Fillipo Berio Olive Oil...A Review

We all know olive oil is good for us, right?  I love using olive oil in my house, to the point of it is literally the only "liquid" oil that I keep on hand!  At least for eating that is...I "do" have a jug of vegetable oil, but it is restricted to the fryer only (and the odd batch of baby wipe solution...) and I have had the same jug for months (it is just enough oil to fill the fryer).

I use olive oil in place of non-stick cooking spray (Pam or the store-brand, whatever is cheapest usually) now that I have a Misto!  I actually have two Mistos, but one is used for oive oil, the other is a "backup" that I use with Lemon or Lime Juice in it...I'll even use it this summer to spray my lovely outdoor plants with a non-toxic (food based) pest control (otherwise known as Cayenne Pepper in water)!

When I was sent the bottle of Fillipo Berio Olive Oil as part of a BzzCampaign, I was super excited, I had just used the last of my olive oil!  I seem to luck out with these sorts of campaigns...it's like they "know" when I'm running low on a specific product!  So, I did a "happy dance" and promptly refilled my Misto.  Then, I cooked dinner...  Most recently, I found a recipe for a body scrub using Rose Petals, Chopped Fresh Mint, Sugar (table sugar, organic, or raw depending on how course you want your scrub), Coconut Oil, and Olive Oil!  I fully plan to use this oil when I get home (still in the hospital for my blood sugars through today) to make up a batch of this scrub!  I'll have to purchase some roses, but the Mint I have growing on the deck will be perfect for this and I can use up the last of that little box of sugar that is always stashed in the back of my cupboard.  The high quality of this oil, combined with the coconut oil (I use Spectrum Organic as well as LouAnna brand, so in theory, I could go totally Organic with this scrub if I bought "better" sugar and snagged the roses out of my neighbors yard (I don't think they've ever sprayed them with anything...)!  You know me though, I'll be buying pretty roses at the grocery store and probably using my LouAnna Coconut Oil because it is cheaper than the Organic one (though honestly, I can't tell the two apart)!

Some interesting tidbits about Olive Oil, specifically the Fillipo Berio Olive Oil...

• Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats (the "good" kind)
• There is no trans fat or cholesterol (this one is true if you don't cook with the oil...you can denature it though if you cook improperly, so just be warned there!)
• The oil contains no sugar, salt, or gluten (well, duh..it's olive oil!)
• Olive oil can help reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as help control blood pressure and blood sugars (Again, I'm skeptical here...I have very high blood pressure and am currently in the hospital because I can't seem to manage to keep my blood sugars under control!  I know I have extenuating circumstances, but as a 21+ year "vet" with Diabetes...I always take these claims with a big grain of salt.)

The above "facts" came from my information packet that came with the oil, with some of my own comments thrown in here and there as well.  There are so many ways you can use olive oil!  It makes a wonderful salad dressing (or an ingredient in a dressing), you can use it in place of other oils or butter in baked goods, a small drizzle of baked or broiled chicken (or fish) is an amazing addition as well!  There are also many "non-food" related uses as well!  Olive oil is an excellent choice in making your own baby wipe solution (I plan to keep the coconut oil version in the warmer and an olive oil version in a spray bottle for traveling), makeup remover solution (or used alone as an eye makeup remover), and even in a homemade body scrub (I cannot wait to get home and try this)!

If you have never tried olive oil before, or you just want to change thins up from your "usual" brand, give Fillipo Berio a try, you may like it!