In this article, we have collected all the information we know about olive oil: its benefits, varieties, history, and we are happy to share this valuable knowledge with you!
About olive trees.
Classical mythology attributes the origin of the olive tree to a rivalry between Athena and Poseidon for the patronage of the new city of Attica. To resolve the dispute, Tsar Cecrop decided to give preference to the one who will present the most valuable gift to the city. The sea god created the source from which the horse arose. Athena, on the other hand, created an olive tree, the fruits of which gave people oil, which was simultaneously food, medicine and cosmetic, as well as a source of light. For the many beneficial properties of olive oil, Athena was declared the winner, and her name was given to the new city
There is historical evidence that already:
- 5.000 BC olive trees were grown in Egypt,
- 3.000 years BC, information about olive trees appears in Phenicia, Anatalia, Palestine.
- 1550 BC Ramses II issued a decree planting olive trees in Egypt, and
- the Fincas spread olive trees across the Greek islands,
- 1050 The Phoenicians bring olive trees to Spain.
- 980 BC Egyptians use olive oil not only for lighting lamps, but also for perfumery.
- 715 BC olive oil and olive sprigs are used in the mummification of the Egyptian pharaohs (in particular the pharaoh Tut Anj Amon).
In Catalonia, olive trees began to be cultivated in the 5th century BC. Over time, the olive tree becomes an emblem. The olive branch in the beak of the biblical dove was a symbol of Spain during the Roman Empire. Nowadays, in many regions, registers of century-old olive trees are kept and tourist routes are organized in groves with examples that are more than 2,000 years old.
In total, there are about 800 million olive trees on the planet. And they are mainly found in the Mediterranean.
About olives.
There are many varieties of olive, but the main ones for oil production are as follows:
- Arbequina (the oil obtained from these olives is considered the most aromatic, tasty, healthy and, accordingly, the most expensive). The Arbekina variety takes its name from the town of Arbekina. Olives of this variety are small and round, with a reddish tint and a pronounced fruit flavor. Many consider them to be the original Catalan olives. They are grown in the protected area of origin of Siurana and produce the highest quality oil with very low acidity.
- Blanqueta, Сhanglot real, Сornicabra, Empeltre, Farga, Gordal, Hojiblanca, Lechin, Manzannilla, Morisca, Morrut, Picual, Picudo, Sivillenca, Verdial de Huevar, Villalonga
About oil and its amount per capita.
In fact, it is not so much oil as the dehydrated fruit juice of the fruit of the olive tree (the olive is a fruit and the oil is made from its pulp, unlike all other oils of seed origin). All olive oil producers taken together produce about 3.5 million tons of all varieties and of all different qualities. That is about 500 grams per year for each inhabitant of the planet. From these 500 grams of high-quality oil (first cold pressing), only one fourth is obtained, i.e. only 125 grams. According to medical researchers, the daily consumption of oil should be on average from 20 to 40 grams per day, that is, on average, we get that for every inhabitant of the planet quality oil for only 2-5 days.
About how butter is.
Oil is very good and just oil.
- First, the region of origin affects the quality of the oil.
- Secondly, the olive variety.
- Thirdly, the time of collection and the quality of the collection (the olive must be harvested without damage and delivered to the press for processing within 24 hours, you can forget about this in the industrial production of oil. During the industrial harvest, olives are very damaged and begin to sour even before they get into under the press, such a situation is saved by a deep cleaning and refining process and, as a result, it is not worth dreaming about any preservation of the most important properties inherent in Extra Virgen, therefore the best oil is obtained in small cooperatives that can afford manual collection and fast delivery to their own press)
About cold pressing.
Very often on labels with butter you can see the inscription "cold pressed" and I have never seen the inscription "hot pressed". What is the matter here. It's all about the beneficial properties, which are very rich in cold-pressed oil. The more oil is refined, the less truly magical properties remain in it (more on that below). The yield of cold-pressed oil is small, hence its high cost - the first pressing cannot be cheap by definition. Therefore, it is very convenient and very profitable for many manufacturers to hide behind the “cold pressed” sign, hiding behind it mediocre refined, and sometimes just empty oil, albeit olive oi
About how to independently determine the quality of the oil.
The technology for determining the quality of oil is not complicated and is very similar to wine tasting. In the same way as with wine, the color of the oil is of great importance (which is why, during an independent tasting, it is poured into special blue wine glasses to hide its color and maximize the purity of the experiment). Over time, the color of the oil changes from greenish to yellow, the more light falls on the oil, the faster this process occurs - the oil is gaining age. Unrefined oil lives up to 24 months.
The next very important point in determining the quality of the oil is its smell. Quality Extra Virgen oil must have a scent. Since the olive is a fruit, the smell must necessarily be with fruity notes, although its variations can be very diverse, from freshly cut grass to green tomatoes, apples, honey and artichokes.
