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Olives

Why is EVOO PREVI different from all other
Extra Virgin Olive Oils in Canada?

EVOO Previ is harvested from olive trees that live through the harshest conditions.  This oil comes from the trees that have to fight to stay alive.  The phytochemical compounds that help the plant protect itself are what helps create a powerful olive rich in phenolic compounds.  The trees fighter instincts transfer to the oil.    The batches are very limited because the trees are also limited. 

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EVOO Previ has been categorized as  top 2% of global production in certain polyphenols, and  top 5% of best worldwide overall, and therefore represent the rarest of all olive oils worldwide!!!   Keep in mind the top percentile is not typically edible.  The benefit of consuming EVOO Previ versus other good quality extra virgin olive oil is that you can consume far less oil for maximum health benefits because it is 5 times the strength of as high quality EVOO, saving on calorie intake, and expediting gut healing.   If that isn't enough for you let's talk about some off the charts levels of Vitamin E, and Squalene.  Only the top performing evoo's contain squalene concentrations above 3,000 mg/Kg.    

 

Exceptionally High Phenolic EVOOs can get too bitter.  Therefore being the highest in numbers isn't the goal. You want maximum health benefits with excellent flavour.  EVOO Previ has maximum health benefits along with a balance of excellent flavour. 

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The experience of the crusher is of uttermost importance because the polyphenols are so delicate and can die within less than 30 minutes.  Once the olives have been stripped from their leaves, washed, and delicately pressed the olive fruit is ready for the most important step of malaxation.  This is where the crushers experience is key!!    Malaxing the olive paste to extract the oil in fine droplets while minimizing the enzymatic biotransformation of the polyphenols by the action of peroxidases and phenoloxidases. No room for error or the whole batch is void of its healing power!! 

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Fun Fact:  It take about 15 kilos of olives to produce 1 litre of EVOO PREVI so that's three times more olives than a bottle of extra virgin olive oil. 

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​Hippocrates the ancient Greek physician known as the father of western medicine, recognized the healthiest olive oils and called them “the great healer”.   You know what they say, better late than never.....thousands of years later the western world agrees.  

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EVOO PREVI must be temperature controlled at all times in order to maintain its potency and preserve the life of the polyphenols.  Therefore it is sent from Italy in temperature controlled in containers.  Once it has arrived it continues to be temperature controlled throughout the supply chain and then maintained in the freezer.  This all adds to the cost of the product.  

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Sidenote:   The more polyphenols the EVOO starts off with, the higher the chances of maintaining the majority of polyphenols however when you begin with a bottle of low phenolic compounds and the bottle starts to loose potency you end up with a nice bottle of evoo without the potency of having a meaningful impact on your health and wellbeing.

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We are dedicated to provide our customers this vital resource of having access to the same quality EVOO that the Mediterranean diet is famous for.  Canadians have paid the price for not having the knowledge of just how many polyphenols die in transit and just how important they are to our overall health.    The gift of knowledge is priceless.  Our goal is to keep costs as low as possible by providing humble packaging and no retail sales.  This discovery has been our honour.  We're thrilled to provide to you and your loved ones a naturally bioactive exceptionally high phenolic EVOO, from the freezer.

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Voila!!! .....ancient medicine of the Gods!!

 

After purchasing EVOO Previ and you are ready to use it you may store it in a cool dry place in order to extend its shelf life.  Do Not keep it close to your stove where it can be exposed to heat and die a slow death.  If you make a bulk purchase please keep additional bottles in the freezer.  Enemies of any good EVOO are heat, light, and air.

  1. Heat impacts the levels of polyphenol compounds and causes them to die.  This is the reason why it is necessary to have temperature control containers for importing for the long ride from Italy to Canada.  You may be asking yourself well then how can I cook with it….good question! Studies suggest when you cook with EVOO some strength is lost: about 15-20% but it is still the healthiest option to cook with.  Studies also suggest that when cooking with EVOO polyphenols gain strength and get passed to the veggies;

  2. Light impacts the levels of polyphenols compounds and also causes them to die.  Do not keep your EVOO on your countertop.  Do not keep EVOO on shelves all day under lights; and, 

  3. Air exposure causes the death of polyphenols.  So you never want to leave the cap off of your EVOO bottle.  You never want to use a decanter unless you can close the lid tightly.  The best option actually is the “Bag in Box” option because the EVOO is only exposed to air when you use it.  The remaining EVOO stays in tack inside the bag protecting the polyphenols.  This specialized bag is made specifically for EVOO. 

Why are we different

What's a polyphenol and what do they do?

Naturally bioactive phytochemicals, present in plant food, have been recognized for their medicinal effects. Polyphenols are a class of naturally occurring phytochemicals.  There are over 39 phenolic compounds that are unique only to olive oil.  

