Olive oils
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Excellence from Roman times till today
Embark on a culinary journey to Algeria, where the legacy of olive oil production dates back to the Roman Empire. Known as Numidia during the days of the Roman Empire, this fertile land was renowned for supplying the finest extra virgin olive oil to the Roman emperors, a testament to its exceptional quality.
Our Constantinae Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made from the very best, handpicked olives from our olive groves, which have been there since the Roman times.
Remains of ancient Roman stone olive presses can be found all over the country, like the round press bases in the images above, in which two semi-circular stones would roll around to press the olives into pulp.
Today, Algeria continues this time-honoured tradition, producing no less than 90 million liters of world-class extra virgin olive oil each year, which makes it the 9th largest olive oil producing country world-wide. The country's unique terroir, with its sun-drenched olive groves and ancient olive trees, imparts a distinct character to the oil, making it a true treasure of the Mediterranean.
But don't just take our word for it. Algerian extra virgin olive oils have garnered international acclaim, a testament to their exceptional quality and flavour and to the dedication and expertise of Algerian olive oil producers, who combine traditional methods with modern techniques to create oils of unparalleled quality:
2021 - Tokyo, Japan: Japan Olive Oil Prize - SILVER MEDAL
2021 - Dubai, UAE: Dubai Olive Oil Competition - 1st PRIZE - Early Harvest Category
2022 - Paris, France: AVPA - GOURMET MEDAL - Traditional Olive OIl Category
2023 - Oslo, Norway: Scandinavian International Olive Oil Competition - SILVER MEDAL
2024 - Geneva, Switzerland: International and European Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition - GOLD MEDAL
From the delicate fruity notes to the robust peppery finish, Algerian extra virgin olive oil is a culinary masterpiece that will elevate your dishes to new heights.
Experience the liquid gold of Algeria and savour the taste of history and excellence.
Health benefits
Our GREEN olive oil (Olio di Oliva Verde) is green because it is pressed from green olives, which have not yet fully ripened (olives slowly turn form green to black when they ripen, see images below). Green extra vergine olive oil or 'Early Harvest' olive oil was considered by the Romans to be the very best quality oil and rightfully so, because it is the healthiest and tastiest olive oil of all !
Green unripe olives in September
Green olives slowly turning black in October
Olives turning black in November
The Romans had 6 olive oil quality grades of which 'oleum ex albis ulivis', which means oil extracted from light, unripe olives, was at the very top. It is more difficult to extract olive oil from the hard unripe green olives and they are more difficult to harvest but their oil has by far the highest naturally occuring anti-oxidant chlorophyll and polyphenol levels of all types of olive oils and the lowest acidity, along with all the other vitamins and minerals prevalent in both our cold pressed regular and green extra virgin olive oil, such as:
- Vitamins: A, E and K
- Minerals: Iron, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium
- Polyphenol anti-oxidants
- Enzymes
- Mono-unsaturated fats
- Amino acids
Polyphenols work as anti-oxidants in the body, meaning they can combat environmental harm such as UV damage and pollution by neutralising the oxygen free radicals in our cells. In addition to their antioxidant activity, polyphenols have many other anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial health benefits. Some studies strongly suggest that diets rich in polyphenols offer protection against development of certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases.
The European Union (EU) allows the use of the following health claims related to cold pressed extra virgin olive oil that are scientifically supported and authorised:
- helps maintain normal blood cholesterol levels.
- contributes to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress.
- helps maintain normal blood pressure levels.
The presence of these polyphenols can be detected in any high quality olive oil by its natural grassy, slightly bitter taste and a spicy, peppery sensation in the throat when tasting the olive oil.
Preserving the precious anti-oxidants
Our extra virgin oil is packaged in terracotta jars and metal tins because this protects the oil from the harmful UV-C radiation in daylight, which rapidly breaks down the anti-oxidants in any extra virgin olive oil.
Amber glass bottles block some of the UV-C radiation of sunlight but not all of it. Coloured plastic bottles, the most common packaging for olive oil, hardly blocks any UV light at all. This means that the anti-oxidants in that type of packaging will rapidly break down, significantly reducing the health benefits of the oil.
Specifically for this reason we have opted for terracotta and tins, bringing you the best possible flavour and ensuring that the precious anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals remain protected even in a bright kitchen.