The third point in tasting the oil is its taste. To do this, pour a little oil in a saucer, dab it with a small piece of bread and enjoy the smell and taste at the same time if your associations are close to such words as fruity, bitter, aromatic, then everything is in order if musty, wet, rancid, metallic, then it is better to taste this finish. Professional tasting is about the same as taking a small sip of wine from a glass, air is drawn through the teeth for oxidation and evenly distributed over the sensitive areas of the tongue and gums. Extra Virgen Oil may cause a slight tickling sensation in the throat, which also indicates a high quality oil. Doctors observe a similar effect in the anesthetic drug ibuprofen. Unrefined oil has an analgesic effect, a teaspoon in its analgesic effect is equal to 10% of the ibuprofen dose.
About magic
The magical properties are due to the richness of monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats. An important role is played by the unsaponifiable lipids contained in olive oil (in oils of seed origin - sunflower, soy, corn, rape, unsaponifiable lipids are absent, in refined olive oil, unsaponifiable lipids, by the way, are also absent). The first cold pomace oil in abundance retains the unsaponifiable fraction, which includes the following elements:
- Oleic acid and phospholipids (increases the formation of lipoproteins in the blood, which prevent the deposition of fat on the walls of blood vessels, which helps to prevent atherosclerosis, and together with phytosterols, reduce the level of LDL cholesterol (harmful) and preserve or increase the content of HDL cholesterol (useful).
- Sterols block the absorption of dietary cholesterol by the intestines, which is why many nutritionists recommend salads with unrefined oil, and lightly sprinkle prepared food with olive oil before eating.
- Tocopherols or Vitamin E:
- is the main antioxidant substance;
- slows down the aging process of cells due to oxidation;
- contributes to the enrichment of blood with oxygen, which relieves fatigue
- improves cell nutrition; strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
- protects red blood cells from harmful toxins;
- prevents the formation of blood clots and promotes their resorption;
- strengthens the heart muscle.
- Vitamin E deficiency can lead to:
- rupture of red blood cells;
- loss of fertility;
- sexual apathy; abnormal body fat on the muscles;
- degenerative changes in the heart and other muscles;
- dry skin.
- Terpenes contribute to: the secretion of bile acids play an important role in the treatment of disorders of the biliary system: cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, dyskenia of the biliary tract, stagnation of bile, conditions after removal of the gallbladder, inflammatory processes, and also a supportive hypoglycemic agent in diabetes.
- Phospholipids, the main components of cell membranes, in particular neuronal membranes, are the only natural "solvents" for cholesterol and other hydrophobic compounds.
- Hydrophobic compounds are the building blocks of the so-called male beer tummies estrone-estrogenic hormones, which are responsible for the normal course of the ovarian-menstrual cycle.
- Vitamin A (participates in redox processes, regulation of protein synthesis, contributes to normal metabolism, plays an important role in the formation of bones and teeth, is necessary for the growth of new cells, ensures normal activity of the visual analyzer, participates in the synthesis of retinal visual pigment and the perception of light by the eye, is essential for the normal functioning of the immune system and is an integral part of the process of fighting infection, protects against colds, flu and infections of the respiratory tract, digestive tract, urinary tract, the provision of vitamin A prolongs the life of AIDS patients.
- Flavonoids involved in the body's redox reactions
- Chlorophyll - which gives the oil a greenish tint, abundantly present in the oils of the early harvest of green olives, in particular the Arbequina variety, partly present in the oils of the middle harvest period and completely absent in the oils of the late harvest, and, of course, in refined and refined yellow oils. Stimulates the growth of cells, in particular erythrocytes and leukocytes.
- Carotenoids, which play a huge role for humans. The main advantages are:
- inhibition of the aging process;
- antiatherosclerotic action;
- prevention of the development of ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular lesions;
- prevention of the development of oncological diseases;
- use for gastric ulcer;
- with poorly healing wounds and burns;
- with exacerbation of chronic diseases of the respiratory and urinary system;
- to maintain the normal condition of the skin, mucous membranes, bones, teeth, gums, hair;
- for the treatment of hyperkeratosis, impetigo, pyoderma, furunculosis, carbuncles, trophic ulcers;
- helps to get rid of age spots;
- helps to maintain normal prostate function, especially in men over 40;
- necessary during pregnancy and lactation;
- helps to get rid of many visual disorders;
- it is necessary for the growth of bones, ensuring the function of the testicles and ovaries, embryonic development, for the regulation of growth, differentiation (stretch marks) of tissues.
About research.
One of the earliest explorers of olive oil was Ansel Keys, who coined the term "Mediterranean Diet" with Margaret Keys and described it in the 1950s book On Delicious and Healthy Food: A Mediterranean Solution.
