Showa Farm

Extra virgin olive oil has monounsaturated fats which have proven to be beneficial to good health when used in cooking or consumed directly.  Olive oil contains polyphenols (oleocanthal) which are antioxidants and Showa Farm Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a very high polyphenol count.  This can help reduce cancer and may be beneficial in Parkinson’s disease. 

High quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has anti-inflammatory properties and has, in some studies, led to reduction in strokes, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis and improves the immune system, bone and brain health and reduced weight gain.  Consuming EVOO has been shown to reduce blood pressure, reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol. 

Cooking with olive oil, even at high temperatures, increases the retention of good nutrients in many foods.   Olive oil is a good source for vitamin E and contains vitamins A and K, calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium.  It is a good source for amino acids and promotes good health generally.

See also: “Environmental and Health Benefits of Olive Orchards and Olive Oil.”

We use it in place of any vegetable oils as a healthier and tastier alternative. We often use it in place of or with butter when cooking with a skillet. Of course, we use it on salads because of the superior taste and we also serve it with bread in place of butter due to the superior taste and health benefits. There are literally thousands of recipes that call for olive oil and many more where olive oil can be substituted for a less healthy and less tasty vegetable oil.

Most importantly you should give our olive oil the taste test. Compare it to store-bought bulk olive oils and other premium extra virgin olive oils produced in Italy, Spain, or elsewhere. Our olive oil has a delicate green fresh taste with a slightly peppery finish which is one of the hallmarks of a truly good olive oil.

Showa Farm Olive Oil is certified as organic. It is all produced from our trees on a biodiverse farm using pure well water for irrigation and without harmful chemicals or non-organic fertilizers. We are environmentally friendly using solar power throughout the farm, with farm animals who are fed organic feed. We don’t add anything to the olive oil so it is 100% pure extra virgin olive oil unlike some other oils that have been shown to contain grapeseed oil or other non-olive oils. This means that the positive health attributes of our high polyphenol count olive oil are plentiful.

Many high volume, bulk olive oils are of lower quality with less taste, lower polyphenol counts, and aren’t organic. Some are not even real olive oil. Because of California’s strict labeling rules you can be assured that Showa Farm olive oil is 100% grown on our estate, is truly made from the Arbequina olive varietal, is organically grown and milled and bottled, and is truly “extra virgin.”

Showa Farm is a family farm with the owners and farmworkers all living on site. We take pride in the quality of our only product – extra virgin, organic olive oil which has repeated been listed as one of the top 100 olive oils in the world (New York International Olive Oil Competition). We are strong supporters of our rural community and are active in local non-profit volunteerism.

Yes. We invite you to make an appointment to visit us and tour the farm, perhaps while you are also visiting the nearly 100 wineries that are within 30 minutes of the farm. Come and see our beautiful olive trees, meet our “rescue” or born on the farm animals (dogs, feral cats, goats, sheep, ducks, chickens, horses), experience the local wildlife including more than 50 varieties of wild birds, and chat with the owners or farmworkers about our operation. While here you can picnic in the woods, kids can play in the “fort” or geodesic dome or you can play a quick set of tennis. And, while you are visiting you can get a discount if you purchase oil directly from us because you won’t incur shipping costs.