Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive tree (Olea europaea) made from the crushing and then subsequent pressing of olives. The oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit. People use the oil from the fruit and seeds, water extracts of the fruit, and the leaves to make medicine. Fatty acids in olive oil seem to decrease cholesterol levels and have anti-inflammatory effects. Olive leaf and olive oil might lower blood pressure.
Olives is one of the oldest foods known and are thought to have originated in Crete or Syria between five and seven thousand years ago. Since ancient times, the olive tree has provided food, fuel, timber and medicine for many civilizations, and has been regarded as a symbol of peace and wisdom. The oil of the olive has been consumed since as early as 3,000 B.C.
Olive oil is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps. Olive oil is used throughout the world, but especially in the Mediterranean countries. Because of the regular usage of olive oil, in time, the Mediterranean cultures have developed one of the healthiest societies.
The Mediterranean cultures in fact have far less heart and cardiovascular diseases, and the overall life span for individuals is one of the largest in the world. This discovery that olive oil may be linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and other health conditions has caused olive oil to become very popular in the United States in the past few decades.
Olive oil is also extremely rich in iron and A, B1, B2, C, E and D vitamins. The E vitamin is one of the most important helpers in the fight against the aging process, while the other vitamins assure a balanced diet and improve the body effectiveness and development. Another great benefit of the olive oil is the addition of "good" acids to the daily diet. These acids help the skin, making it more elastic and smooth.
Olive oil is used to prevent heart attack and stroke (cardiovascular disease), breast cancer, colorectal cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and migraine headache.
Some people use olive oil to treat constipation, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, blood vessel problems associated with diabetes, and pain associated ear infections, arthritis, and gallbladder disease. Olive oil is also used to treat jaundice, intestinal gas, and meteorism (swelling of the abdomen due to gas).
Some people also use olive oil to boost bacteria in the gut and as a "cleanser" or "purifier."
Olive oil is applied to the skin (used topically) for earwax, ringing ears (tinnitus), pain in the ears, lice, wounds, minor burns, psoriasis, stretch marks due to pregnancy, and for protecting the skin from ultraviolet (UV) damage after sun exposure.
In foods, olive oil is used as a cooking and salad oil.
In manufacturing, olive oil is used to make soaps, commercial plasters and liniments; and to delay setting in dental cements.
Olive oil is classified, in part, according to acid content, measured as free oleic acid. Extra virgin olive oil contains a maximum of 1% free oleic acid, virgin olive oil contains 2%, and ordinary olive oil contains 3.3%. Unrefined olive oils with more than 3.3% free oleic acid are considered "unfit for human consumption."
Olive oil that is mixed with a gas called ozone (ozonated olive oil) is promoted for everything from bee stings and insect bites to bacterial and fungal skin infections to cancer. However, there are no clinically proven medical uses of ozone or ozonated olive oil. Antibacterial agents that are applied to the skin are a better choice.
Olive leaf is used for treating viral, bacterial, and other infections including influenza, swine flu, the common cold, meningitis, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), encephalitis, herpes, shingles, HIV/ARC/AIDS, and hepatitis B. Olive leaf is also used for pneumonia; chronic fatigue: tuberculosis (TB); gonorrhea; fever; malaria; dengue; "blood poisoning" (bacterial infections in the bloodstream); severe diarrhea; and infections in the teeth, ears, and urinary tract, and infections following surgery. Other uses include high blood pressure, diabetes, hay fever, improving kidney and digestive function, and increasing urine flow.
Water extracts of olive fruit pulp are used for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated as olive oil -- mainly oleic acid.
Studies have shown that people who consumed 25 milliliters (mL) - about 2 tablespoons - of virgin olive oil daily for 1 week showed less oxidation of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of antioxidant compounds, particularly phenols, in the blood.
But while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed.
Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the healing fats. Most people do quite well with it since it does not upset the critical omega 6 to omega 3 ratio and most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually an omega-9 oil which is monounsaturated.
Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.
Adding olive oil to our diet is very beneficial to the proper functioning of the digestive tract. It is effective olive oil helps to maintain lower levels of hydrochloric acid within our stomach. Thus, the olive oil assists with the normal function of the digestive tract and decreases the risk of getting ulcers and other digestive disorders. Regularly consuming olive oil is also very effective against constipation.
