Day 14: Olive Oil and Healthy Spices

I absolutely love this store called Penzey's Spices. We don't have this store in Tulsa, so I always take the opportunity to go when I come home to Kansas. Penzey's has wonderful spices. The thing I love about their stuff is it's pretty close to nature. Many of the seasonings do not have any added salt, never any MSG, and are just wonderful. It's such a pleasant experience to enter their stores. You have the chance to explore all the spices in person- they have sample jars where you can smell everything. I have bought many of their special blends- Pumpkin Pie Seasoning, Chili Seasoning (delicious), Salad Dressing Mixes, Hot Chocolate Mix, Cinnamon, and Vanilla. They might be a little more expensive than the grocery store but often the spices are of greater strength, so you can use less. My only purchase today was Pure Vanilla Extract. No additives are used, and there is no High Fructose Corn Syrup, like many of the Vanilla Extracts in the grocery stores. Also, the vanilla is 10% stronger than the vanilla in supermarkets.

Check to see if you have a Penzey's near you here

I'm glad we kept walking, because 2 doors down we found a local store that is not a franchise called The Tasteful Olive . They have all these containers of different olive oils and vinegars. I was sad that I didn't see any oils from Spain but I was talking to the owner about it and she said they'll probably have some more in next year. The seller she gets her oils from goes to select small olive orchards and buys the whole crop. I hope they stay in business. One of the most wonderful things about this store is that you can taste test all the products. My favorite by far was the Tuscan Herb Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We didn't buy any this time because it wasn't in the budget for this month, but I plan on budgeting out for a jar the next time we come in town!

::Tip of the Day:: Consume more Olive Oil! Research indicates the health benefits of olive oil can be traced to 2 main factors:

1. Oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid, which is highly concentrated in olive oil. Consumption of oleic acid may be associated with:

• Reduction of total cholesterol and an increase in the high-density cholesterol (HDL-C), which has a protective effect on blood vessels.
• Improved sensitivity of cells to insulin, which helps to prevent diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.
• Decreased risk of heart disease.
• Decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Decreased risk of breast cancer.

2. Phenolic compounds, which are potent antioxidants found in virgin and extra virgin olive oil. These compounds give unrefined olive oils their distinctive flavors and high degree of stability. Studies indicate these compounds may help to:

• Turn off the activity of genes that produce the kind of inflammation that causes coronary heart disease.
• Decrease production of inflammatory chemicals.
• Decrease the production of the most damaging form of cholesterol, oxidized LDL cholesterol.

(Source:http://www.care2.com/greenliving/olive-oil-for-flavor-and-health.html)

Extra  Virgin Olive Oil is even better if you can use it.