The "Mediterranean Diet", researched by nutritionist Ansel Keys in 1945, who landed in Salerno with the Fifth US Army, first interested Americans only in the 70s. Keyes noticed that in the Chileto area, where he lived for some time, residents practically did not suffer from cardiovascular diseases compared to his country, the United States, and surprised everyone with their life expectancy. He decided to investigate the possible link between dietary habits and diseases of abundance such as obesity, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and high blood pressure. He studied and compared the dietary habits of residents of several countries, in particular the United States, Japan, Yugoslavia, Germany, Finland, Spain and Italy. The final results of the study showed that the farther the diet is from the Mediterranean model, the more frequent the cases of these diseases. Spain, Italy, France and Greece are among the top seven healthiest countries in the world, according to recent reports from the World Health Organization (WHO), the first of which specifically focused on healthy life expectancy.
Scientists at Northwestern University of Chicago have found out why Mediterranean women are less likely to get breast cancer. Scientists have studied oleic acid, which is the main component of olive oil, and concluded that this substance not only reduces the risk of malignant tumors, but also increases the effectiveness of treatment if it does appear. The results are described in the December issue of Annals of Oncology. As the Chicago scientists found out, oleic acid suppresses the activity of the cancer gene under the gassing of Her-2 / neu: the production of a protein that causes breast cancer is reduced by 46%. In case of illness, olive oil will help get rid of the tumor by increasing the effectiveness of the famous drug Herceptin, which has saved the lives of thousands of patients. With a small amount of oleic acid, the cancer adapts to this device and continues to grow, but if it is enough, as in olive oil, the tumor dies. “Our data support epidemiological studies showing that the Mediterranean diet significantly protects against breast cancer, heart disease, and slows down the aging process,” says Javier Menendez, lead researcher on the project, associate professor at Northwestern University.
The scientific work of nutritional physician Juan Ruano presented at a press conference of the Department of General Medicine of the Reina Sofia University Hospital proves that regular consumption of olive oil saves from thrombosis. Daily consumption of 40 grams of olive oil helps prevent diseases associated with the circulatory system and heart disease. The doctor, the researcher, recommends using only unrefined oil, which contains polyphenols, which determine the medicinal properties of the product. Regular consumption of 60 grams of bread moistened with 40 grams of butter for breakfast allows you to reduce cholesterol levels after a few (3-6) weeks.
Studies by oncologists at the University of Michigan Cancer Center (USA) who studied women aged 25-65 years allow them to conclude that olive oil prevents not only heart disease, but also prevents the formation of cancerous tumors in the digestive system. As a result of a blood test of women who consumed olive oil, it was found exactly twice as many carotenoid levels (the significance of which was described above)
Studies by Japanese scientists prove that after sun treatment with olive oil, the risk of skin cancer is significantly reduced. With regular rubbing of olive oil, the aging process of the skin is frozen, the skin becomes elastic, and during pregnancy it helps to avoid stretch marks.
Studies by American scientists from a research center in Philadelphia have found a new component in olive oil, oleocanthal, which by its properties dulls pain, as well as non-asteroidal anti-inflammatory substances such as ibuprofen. All over the world, thousands of people take this drug for headaches and back pain. A teaspoon of olive oil is equal to 10% of the ibuprofen dose needed to relieve pain.
According to a research group at the University of Navarra (Spain), the use of olive oil reduces the risk of myocardial infarction by 74%. (The study involved 342 people, of whom 171 have already had myocardial infarction)
Of the already known magical properties of olive oil, one cannot but mention the following very important ones:
- Reducing the symptoms of type II diabetes (late or non-insulin dependent): Olive oil increases the utilization of glucose in the blood, resulting in a lower need for insulin.
- Anticarcinogenic effect (especially for breast and rectal cancer): due to the high content of vitamin E and phenols (both antioxidants and immune protective elements). Oleic acid prevents the development of oncological processes.
- Antioxidant: Vitamin E and polyphenols are the main elements of this function. Their antioxidant properties prevent the formation of free radicals generated when the skin is exposed to solar radiation and thus neutralizes aging and develops protection against oxidation processes, which helps to reduce the appearance of psoriasis and various types of acne.
- Immune-Boosting Properties: Vitamin E has been shown to inhibit the spread of viruses, according to USDA research, and some researchers are of the opinion that daily consumption of olive oil stimulates the immune system and helps maintain a healthy immune system through to old age.
- Digestive Protection: Olive oil reduces stomach acidity and regulates gastric acid secretion. Studies show that polyphenols (thyrsol and oleonic acid) have antimicrobial activity, especially against Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers in 90%, reduces the occurrence of stomach ulcers by 33% and promotes ulcer healing in 55% of cases. It stimulates the liver, improves gastrointestinal activity.
- Liver, kidney and gallbladder protection: helps in the presence of gallbladder disease. One teaspoon of olive oil on an empty stomach promotes the elimination of small stones and prevents the formation of large ones. Also on an empty stomach, but with lemon juice has a laxative effect (1-2 tablespoons).
Olive oil is especially beneficial when used regularly. "Olive oil - and every disease is gone," says a Spanish proverb. In the case when the oil is not only healthy, but also very tasty, it is not at all difficult to do this. It can be added to almost all dishes, from cold to hot.
That's all. Be healthy and love life in all its gastronomic manifestations!
