Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a wide range of therapeutic properties which are beneficial to health. These include:

• Cardiovascular Health

• Reducing Inflammation

• Weight Control

• Anti-Aging

These properties have to do with these active constituents found in Extra Virgin Olive Oil:

• Mono-unsaturated fatty acids (i.e. Oleic Acid)

• Natural Antioxidants

• Phenolic Compounds (I.e. Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, derivatives of oleuropein)

• A-tocopherols (Vitamin E)

• Squalene

• Oleocanthal

 

Cardiovascular Health
EVOO does not contain trans fats.  Trans fats are unsaturated fat with adverse health benefits.  They increase LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and decrease HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and are strongly associated with coronary heart disease. 
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*All refined oils contain trans fat in different amounts. The World Health Organization has concluded that there is no safe level of consumption of trans fat and recommends that consumption should be “as low as possible.” 
 

Oleic Acid
Oleic Acid (mono-unsaturated fatty acid) supports cardiovascular health by:

• reducing the risk of developing stiff or blocked arteries

• reducing LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol

• helping people with type 2 diabetes by reducing blood levels of glucose and thereby reducing the amount of insulin needed.  

 

Many researchers showed an inverse association between EVOO consumption and coronary heart disease and stroke.  The recommendation is 25-40g of EVOO per day. 
 
Antioxidant Compounds 
Antioxidant Compounds (polyphenols, tocopherols, and squalene) support cardiovascular health by:

• Promoting potent antioxidant activity (eliminating free radicals)

• Increasing the amount of good cholesterol (HDL) in the body, and reducing the amount of bad cholesterol (LDL)

• Reducing blood pressure

• Squalene is a major intermediate in the biosynthesis of sterols, including cholesterol, steroids hormones, and Vitamin D.

 

Phenolic Compounds
Phenolic Compounds are considered to be the most bioactive substances in EVOO, offering excellent nutritional properties, cell regeneration and protection. These bioactive compounds  promote beneficial effects against many human pathologies, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and age-related illnesses.  There have been found 17 different phenolic compounds in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  The concentration of total polyphenols found in EVOO varies between 50-1000 mg/kg and depends on a variety of factors, including:

• growing conditions

• olive cultivars

• production method

• storage conditions.   

 

Tocopherols
Alpha-tocopherol is the form of vitamin E that is preferentially absorbed and accumulated in humans. Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) for adults of vitamin E is 10 mg/ day.  Vitamin E deficiency causes neurological problems due to poor nerve conduction.  Deficiency can also cause anemia, due to oxidative damage to red blood cells.  In EVOO, the main tocopherol is alpha (~90% of the total), with very low amount
of beta, gamma, and delta. The concentration of natural A-tocopherols in EVOO varies between 150-300 mg/kg.
 
Squalene
Squalene, an isoprenoid compound structurally similar to betacarotene. It is transported in serum generally in association with LDL and is distributed in human tissues, with the greatest concentration in the skin, where it is one of the major components of skin surface lipids.  Squalene can reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels and is a mega-hydrator that acts as a barrier to keep moisture locked in so skin is soft, supple and plump longer. Olive oil is considered one of the richest renewable sources of squalene. Extra Virgin Olive Oil contains squalene in the amount of about 2000/6500 mg/kg.

 

Oleocanthal
Oleocanthal is a tyrosol ester, and its chemical structure is related to oleuropein. It is a natural non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compound found in quantities ranging from 1 to 500mg/kg in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Olive oil is the only cooking oil which contains oleocanthal.  It is responsible for the burning sensation at the back of the throat when consuming EVOO.  
 
Reducing Inflammation

Oleocanthal has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.  Similar to classical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, non-selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (COX), it has a similar mode of action to ibuprofen.  Oleocanthal has been recently linked to reduced risk of Alzheimer's Disease because it can reduce the accumulation of B-amyloid proteins involved in this disease.  It also has been demonstrated that oleocanthal shows potential as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of inflammatory degenerative joint diseases.

 

Weight Control
Evidence shows that people who consume a Mediterranean style diet, where EVOO is the main source of fat, usually have a lower body mass index (BMI) and are able to maintain it for longer.  EVOO also naturally helps you feel more satisfied/ full after meals, which helps with the amount of food you eat and helps you to manage weight more effectively. This is associated to the bio-active compound OEA (Oleoiletanolamide-- a derivative of oleic acid), which has been shown to increase satiety.  It is proposed that when OEA accumulates in the small intestine, it regulates appetite control, through a vagal nerve mediated pathway.  
 
Anti-Aging
The free radical theory proposes that aging is caused by both normal metabolic processes and oxidative stress.  Free radicals are oxidizing agents which cause damage to cells, particularly affecting the lipid components of the cell membrane, altering membrane fluidity and resulting in subsequent cell aging.  This oxidative damage to cells can be prevented by antioxidant substances from diet sources, which have the ability to deactivate free radicals through a process of donating protons.  Natural antioxidants which are found in high levels in Premium EVOO, play a role in protecting lipid membranes from oxidative damage. EVOO, which contains: 

• at least 5 mg of polyphenols per 20g of oil, have been shown to significantly reduce the levels of oxidized LDL in the plasma, which may delay atherosclerosis.

• tocopherols (predominantly A-tocopherol or Vitamin E), reduce the risk of atherosclerosis via: 

  • prevention of lipoprotein oxidation

  • reduction of free radical production.

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All of our Extra Virgin Olive Oils are tested for purity, and their health indexes are listed on each fusti tag for customers to review.