While most other fats are associated with an increased risk of colon cancer, olive oil is actually associated with a reduced risk of this disease. Olive oil contains 77% monounsaturated fatty acids, 14% saturated fatty acids, and 9% polyunsaturated fatty acids, plus vegetable mucilage and Vitamin E. Monounsaturated fatty acids are far less easily damaged by oxygen than other types of fat. They are therefore less likely to produce free radicals, which damage cell membranes and can cause Cancer.
Olive oil contains at least four different antioxidants, which can help neutralize damaging free radicals that can lead to skin aging and skin cancer. Their study results showed that rats fed diet supplemented with olive oil had a lower risk of colon cancer than those fed safflower oil-supplemented diets. In fact, the rats that received olive oil had colon cancer rates almost as low as those fed fish oil, which several studies have already linked to a reduction in colon cancer risk.
People have used olive oil for centuries for personal care. It is a great skin moisturizer, in part because it contains linoleic acid, a compound not made by the body, but which prevents water from evaporating. Consuming olives and olive oil can promote healthy skin, as can applying it directly as a moisturizer. You can also add a bit of olive oil to a warm bath for a good healthy soak.
Olive oil is rich in vitamins A, B-1, B-2, C, D, and Iron. Most importantly, olive oil helps the body to maintain strong levels of vitamin E, which is a great helper in delaying the aging process. You can also use olive oil as face moisturizer since the healthy fatty acid existing in olive oil encourage soft and suppler skin.
Olive oil can also provide a safe and natural lubricant for a close shave. As a soothing aftershave, rub in an extra teaspoon of the stuff after rinsing off. In fact, some products for shaving are based on olive oil. Similarly, olive oil can soothe chapped lips. Make your own balm by mixing olive oil and melted beeswax in a 1:1 ratio (add an essential oil if you want a nice fragrance).
Olive oil also has benefits for hair. Comb a bit of the stuff through dry or frizzy hair to help tame and moisturize your locks, especially in winter or on humid days. Olive oil can also provide some relief for damaged hair.
Just as Frank and Millie can benefit from grooming with olive oil, so can Fluffy and Mittens. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to your cat's food to help prevent hairballs, as well as promote a shiny, healthy coat. Olive oil is likely to be more gentle on a cat's system than petroleum-based anti-hairball lubricants. Plus, it has the benefit of coming from a renewable resource, as opposed to oil from the ground.
Kitties aren't the only ones who can take advantage of natural lubricating properties of olive oil. Taking a sip of olive oil before heading to bed can help lubricate your throat muscles, cutting down on snoring. Others have noted that downing a teaspoon of olive oil can help soothe a scratchy or ticklish throat.
A number of folks claim olive oil as a natural remedy for earaches. One suggestion is to "very carefully use a cotton swab to apply olive oil to the outside ear cavity to help with earaches and excess wax." Another user suggests: heat up some olive oil in a microwave for 30 seconds then apply it to the ear that hurts for relief.
Olive Oil is Likely Effective for:
Use as a mild laxative for constipation. Using olive oil as main dressing oil helps preventing constipation and in general maintains the digestive tract in good health.
Lowering cholesterol in people with high cholesterol levels. Using olive oil in the diet instead of saturated fat can significantly reduce total cholesterol levels. However, some research suggests other dietary oils such as sunflower and rapeseed (canola) might reduce "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and another type of cholesterol called apolipoprotein B better than olive oil.
Lowering blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. Adding generous amounts of extra virgin olive oil to the diet and continuing with the usual treatments for high blood pressure can significantly improve blood pressure over 6 months. In some cases, patients with mild to moderate high blood pressure can actually lower their dose of blood pressure medication or even stop taking medication altogether. However, don't adjust your medications without your healthcare provider's supervision. Taking olive leaf extract also seems to lower blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure.
