The Many Benefits of Olive Oil

Jul 23rd 2018

The health benefits of Olive Oil are numerous, so we just wanted to mention a few.  First, some FYI.

Olive and Olive Oil Facts:

"Olives are the fruits that grow on the olive tree, which comes from the Oleaceae family. They contain a single pit and their flesh is filled with oil. The ripe fruits are pressed to extract the oil.

Green and black olives are essentially the same olive and only vary in the degree of ripeness- black being the most ripe.

Olive Oil consists of 75% heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and only 13% saturated fat. It contains active compounds such as oleocanthal, which has a strong anti-inflammatory action to fight heart-disease and cancer. It also contains the natural antioxidants polyphenols, whose beneficial effects include: lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and the risk of coronary heart disease. Many other nut and seed oils have no polyphenols whatsoever."

Not all olives are the same:

The characteristics of olive oil corresponded to the type of olives from which it came from; oil pressed from ripe olives was the better than oil from unripe olives. 

Olive Oil can soften the skin and delay whitening of the hair. 

Health Benefits

  • Cancer Prevention

    Evidence suggests that olive and olive oil consumption as part of a healthy Mediterranean diet has cancer-protective properties. Research also found that active ingredients in olive oil prevented human colon cancer cells from multiplying.

  • high blood pressure

    A study published in 2007 in the Journal of Nutrition found that introducing moderate consumption of olive oil in the diet reduced systolic blood pressure.

  • Olive Oil May Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Several studies have linked olive oil to beneficial effects on blood sugar and insulin sensitivity.

                                                    

Olive oil Facts

  • For the highest antioxidant content, choose extra-virgin or virgin olive oil- these are the least processed forms.
  • Extra-virgin comes from the first pressing of the olives and has a superior taste.
  • Virgin olive oil is obtained by pressing the crushed fruit in bags and removing the oil. It has a greenish tint and has a stronger taste than virgin olive oil.
  • Olive oils with labels such as 'refined oil' 'pomace olive oil' or 'light oil' should be avoided as they are not always 100% olive oil. Pomace is the ground flesh and pits after pressing.
  • Use olive oil for low-temperature cooking. The particles in the oil will burn at higher temperatures, thus burning off the many health benefits.
  • Store your olive oil away from heat and light to maintain phytochemical content.

"Extra virgin olive oil is loaded with antioxidants and healthy fats. Its benefits are among the few things in nutrition that people agree on."


   


References:

Healthy Muslim.com "Your Guide to Health, Fitness and Longevity."

Proven benefits of Olive Oil: www.Healthline.com/nutrition

http://olive-central.co.za/5-components-make-olive-oil-healthy/

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