Olive Oil

The question of the day is "What makes Olive oil a healthy choice?"

Vitamins A, E, K as well as polyphenols, squalene, oleocanthol, triterpenes & hundreds more micro nutrients make olive oil a healthy choice.  There are olive varieties known for their mild flavor & olive oil pressed from ripe olives is smooth, mellow & buttery.

Studies indicated that extra virgin olive oil may help to lower blood pressure. Patients were able to reduce or eliminate the need for medications when olive oil was consumed on a regular basis. Fresh organic unfiltered extra virgin olive oil is the most beneficial. It is nothing but fruit juice extracted mechanically from olive fruit. There is no heat or chemicals used in the extraction process.

There is no cholesterol & that's a good thing. Maladies like Alzheimer's is associated with the clogging of arteries caused by cholesterol & saturated fat. Replacing other fats with olive oil will reduce the risk. Free from harmful trans-fat, olive oil contains mono-unsaturated fat that is good for your health. Then there is another good fat called pol-unsaturated fat. There is no sodium in olive oil. There are no carbohydrates or protein either but we get enough from other sources.

There is 1.6 mg of vitamin E in 1 table spoon of olive oil. That represents 10.6% of recommended daily allowance. Vitamin K is associated with chlorophyll & the darker green, the richer in vitamin K. Vegetable & olive oils are also good source of vitamin K. It is a photosynthetic pigment: anti-aging substance that promotes the healing of skin condition & wounds. Extra virgin oil is rich in polyphenols which knows to be anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant & anticoagulant. Antioxidants help to neutralize free radicals & repair damage to cell membranes caused by exposure to things like cigarette smoke, pollution & radiation.

Freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil causes a distinct bitter sort in the throat. Oleocanthal is what causes that sensation. Researchers recognized the sensory affect as familiar & very similar to that of ibuprofen.

As in turn out, oleocanthal is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory & an anti oxidant. Again, without getting too technical, it's like ibuprofen or aspirin & may work like small daily dose of aspirin if consumed daily. Oleocanthal may be partly responsible for the lower incidence of heart disease in the Mediterranean population.

Squalene, normally obtained from the liver of sharks, is also found in olive oil- a more environmentally friendly source. A natural organic compound used in cosmetics as a moisturizer. It is squalene that helps to regulate that helps to regulate sebum. It forms a coating on the skin that acts as a barrier, inhibits the growth of micro-organism & lubricates our skin & hair.