BOOKS

Luigi Caricato, Star bene con l'olio di oliva. Viaggio alla scoperta delle virtù nutrizionali e salutistiche dell'extra vergine (Feeling good with olive oil. The discovery journey of nutritional and healthy virtues of extra-virgin oil), Tecniche nuove; Milan, January 2003; pages 112, € 8,00

There is a lot of speculation around olive oil-health subject, yet it's still not known nor studied enough, specially as far as popular knowledge is concerned. (...). Olive oil basic features are unfortunately neglected and knowing just the generic references of a product mustn't be considered as an achievement. Even if oil had been used for many thousands of years, from different people in a widely scattered manner, it doesn't mean that it's a legacy perfectly settled in everyone food conscience. (...)

By knowing extra-virgin olive oil and its many different aspects, we are allowed to better appreciate this precious "fruit juice", which will proof to be pure and healthy. (...)

It's a fact that olive oils are beneficial, but very few people know the reason. Therefore, right in a time where learning is very eager, we can't ignore a more detailed study. (...)

COI (Consiglio Oleicolo Internazionale - International Oil Council), the intergovernmental organization in charge of the International Agreement on olive oil administration, put a lot of efforts on this matter. From recent considerations made by Boubaker Thabet, the Deputy Head of the Promotion Department, comes out a very clear picture: <<new consuming countries, specially those in the Asian area, are very sensitive to olive oil healthy feature message >>. (...)

It's therefore important to know the product well, even before acknowledging it as good and healthy. Usually, oil healthiness element can't be found in the product itself, but in a long series of concurring factors. Buying a good bottle of oil is not in enough to get straight and safe benefits. You should consider many other factors such as how and where to storage it, the most proper way to use it. Owning a great treasure without being able to valorize it it's like not having it at all. A basic education is therefore needed in order to know the product first, and then to understand its mere healthy values. (...)

(from introduction)