil' and 'extra virgin olive oil.' Here's how both differ from each other in terms of extraction, nutritional value, use and flavour . How are both extracted? Both of them are obtained from the fruit of the olive tree but the way they are extracted differs. Regular olive oil is subjected to refining before being bottled. In this process, it may be treated with some additives and preservatives. It is light yellow in colour. On the other hand, extra virgin oil is the purest form of olive oil. It retains the golden-green hue of the olive fruit as it is not subjected to any industrial processes. It is the first juice of the fruit extracted through the process cold-pressing which is only filtered and then bottled as is. Therefore, extra virgin oil olive has a stronger flavour and aroma than regular olive oil which might be slightly bitter in taste. The gradation of olive oils is done on the basis of the level of acidity which refers to the content of Free Oleic Acid present in the oil. Regular olive oil has about 3-4% of oleic acid while extra virgin olive oil has less than 1%. The measure of free oleic acid in olive oil shows the degree to which fat has separated into fatty acids. Is there any difference in nutritional value? Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the highest quality of olive oil because of the lesser amount of free oleic acid it contains which makes it a bit lighter. It also contains a slightly higher quantity of antioxidants like polyphenols. It is preferred because of its anti-inflammatory properties and natural olive flavour. All kinds of olive oils are highly rich in nutrients like vitamin E , vitamin K and minerals that make it heart-friendly as compared to other cooking oils. Olive oil (be it regular o extra virgin) is not as heavy as other refined cooking oils like mustard or sunflower oil and is lighter to digest. "More than the type of olive oil, the amount of oil used in cooking should be managed to lose and maintain weight . I recommend 2 to 3 teaspoons of oil which is the basic requirement of our body," shares Dietitian Reema Madhian from Noida. . Lastly, can they be substituted for each other? Regular olive oil and extra virgin olive oil are used for different cooking purposes. The primary difference in the use of regular olive oil and extra virgin olive is due to their smoke point. Smoke point is the temperature at which the oil starts producing bluish smoke. The smoke point of refined olive oil is slightly higher than that of extra virgin olive oil which means that it will take a little more time to burn. Therefore, it is better suited for high heat cooking techniques like frying . Extra virgin olive is great in salads as a dressing and can even be used for light sauteing. "The unrefined olive oil is obviously better than the refined one because of its purity and lower oleic acid content but that doesn't make it suitable for deep frying," adds Dr. Madhian. Armed with your newfound knowledge, we're sure you'll be able to make the best choice, the next you visit the supermarket. For the complete article: https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/what-is-the-difference-between-olive-oil-and-extra-virgin-olive-oi...

Don’t let the labels fool you—that "pure extra virgin olive oil" may not be the top-shelf stuff you thought you were buying.

The front line of the new war for the American supermarket runs through the aisles of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It’s a battle over a few pennies on the price of milk, mustard, detergent, and barbecue sauce – and perhaps the future of groceries. Winston-Salem is home to one of ten new supermarkets opened last month in the Carolinas and Virginia by German discount chain Lidl, known for its low prices on private-label items. Competition The new store is a short drive from a Whole Foods Market, the upscale grocery chain in the middle of a proposed $13.7 billion takeover by Amazon.com, Inc. with the potential to upend the way Americans shop for food. The city of about a quarter-million people is also home to Kroger-owned Harris Teeter and Walmart, well-established national competitors that survive on razor-thin profit margins, as well as a host of independent grocers. There's even another German discount grocer. Aldi Süd, which operates 1,600 US stores under the name Aldi, has an outpost just down the road from the new Lidl. A recent visit to three of the new Lidl stores made it clear that a price war had already started. Melinda Rahymer, a 52-year-old pet-sitter from Winston-Salem who lives on a tight budget, is accustomed to searching for deals at Publix Super Markets, Harris Teeter, Aldi, Walmart, and others. When Lidl opened across the street from a Walmart Supercenter – within a couple of miles from at least five other grocery stores – Rahymer decided to stop by and check it out. She grabbed some pasta and paid $2.19 for a gallon of milk. “I think Aldi can beat them,” Rahymer said. She was right. Aldi was selling milk for $2.18 a gallon. At the nearby Walmart, the price was $2.20. Food Lion, down the block? It matched Lidl, at $2.19. Major Announcement Lidl’s US expansion, which began with store openings on 15 June, would have been the biggest event of the summer for American groceries had Amazon not announced a deal to acquire Whole Foods the following day. That merger, if it closes in the coming months, promises to challenge grocers with a fierce competitor known to slash prices and use technology to lower costs. For now, however, the grocery industry is watching the Carolinas and Virginia to see how shoppers and established supermarkets will respond to a little-known German giant. Lidl plans to have at least 100 locations here by next summer, and it could expand to more than 500 locations over the next five years, according to analyst estimates. Its initial stores are opening in competitive grocery markets, right on top of rivals' locations. Aldi recently announced plans to add an additional 900 stores over the next five years, and it's spending $1.6 billion to remodel 1,300 of its existing ones. The German discounters have battled across Europe for years, stealing sales from traditional grocers as consumers get accustomed to their private-label products. (The German grocery giant Aldi Nord also runs Trader Joe's.) The rivalry reaches the US at a time of rampant food deflation, with falling prices already ravaging grocers’ earnings. Analysts predict a rough road ahead, particularly for small chains, which will struggle to match prices. No-Frills Lidl and Aldi operate with roughly the same business model: small, no-frills stores, low overheads, low prices, and a limited assortment of private-label items. A Lidl store might carry two types of mustard, while the nearby Walmart has a dozen. Only about 10% of the products at the stores are recognisable national brands. Lidl has 10,000 stores across Europe, and Aldi Süd operates another 3,500. Growth can be slow. It took about a decade after entering the UK for Aldi Süd and Lidl to control about 5% of sales by the early noughties, but the discounters have proven to be a threat to rivals’ profits, even with a small market share. Walmart and Kroger, the two largest grocers in the US, have the scale to fight the price war, but other chains could be in trouble. For the complete article: https://www.esmmagazine.com/lidls-arrival-marks-new-front-us-price-war/45379?mc_cid=6a92e31925&m...