Guide to Italian Olive Oils
Italy is famed for its numerous olive groves and production of olive-based products, but one of the most popular is olive oil. Used in cooking, it is a renowned low-fat vegetable oil that is praised for its health benefits, including its ability to reduce the effects of inflammatory prostaglandins. However, there are a wide range of olive oils, you may 
yourself own two or three bottles, so what is the difference in these oils and what are their individual benefits.
Connoisseurs of olive oil, say that the differences in them are much like the differences in wine, in that each oil is made of different ingredients and manufactured differently. Olives that are grown in different soils and regions produce different tastes, hence a distinctive oil.
Different types of olive include the taggiasca olive, which is grown in the north of the country. The oil derived from this oil creates a light oil, that has a distinctive almond flavour. Meanwhile, cassaliva, leccino and moraiolo olives create a stronger, fruitier type of oil. These olives are grown in central Italy and are renowned for their spicy taste. In the south of the country, numerous olive groves are found in Abruzzo, Puglia and Calabria. These types include the gentile di Chieti, the cima di bitonto and the ottobractica olives, which produce strong golden-coloured oils that have a distinctive nut-based after-taste.
The health benefits of olives are well-known, so it is no surprise that olive oil is a cornerstone of Italian cuisine, not just in cooking, but even as a side dish enjoyed with warm bread.
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