Does Olive Oil have GMO or Gluten?

Does extra virgin olive oil have any GMO or Genetically Modified Foods in it? The short answer is no. Currently there are a handful of GMO crops available in the market place and the humble olive is not on the list.

So what are Genetically Modified Foods? Simply put GMOs are crops with specific changes made to their DNA by genetic engineering techniques. This is done so the crop can withstand the pesticides and chemicals sprayed on them. Generally, both the GMO crop and the pesticide are usually owned by the same corporation.

Most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In more than 60 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs.

In the U.S. though, the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale. Increasingly, Americans are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt out of the GMO experiment.

The current list of GMO crops are corn, soybean, sugar beets, potatoes, squash, cotton, tomatoes, golden rice, papaya, and canola and vegetable oils. It has been said that 80-90% of foods in your supermarket have some sort of GMO in them.

Now how about gluten, is there any in olive oil? Again the answer is no. Olive oil has no wheat in it at all. It’s a naturally gluten free food. So what is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten also shows up in many whole grain foods related to wheat, including bulgur, kamut, and spelt. For health reasons, people with celiac disease shouldn’t eat wheat with gluten. Experts estimate that about 1% of all Americans have celiac disease.

A gluten free diet can lack vitamins, minerals and fiber. Gluten itself doesn’t offer special nutritional benefits but the many whole grains that contain gluten do. They’re rich in an array of vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins and iron, as well as fiber. Studies show that whole grain foods, as part of a healthy diet, may help lower risk of type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer.

A few whole grains don’t contain gluten, including amaranth, millet, and the super food quinoa.

So for the record no GMO or Gluten is present in your favorite EVOO. At least that’s one thing that you can cross off the list.

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Author Alex Ferrari is the co-owner of Olimila Gourmet Emporium (aka Ferrari Olive Oil) and has his Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Aged Balsamic Vinegar Tasting Room in the heart of Studio City in Los Angeles, CA. For more information go to: Olimila Gourmet Emporium

Alex also hosts a weekly show on YuTube called “The EVOO Show” where he discusses all things olive oil, balsamic and foodie! Watch the show by clicking here: THE EVOO Show