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Olive oil is a staple in Mediterranean diets, drizzled into delicious dishes and salads or used as a dip with rounds of fresh bread as an appetizer to the main meal… Olive Oil is loved for its versatility as well as its unrivaled health benefits! The Mediterranean diet has been documented as one of the healthiest around, and this is largely due to the fusion of extra virgin olive oil, vegetables, and fish and poultry that are synonymous with great nutritional balance (fruits and whole grains too!). When preparing a family meal it’s always worthwhile considering a break from the norm, maybe opting to have one or two nights a week that are based upon the integration of eating the Mediterranean way…food for thought for you and your family! 

Here are 3 great reasons to eat well with Olive Oil!

Olive Oil and its fantastic fatty acids!

Olive oil scores highly for monounsaturated fats as well as being a great source of Vitamin E (for skin and immune system support) and Vitamin K (for blood clotting and bone health). Monounsaturated fats (MUFA’s) are the type of good fats that we all need a strong supply of in our diet to maintain health and incidentally also come with a stream of benefits that can lower the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer. MUFA’s can also aid in weight loss and manage a healthy weight- these are good fats, remember! You only need to look at the Mediterranean link with Olive Oil to see the potential in its power for well-being- and that part of our world has one of the lowest levels of obesity around the globe…that’s pretty awesome! 

Olive Oil tastes good!

Contrary to the taste of other types of oils, Olive oil is great just as it is- and that is an integral part of its beauty! It is so easy to infuse into your eating habits and daily nutrition, whether it’s by drizzling some on your lunchtime dish or adding it more comprehensively to an evening meal…it sets a high benchmark on taste as well as goodness! As with all things, the key thing is the actual quality of the oil, always check labeling on how it has been processed to avoid buying an olive oil that has been blended with other oils/or chemically extracted- although in some cases this information will not always be visible on labels, so do a bit of research where needed (look for cold pressed, certified organic, best before dates, and low acidity levels). The best Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) should have an acidity (oleic acid) level of 0.8% or less; some may range between 0.8-2.5%.

Food brings people together- create meal times with Olive Oil!

Photo: Papa Vince - jumping

Food glorious food! Olive oil is a great compliment to any dish or mealtime. Too often we lose the focus of family time together at the dinner table in the rush and speed of life! Take some time to slow things down, involve the family in creating new meals with the wonder of Olive Oil. Maybe have a dedicated Mediterranean dinner night once or twice a week and engage in the beauty of something new! The health benefits of eating with Olive Oil have been well documented, and there are so much more that couldn’t all fit in this article! 

We are not alone in this love for Olive Oil! Papa Vince is a small family business in Sicily, Italy. Their goal is to bring you the highest quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil and artisan products. You can create a whole meal with what they have to offer. Check out below what makes them special and sets them apart!

Papa Vince entered the USA market in March 2013. Since then, the excitement that customers share daily through emails, phone calls and in social media has catapulted them to expand beyond extra virgin olive oil. In 2016 they decided to partner with local artisans in Sicily to bring to their customers the highest quality possible pasta, tomato sauces, vinegar and sea salt, all made in Sicily by locals with local products. All these products are now available in www.papavince.com and www.amazon.com.

What makes Papa Vince Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) so special?

•    One-orchard; one-city; one-country - papa Vince’s extra virgin olive oil comes from orchards in Santa Ninfa, Sicily, Italy.

•    One-variety - mono-cultivar - papa Vince’s extra virgin olive oil is made solely with nocellara del belice olives. 

•    The lowest FFA (free fat acidity) in the market and only presses green fresh olives which yield 13% to 18% oil. 

•    100% olive juice from pressed olives! 

•    No insecticides, no herbicides, no pesticides!

•    Unfiltered and unrefined

•    4-year shelf life before opening; 1-year shelf life after opening.

What makes Papa Vince’s Moscato (balsamic) vinegar great?

•    Papa Vince’s Moscato vinegar is made with grapes pressed like wine aged for 8 years in Cabot and Chestnut wood. This is why it has a beautiful addictive wine aftertaste.
•    Papa Vince’s Moscato vinegar is specifically designed for salad dressing and to season steaks, chicken, and baked vegetables. It’s 20% grape must and 80% red wine vinegar.
•    The word “balsamic” is between parentheses because, though it is balsamic for all practical reasons, it does not come from the area of Modena. 

Pasta Papa Vince Style!

•    Made with ancient grains (not-GMO) - the same ones our ancestors used centuries ago in Sicily.

•    Contains the original barn, original wheat germ, and endosperm.

•    No chemicals - most pasta are made with flours that have been enriched with chemicals to extend shelf life. 

•    No more mushy pasta - it can truly be enjoyed "al dente" because it is full of fibers & proteins that make it possible for it to stay crunchy and chewy even when overcooked and store for days in the refrigerator.

•    No more after-meal sugar rush nor inflammation because, not only contains the original bran & wheat germ to aid digestion, but it has no chemicals!

•    Perfectly shaped to hang on onto that last drop of sauce!

•    Made with durum wheat and Tumminia wheat. It has 6-times the fiber than popular wheat’s and is low in gluten and high in fiber. According to recent research, it is a great choice for people who are struggling with food intolerance and intestinal disorders.

And no pasta meal is complete without Papa Vince’s tomato sauce!

•    Papa Vince’s cherry tomatoes are grown in Ragusa, by dear farmer friends of the papa Vince family. Tomatoes are hand-picked every summer at the peak of freshness to ensure exceptional taste and freshness. The tomato sauce is preserved by boiling the jars in sealed vacuum rooms!

•    Ingredients you can pronounce… Tomatoes, Papa Vince extra virgin olive oil, basil and sea salt!

•    No sugar added - made with seasonal freshly harvested cherry vine ripened tomatoes that make the sauce naturally sweet.

•    Low acidity - because it has no coloring, no additive, no artificial flavor, and no citric acid. 

Photo: Papa Vince

“Once you taste Papa Vince products we are convinced you will become part of our family.  It’s the Italian way – to make friends with food around the table” said Papa Vince.

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Photo courtesy of Papa Vince.