When we talk about the Mediterranean diet it is impossible not to talk about olive oil and vice versa.
Extra virgin olive oil is one of its essential components, and although its valuable contribution to health has only been scientifically recognised in the last few decades, olives have been grown and oil has been extracted from them for more than 6,000 years. Ancient civilizations – such as the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Romans – used it not only for its culinary qualities but also for its medicinal properties, which they knew empirically.
Currently in Spain, more than 260 native olive varieties are grown, and the country remains, as in ancient times, the world’s leading producer of olive oil.
In 2010, the Mediterranean diet received recognition from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), for being an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. This recognition extends to all the benefits of EVOO, which numerous scientific studies across the world continue to confirm. Many of the benefits of the Mediterranean diet are directly related to the consumption of polyphenols and other natural antioxidants, mainly found in virgin olive oil and also in red wine.
Did you know that olive oil is beneficial in preventing the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer, and many gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal and heart diseases?
In addition to all this, it has other beneficial health properties:
- It relieves earache
- It reduces snoring
- It conditions the hair
- It can relieve depressive states
EVOO can indeed be used for cooking but it is also advisable to consume it in its raw form, such as on a salad, so that it retains all of its properties.
As for the Mediterranean diet, it can actually be considered a lifestyle since it is most beneficial when combined with moderate physical activity and other practices that avoid emotional stress. This nutritional model owes its name to Professor Ancel Keys, who conducted the first epidemiological study on dietary fats and cardiovascular disease, known as the Seven Countries Study, in the 1950s.
Another trait of the Mediterranean diet is that it is possible to eat almost any type of food, always respecting the quantity and also consuming foods in moderation, as established in the food pyramid.
