Olive Oil has a history for health

History of Olive Oil

Six thousand years ago, the Mediterranean olive tree flourished in sunny climates and rocky subsoil throughout Syria, Iran and Palestine (Asia Minor), eventually spreading to the Mediterranean basin. It is one of the earliest-known cultivated trees. Cultures throughout history have recognized its benefits for promoting health in both the inner and outer body.

Olives have been unearthed in Egyptian tombs dating as far back as 2000 B.C. It is believed that the Minoan Kingdom grew wealthy from the fruit of the olive tree. Ancient Greek kings and Olympic athletes were anointed with olive oil, then the Greeks introduced it to the Romans, who spread it across their mighty empire. Even the Bible makes mention of the olive leaf as the sign carried by a dove to Noah that the great flood was over. In fact, the Bible passage “the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine,” is commonly believed to refer to the olive tree.

Some say the olive trees on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem are over 2000 years old, testimony that the slow-growing olive tree lives a very long time. In appearance, the tree has a gnarled and knotty trunk with smooth, ash-colored bark. You may find items such as gourmet cooking utensils fashioned from olive wood. Its leaves are silver grey-green and when pressed yield “olive leaf extract” with a bitter substance named oleuropein. The medical world took note in the 1960’s when it was discovered that oleuropein lowered blood pressure in animals. Olive leaf extract may even help prevent common colds and flu.

The benefits of consuming olive oil, an integral part of the basic Mediterranean diet, are almost too many to list. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows advertising that states organic olive oil helps reduce the risk of coronary disease and disorders. Olive oil also slows down the aging process and aids intestinal, liver and bile functions, helps assimilate vitamins A, D and K in our bodies and seems , in its extra-virgin status, to be the most digestible of the edible fats.

Gourmet olive oil is healthier than butter and other fatty cooking oils, and is valued for its culinary attributes and organoleptic qualities such as flavor, bouquet or aroma, and color. The earlier pressings of the oil are assumed to be of better quality with other grades derived from the time of pressing. No heat or chemicals which destroy vital nutrients are used in cold pressed olive oil. This is usually the best to use in cooking and for healthy cuisine. You may use stronger and more pungent flavors of the oil for frying fish or preparing other strongly-flavored foods. Extra virgin olive oil is great on salads, and a mellow, late harvest mission variety can even for used when cake baking.
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