Reducing the risk of heart diseases and heart attack. Replacing saturated fats in the diet with olive oil can reduce risk factors for heart disease and stroke, including reducing blood pressure and cholesterol. Adding olive oil to the diet seems to help prevent a first heart attack. Some research shows a high dietary intake of olive oil (54 grams/day) can reduced the risk of first heart attack by 82% when compared with a low intake of 7 grams of olive oil or less per day.
The FDA now allows labels on olive oil and on food that contains olive oil to state that limited, but not conclusive evidence, suggests that consuming 23 grams/day (about 2 tablespoons) of olive oil instead of saturated fats may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Decreasing the chance of getting breast cancer and colorectal cancer. However, there is no evidence olive oil can help treat these conditions.
Diabetes. Compared to polyunsaturated oils such as sunflower oil, olive oil in a Mediterranean-type diet might reduce the risk of "hardening of the arteries" (atherosclerosis) in people with diabetes. But more research is needed.
Osteoarthritis. Developing research shows that taking a freeze-dried water extract of olive fruit decreases pain and increases mobility in people with osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis. Some research suggests that people whose diet includes a high amount of olive oil have a lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. However, early research shows that taking a water extract of olive fruit does not significantly improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Olive oil might be effective against migraine headache.
Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat, and it is regarded as a good fatty acid. Scrumptious organic olive oil consists of all of the nutrients from the olive. Olive oil is loaded with various nutrients including polyphenols, the identical healthy substance found in grapes. Plus olive oil contains other antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that could shield you from health problems. When you purchase a high quality olive oil, it will certainly taste superior to other oils, too.
Olive oil is full of both vitamins E and K. Vitamin E performs a huge part in protecting against heart conditions, Alzheimer's, premature aging, and cancers, especially skin cancer and colon cancer. Vitamin E is also recommended for healthier skin and eye sight. Vitamin K is important for proper blood clotting, protection against brittle bones and cell damage from free radicals.
Generally, olive oil is extracted by pressing or crushing olives. Olive oil comes in different varieties, depending on the amount of processing involved. Varieties include:
Extra virgin: considered the best, least processed, comprising the oil from the first pressing of the olives.
Virgin: from the second pressing.
Pure: undergoes some processing, such as filtering and refining.
Extra light: undergoes considerable processing and only retains a very mild olive flavour.
When buying olive oil you will want to obtain a high quality EXTRA VIRGIN oil. The oil that comes from the first "pressing" of the olive, is extracted without using heat (a cold press) or chemicals, and has no "off" flavors is awarded "extra virgin" status. The less the olive oil is handled, the closer to its natural state, the better the oil. If the olive oil meets all the criteria, it can be designated as "extra virgin".
What is pure and light olive oil? "Pure" olive oil is made by adding a little extra virgin olive oil to refined olive oil. It is a lesser grade oil that is also labeled as just "olive oil" in the U.S.
"Light" olive oil is a marketing concept and not a classification of olive oil grades. It is completely unregulated by any certification organizations and therefore has no real precedent to what its content should be. Sometimes, the olive oil is cut with other vegetable oils.
Resist the temptation to place your beautiful bottle of olive oil on the windowsill. Light and heat are the #1 enemy of oil. Keep olive oil in a cool and dark place, tightly sealed. Oxygen promotes rancidity. Olive oil is like other oils and can easily go rancid when exposed to air, light or high temperatures.
Do not fall into the hype which is put out by traditional medicine regarding the promotion of canola oil (rapeseed) as superior due to its concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil is far superior and has been around for thousands of years. Canola oil is a relatively recent development and the original crops were unfit for human consumption due to their high content of a dangerous fatty acid called euric acid.
If the taste of olive oil is a problem, or if you are frying or sautéing food, then you should consider coconut oil. Many nutritionally misinformed people would consider this unwise due to coconut oil's nearly exclusive content of saturated fat. However, this is just not the case. Because it has mostly saturated fat, it is much less dangerous to heat. The heat will not tend to cause the oil to transition into dangerous trans fatty acids.
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
BY MOUTH:
For constipation: 30 mL of olive oil.
For high blood pressure: 30-40 grams per day of extra-virgin olive oil as part of the diet. 400 mg of olive leaf extract four times daily has also been used for high blood pressure.
