The Green Guy loves to eat, and he loves to eat healthy. Yes, I live in Wisconsin and a couple of times each year, I'll actually eat a bratwurst, a delicious type of pork sausage. It is horrible for me, and with each bite I can feel my arteries close just a little bit more, but considering I eat chicken and fish most of the time, I feel a little indulgence like this can be justified.
I cook almost everything else I eat in olive oil. Sometimes I sauté mushrooms, onions, and peppers, sometimes I use it as a dressing with balsamic vinegar, sometimes I use it in a deep fry, and I use it all the times when I make popcorn. (Try a little curry powder instead of salt!)
Olive oil is what I consider a "nectar of the gods" because it tastes so good and is incredibly good for you. It is also extremely versatile. It can be used by itself just for the flavoring aspect or used to deep fry things and still keep them heart healthy.
I personally love the taste of olive oil, so I usually buy extra virgin olive oil. This is cold pressed olive oil in its most natural and delicious state. For things like popping corn, I'll use a "light" olive oil, which is basically olive oil that has been refined. There is no strong taste of oil in a light version, so any added flavor to the popcorn comes out loud and clear.
The health benefits go beyond any other cooking oil there is. For the most healthy type of olive oil, always go for the extra virgin. It is handled very little and retains all of the goodness of the olive from which is was pressed. Studies of olive oil prove that it lowers the LDL or "bad" cholesterol in your bloodstream, while increasing the HDL or "good" cholesterol, which is nice to know every time I eat a bratwurst.
But there are other very significant health benefits as well. Other studies show a reduced risk of colon cancer, a healing effect on ulcers, and the ability to lower risk of gallstones.
There is no finer oil for cooking or eating than olive oil. The best restaurants use nothing but the finest olive oil to create culinary masterpieces, while the ancient Greeks used olive oil to reward their athletes at the original Olympic games, giving upwards of 5,000 kilos to the winner with the fastest chariot!