 

Studies has shown that these compounds can modulate physiological and molecular pathways. They are powerful antioxidants that fight cellular damage, neutralize free radicals, reduce inflammation, and slow the growth of tumours. The phenols in EVOO PREVI can counter oxidative damage by crossing the blood brain barrier.  These are just some of the reasons that made the  Mediterranean Diet is so famous!!!

 

Polyphenols in EVOO PREVI also support cognitive cell function, cell differentiation, signalling, proliferation, and apoptosis.

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Image by Janine Joles

Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants but not all antioxidants are polyphenols

Polyphenols in EVOO PREVI have been reported to exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective activities and they only come from table olives and olive oil.  They are the most powerful natural antioxidant ingredients. However, these components need to be bioavailable to allow EVOO to exert its nutraceutical properties.

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Europeans broadly use the term polyphenol and North Americans specifically refer to specific molecule names, namely:  Oleocanthal, Oleacein,  Hydroxytyrosol, Tyrosol, Oleuropein also known as phenolic compounds.   Recently two new compounds have been identified:  oleomisssional and oleokoronal.  Very exciting indeed!!

Image by Janine Joles
Image by Sixteen Miles Out

Cooking with EVOO vs. Seed Oils 

Cooking seed oils are anything but natural. The oils extracted from soybeans, corn, cottonseed, safflower seeds, and rapeseeds must be refined, bleached, and deodorized before they are suitable for human consumption.  How does this happen? ……chemicals, chemicals and more chemicals on top of the fact that they are genetically modified crops and sprayed with Round-Up.  This creates unstable oils that oxidizes quickly…basically they rot quickly.  When these oils are reheated, they become even more toxic and carcinogenic!

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Can you cook with EVOO?

 

Yes of course!  Italians have been cooking with olive oil forever.  Let’s talk smoke points.  EVOO has relatively high smoke point (between 365 and 403 F) that is generally not impacted by household cooking.  Should we even be talking about smoke points?  NO but to demonstrate my point please  see chart below:

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People get caught up on the smoke point but that’s not really what you should be worrying about.  Let me tell you a story that’s important for your health! 

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Listen up:  once an oil is heated, it oxidizes.  The more an oil can resist reacting with oxygen and breaking down, the better for cooking. This is measured as oxidative stability. Oxidative stability is the point when an oil breaks down and potentially produces harmful compounds. But there is a twist!!! When this happens it produces polar compounds that are terrible for your health and ironically the oils with the higher smoke points produce more toxic polar compounds.  So if you rely on smoke points you are doing your body a disservice.  See chart below:

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You learn something new everyday!!! 

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You will note that EVOO is the safest and coconut oil comes in second.  So how do you decide between the two?  It’s very simple:  EVOO is stable because it contains an abundance of antioxidants and vitamin E which help suck up the negative products formed during fatty acid oxidation.  Exceptionally High Phenolic EVOO contains the highest number of antioxidants by far and also high oxidative stability, which is why we recommend EVOO for cooking, baking, and frying, even under high heat.

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EVOO vs Cooking Seed Oils

the 411

First let’s get something straight:  olives are the fruit of the olive tree.  Olives are pressed to extract their oil.   Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the fresh juice of the fruit of the Olive Tree. 

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In order to qualify as "extra virgin" the olives must be first cold pressed.  The pressure generated by the press causes the natural separation of the from the paste.  No heat or chemicals can be used.    In order to qualify as "extra virgin" the olives only be pressed by mechanical means of separation such as an hydraulic press which allows control and preservation of the phenolic compounds.  First Cold Pressed Oils (true extra virgins) use the best quality of olives and it takes more olives to produce a bottle due to the fact that the olives are only pressed once at the lowest temperature possible.  To put it in perspective, it takes about 5 kilograms of olives to create 1 litre of extra virgin olive oil.  A mature olive tree will yield about 20 kilograms of olives in one harvest yearly.  So one tree will yield approximately 4 litres of oil annually or 4 bottles of 1 litre each.  EVOO must be 100% fresh olive juice.

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The oil is then tested for acidity.  EVOO must be lower than 0.8% and be absent of defects.  All EVOO’s must be subject to the standards development by the International Olive Oil Council. 

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Not all olive oils are created equal: extra virgin olive oil is the only cooking oil made without the use of chemicals and industrial refining, and decreases inflammatory markers.   Other categories of olive oils, or other seed oils, are not anti-inflammatory etc. etc. 

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When ripe BLACK  olives are harvested, they are ground up and pressed. The best BLACK olives are then cold pressed. At this point, the cold-pressed olive oil is either virgin or extra virgin. The Olive oil is tested in accordance with European laws. Only the best is allowed to be labeled extra virgin olive oil. What remains is labelled virgin olive oil and has not been exposed to heat and has not been refined.  If you live in the country where it is produced, there is likely a decent amount of polyphenols in the bottle.  If this is shipped into your country by shipping container and stored at room temperature, it will have no meaningful impact on your health because the polyphenols have died.  Half of the polyphenols die in shipping and other half die within 12 months after harvest.  This is the reason you want to start with an Exceptionally High Phenolic EVOO that is frozen throughout the supply chain.