For high cholesterol and to decrease heart disease risk: 23 grams of olive oil per day (about 2 tablespoons) providing 17.5 grams of mono unsaturated fatty acids in place of saturated fats in the diet.
The side effects of olive oil are few and rare. That is good news for those who enjoy this tasty oil. There is a chance one may get an allergic reaction if the olive oil is taken externally. This is rare but can happen. If you think you are having an allergic reaction from olive oil seek treatment as soon as possible.
Another side effect of olive oil would be diarrhea. This side effect may occur if you ingest large amounts of olive oil. There may be other side effects to olive oil not listed here it would be best to discuss any side effects you may have with your doctor.
Olive oil is SAFE when taken appropriately by mouth or applied to the skin. Olive oil can be used safely as 14% of total daily calories. This is about 2 tablespoons (28 grams) daily.
Olive oil taken by mouth is well-tolerated. When applied to the skin, delayed allergic responses and contact dermatitis have been reported.
There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of olive leaf, although so far olive leaf and fruit pulp have not been associated with significant side effects in clinical studies.
Olive trees produce pollen that can cause seasonal respiratory allergy in some people.
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with OLIVE
Olive and olive oil might decrease blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking olive oil along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.
Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.
Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with OLIVE
Olive seems to decrease blood pressure. Taking olive along with medications for high blood pressure might cause your blood pressure to go too low.
Some medications for high blood pressure include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), losartan (Cozaar), valsartan (Diovan), diltiazem (Cardizem), Amlodipine (Norvasc), hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDIURIL), furosemide (Lasix), and many others.
The following reviews have been selected:
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars ..., August 23, 2011
By
bearfeetonly "bearfeetonly"
Very happy with my purchase of [this] Extra Virgin Olive Oil; it is health smart; and all I use is E.V.O.O - Extra Virgin Olive Oil; it is Healthy for you to use a virgin oil over any other type of oil; it cuts down on Cholesteral and is good for your heart...I know I have had Cholesteral problems and a Heart Attack and ever since I switched to E.V.O.O my Cholesteral no:'s have dropped drastically, plus exercise is a must...I hope you find this information helpful when making your next purchase.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars olive oil is like liquid gold..., April 14, 2008
By
Jen
I am a woman of mixed ethnicities and because of this, I have mixed hair as well. My hair is a combination of wavy,straight and curly. Mostly wavy and curly. And when my hair gets dry it gets REAL DRY.When it gets frizzy it gets REAL FRIZZY, plus it has plenty of split ends. I have dyed my hair in the past several times and that also has contributed to breakage and dryness. I have used all kinds of products and Organic Root stimulator Olive Oil hair lotion is the best most penetrating hair lotion I have ever used.
Nothing compares to using real olive oil, but this is a styling lotion and it works extremely well, if not the same. It has other moisturizing oils in it as well as coconut oil, peanut oil and vegetable oil.
I strongly recommend using it right after you have just washed your hair and your hair is completely damp. I have found the best results doing it this way and then wrapping it with a towel. Afterwards it is very easy to style and stays moisturized throughout the day. My hair feels much softer now than it ever has before. I give it five stars because I think it beats Motions and it works much better for me.
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Reason for taking: Cholesterol
9/18/2011 3:25:19 AM
Reviewer: 55-64 on Treatment for 1 to less than 2 years (Consumer)
Effectiveness: Current Rating: 5
Ease of Use: Current Rating: 5
Satisfaction: Current Rating: 5
Comment:
My Cholesterol Level was very high & I have started taking one tablespoon mixed with fresh orange juice every day with my brakfast and had reduced my cholesterol level down and help me in so many ways in my body I a advice to all with high cholesterol level take every day in morning EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
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Reason for taking: High blood pressure
8/9/2011 10:02:03 PM
Reviewer: fliteking, 45-54 Male on Treatment for 6 months to less than 1 year (Caregiver)
Effectiveness: Current Rating: 4
Ease of Use: Current Rating: 5
Satisfaction: Current Rating: 4
Comment:
Previously I was continually hainvg to get my blood pressure meds adjusted. Checked with my MD, then used Olive Leaf Extract in combination with current meds. Have not had to change medications, infact now use less medications.
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