The nutritional value of olive oil has been known since the ancient times.
Countless studies and analyzes have proven its high content in vitamins E and K and beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids. What really makes the difference is the antioxidants in its composition, since these compounds seem to protect against a number of diseases. Some of the main antioxidants of olive oil with an anti-inflammatory action are Oleokanthal and Oleiacein, phytochemicals that prevent the oxidation of the “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Studies have shown that chronic inflammation is one of the leading causes of many diseases of our time, such as diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, Alzheimer’s disease. One of the main mechanisms behind the multiple beneficial properties of olive oil is that it fights inflammation, a capacity attributed to Oleokanthal. The researchers also estimate that the amount of Oleokanthal contained in 50 ml of high-quality extra virgin olive oil has a similar analgesic effect to 10% of the ibuprofen dosage for adults.
Scientific research on the Mediterranean diet has reached important conclusions regarding its benefits to the human body, in relation to it producing antibodies, through the daily intake of olive oil and olives, two components that form the capstone of the Mediterranean food pyramid.
From 400 B.C., when Hippocrates expressed the view that “food should be medicine and medicine should be food” and almost 2.500 years later, much of the scientific community has acknowledged that chronic serious diseases such as heart conditions, cancer, strokes, multiple sclerosis and obesity, are directly related to our diet. Especially with regard to obesity, the Mediterranean diet, due to its balanced proportions of proteins, carbohydrates, monounsaturated and Ω3 fatty acids, can significantly contribute to metabolic activation and at the same time to the burning of stored fat.
However, as widely known in recent years, the Mediterranean Diet is a very good choice for the environment as well, with a low carbon dioxide impact, comprising traditional products, produced and consumed at a local level. It is therefore an eco-friendly food choice, perfectly harmonized with both the ecosystem and the economy.