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Image by Jonatan Hernandez

Nutrient Composition of EVOO

A tablespoon (about 14 grams) of olive oil contains the following nutrients

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  • Calories: 119

  • Saturated fat: 14% of total calories

  • Monounsaturated fat: 73% of total calories (mostly oleic acid aka MUFA)

  • Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA): 11% of total calories

  • Vitamin E: 13% of the daily recommended value 

  • Vitamin K: 7% of the daily recommended value

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The EU has brought into law HEALTH CLAIMS REFERRING TO CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT under Article 14(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 claiming that Vitamin E contributes to the protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage. The target population from birth to up to 3 years of age.   

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Conclusion from the EU: The Panel considers that the role of vitamin E in protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage applies to all ages, including infants and young children up to 3 years of age. The Panel concludes that a cause-and-effect relationship has been established between the dietary intake of vitamin E and protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage.  See Essential EU Docs for further details and Scientific Opinion on Vitamin E. 

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Let's give our kids the best nutrient dense foundation to support their guts and developing brain!  You cannot supplement yourself into good health.  It starts with the quality of your food.  

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The EU also has passed laws regarding health claims with respect to adults.  A quick breakdown is as follows:

 

  1. Olive Oil Polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress;

  2. Oleic Acid:  Replacing saturated fats in the diet with unsaturated fats contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.  Oleic acid is an unsaturated fat;

  3. Vitamin E:  contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress; and,

  4. Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids:  replacing saturated fats (ie.  Margarine) with unsaturated fats (ie. EVOO)  in the diet contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. 

 

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Olives

Let's talk Omega's 
3, 6, and 9........

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​Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are both fatty acids and unsaturated fats.
To improve cholesterol levels, you want to replace the saturated fats (i.e. lard) in your diet with unsaturated fats……so good so far, right? Right!

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Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are also essential fatty acids.  Essential fatty acids are necessary for cardiovascular and brain health, but our body cannot produce them.  You need to get them from eating the proper foods.

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To keep a very complex issue on the simple side, too much Omega 3 can be harmful because our body will convert them into other fatty acids which can lead to heart disease. Omega 6: Omega 3 ratio, that is 8:1. That ratio is important because too much Omega 6 reduces the benefits of Omega 3.  Decades of research show that EVOO has a good PUFA:MUFA balance, which confers it stability properties against oxidative thermal degradation.

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Let’s talk about Omega 9! 

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Omega 9s are a group of fatty acids that are essential in that they’re important for your body, from a technical standpoint, they are categorized as “non-essential,” meaning your body produces them on its own.

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Omega 3 and 6 are PUFA’s.  Omega 9’s are MUFAs.

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Oleic acid is perhaps the best known and most commonly consumed of the omega-9 fatty acids.  EVOO, for example, is considered one of the richest food sources of Omega-3, 6, and 9, with 83 grams of omega-9s per 100 grams.  This relation between PUFA and MUFA and the low content of saturated fats also makes EVOO one of the healthiest oils to be consumed.

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Olive oil contains oleic acid which can also found in many other oils. Sadly many of those other oils are contaminated with GMO and Round-Up, Glyphosate, which contribute to the breakdown of the gut microbiome.  Phenolic Compounds such as Oleocanthal, Oleacein, Oleuropein, Tyrosol, and Hydroxytyrosol and all the health benefits they provide can only be found in table olives and EVOO making it best option for health.

Olive Grove
Harvested Fresh Olives
Harvested Fresh Olives
Harvested Fresh Olives
Image by Emre

Did you know EVOO can relieve pain?

EVOO Previ is not for the faint of heart, this amazing organic exceptionally high phenolic extra virgin olive oil is powerful and pungent. Produced exclusively from organic Moraiolo variety olives, this oil is intense in fruitiness with complex notes of fresh-cut grass and artichoke with definite aromatic hints of mint, sage and basil. Its taste is strong, bitter and pungent and well-balanced throughout, an oil for the true connoisseur.

 

But wait there’s more……..

 

Studies show that polyphenols can have an effect on your epigenetics by    reducing the expression of genes and proteins that mediate inflammation. 

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Four tablespoons of EVOO has a similar effect of 10% of an adult dose of ibuprofen by to stifling components of a pain pathway called the prostaglandin system.  EVOO Previ is five times above the average therefore is five times more effective with less consumption of oil. 

 

Buy why does it sting the back of my throat?  Those are the polyphenols at work and that’s how you know it is bioactive!!  There are many varying degrees of bioactivity.  Only the analysis report can tell you just how strong it is. 

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The EU is currently working on a project to connect all bar codes to the analysis reports so the consumer may be aware of the strength of the EVOO at the point of purchase.  Yay!!! let's eliminate EVOO fraud for the sake of everyone's health. 

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