Since ancient times, olive has been used as part of a regular diet in countries like Egypt, Greece, or Africa.
Nowadays other places such as Spain, Italy and California, -motivated in the culinary industry- have become the major producers of olive oil based on it taste and health properties.
Regular consumers around the world have included olive oil to their meals, even though many of them don’t know for sure the benefits it is presume to have.
Some major health issues in today’s society are obesity and problems with cholesterol levels.
According to Dr Patrick Davey, cardiologist “Having too much cholesterol in the blood is not a disease in itself, but can lead to the hardening and narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) in the major vascular systems.”
There are two types of cholesterol: HDL (also known as “good” cholesterol that prevents us from atherosclerosis), and LDL (“bad” cholesterol, associated to diseases of the heart); they both should be maintained in the appropriate levels in order to function properly in the body.
One of the best-known monosaturated fats (reduces the bad cholesterol) is the olive oil, which in moderation also can provide some nutrients as antioxdidants and vitamin E both helpful for the prevention of blood clots formation that might lead to heart attacks. All of this means that some olive oil might help preventing Heart diseases, gallstone formation, ease the symptoms of ulcers and gastritis. Spanish researchers conducted studies among rats, and got the conclusions that olive oil possibly can reduce the risk to get colon cancer.
There are several types of olive oils which derive from the quality and grades of oil from the olive when it is extracted. The more cold (high temperatures can cause the oil get rancid) and preserved the oil is (virgin) the purer the taste and nutrients might be.
Would you take care of your health by adding some mediterranean flavor to your meals or do you still consider it as a traditional culinary ingredient?
