Health and beauty
Olive oil, a precious ally for health and beauty
A long standing relationship dating back to the beginning of time
Olive oil has numerous beneficial properties for our health, as evidenced by numerous scientific researches.
A long standing relationship dating back to the beginning of time is the one between olive oil and beauty, if you think that already in Greek mythology Juno, consort of Jupiter, was passionate for olive oil, the same gold-colored substance, used as true weapon of seduction.
- extra virgin olive oil is at the center of the Mediterranean diet, where life expectancy is higher thanks to the quality of food: in countries with the highest consumption of extra virgin olive oil, such as Italy and Greece, people live longer thanks to the presence of particular antioxidant substances, which are phenols (including hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein), carotenoids and tocopherols (including vitamin E or α-tocopherol);
- it is the condiment with the best balance of fats and is a concentrate of vitamins and minerals that make the diet optimal;
- it is a highly digestible food and helps the well-being of the stomach and intestines thanks to its mildly laxative properties;
- it is a natural source of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that protects our cell membranes from aging processes, thus representing a formidable agent against skin aging;
- contains squalene which is an effective substance against skin cancers;
- contains a protein called ApoA-IV, the purpose of which is to regulate platelets, the cells that serve to prevent bleeding, but which if they have excessive aggregation can lead to diseases such as thrombosis or even heart attack;
- it is good for the heart and cardiovascular health because it is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and reduces the risk of thrombosis, stroke, heart attack, neoplasms;
- fights diabetes by reducing blood sugar spikes after meals;
- it is analgesic and anti-inflammatory as it contains a molecule, called oleocanthal, which seems to have the same effect on our body as ibuprofen;
- contains hydroxytyrosol which inhibits platelet aggregation and has anti-inflammatory properties;
- possesses oleuropein which promotes the formation of nitric acid which in turn acts as a vasodilator and antibacterial;
- keeps cholesterol under control as it contains the antioxidant DHPEA-EDA which, compared to other phenols present in different oils, is one of the most effective even at low doses in counteracting the oxidative stress of free radicals and LDL cholesterol on red blood cells;
- its substances play a beneficial role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis;
- has various cosmetic properties such as anti-frizz on hair: packs of pure olive oil or in addition to other oils release the antioxidant, emollient and nourishing components that are absorbed by our body and circulated, giving benefits to the whole body.
The information shown is not medical advice and may not be accurate. The contents are for illustrative purposes only and do not replace medical advice.
