Benefits of olive oil
There are various essential ingredients in the world of foods. Some foods and ingredients are extremely healthy and beneficial to health, among which is olive oil. Olive oil is one of the best and healthy ingredients which have various health benefits. From heart to hair, all parts of the body can benefit from using olive oil. Also, not just for the perception of health but olive oil is beneficial from the beauty and aesthetic point also. Now, let us look at olive and olive oil and the benefits of olive oil.
Foods at today’s age
There is a saying that we must take food as medicine, and if we do not do that, we will have to take actual medicine for our body. This is the age of impurity and the age where people are always busy due to their jobs, career, and other things. Most people are not thinking straight about what they are eating? And should they be eating that? It is the bitter truth that most of the processed food that people consume on the daily basis is not good for their health.
The food, which is produced by industrial processing, which is made by the use of a huge amount of oil, should not be consumed in large amounts. As some foods and ingredients harm health some foods and ingredients benefit health. While the foods which are processed are bad for health, foods that are grown and are natural are good for health. The foods which are grown without the use of heavy chemicals, and which are prepared in the home are best. One needs to have deep care of what they are eating and after thinking this only choose to eat the things which elevate the quality of their health and not decrease it.
Olive
The botanical name of olive is Olea europaea. This plant originally belonged to the Mediterranean region but now is found in various parts of the world. It belongs to the family Oleaceae and is a small tree. The name of the plant is called an olive tree and the fruit which grows on this tree is called olive. The tree is very famous for its fruits that are used to make the famous olive oil which has various benefits as well as amazing uses.
Description of the olive tree
The olive tree is an evergreen tree that remains green all year round. The maximum height an average olive tree can grow is about 10 to 12m. Also, the height of the tree mainly depends upon the area of growth, nutrients absorbed, and the variety of the olive tree used. The leaves of plants are pointy and small and have a length of 5 to 10 cm with a diameter of 1 to 3 cm. The trunk of the plant is not like a woody tree but has a shrub-like twisty trunk. The plant produces white feathery flowers. The plant also bears fruit which is called olive. Fruit beared by the olive plant is a drupe and has a length of 1 to 2.5cm. The fruit is green and slowly turns purple when the fruit turns ripe.
Olive oil
Olive oil is the oil that is extracted from the drupe which the olive tree bears. Oil is used in cooking, adding flavors to dishes, and preparing salads and other dishes. Olive oils are also used in cosmetics and other aesthetic products. Also, the content of the oil is not equal and may differ and be dependent on various factors. Variety of the olive tree, altitude of the plantation, nutrition of the soil on which the plantation takes place are some of the factors that determine the quality and content of olive oil.
Olive oil extraction
Olive fruits store oil in the mesocarp cells and various processes can be used to separate the oils from the mesocarp cells. In ancient times various methods were used for the separation of oil but the modern method uses the principle of centrifugation to separate the oils. First, the olives are crushed and converted into a fine paste. Then by the use of an industrial decanter the oil is separated from the paste.
Benefits of olive oil
There are various benefits of olive oil from health to taste and to aesthetic and beauty. Let us discuss some of the benefits of olive oil:
Culinary use
Olive oil has been used to prepare food from a long ago. At first, it was used to prepare food in the Mediterranean region of which the plant was found in the past. However, in the past, the distribution of the plant in various parts of the world made it a common cooking oil in many parts of the world. Nowadays, people can get olive oil easily from the stores if they want to prepare food in it.
Generally, oils are used to cook food in extreme heat. Other oils are mainly used to fry the meat or fry the other foods. However, it is different with olive oil, it is mainly used to add flavor to cold foods and salads. It is not that it cannot be used to cook food in the heat people use for that too. However, most do not use it in the cooking and heating process because they believe heating destroys the real and authentic taste of the oil. It is popularly believed but there also may be some scientific evidence behind it.
Olive oil selection is also an art and job for the keen eyes. The oil has the reverse quality of alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic beverages are aged for many years for better quality and the flavors it gains with time, the older the wine and alcoholic beverages, the better the quality and the better the taste.
However, olive oil does not age well with time, the fresher the oil, the better the flavor and taste. That is why fresh olive oil is used for flavoring foods and making salads without cooking while old oils are used for cooking. It is said that the oil deteriorates after some time and becomes stale, losing its fresh taste and authentic flavor.
Assist in weight loss
Being overweight is a common problem for many people these days. This obesity is not caused by the overconsumption of nutritious food but is caused by the consumption of foods high in oils and low in nutrient content mostly. People want to lose weight and be in good shape, however, it is very hard to lose weight and be in shape when one has gained weight. It requires many sacrifices and dedication to lose weight. There are many allies like exercise, drinking more water, dieting, etc.
Among the many allies of weight loss, one powerful ally is olive oil. It is one of the few edibles which is high in calories and still helps to lose weight. Olive oils have monounsaturated fats present in them and according to research, it is very hard to gain weight by consuming them. That is why olive oil is the choice of the people who are on the way to losing some extra weight.
Improves the entire digestion process
Digestion is the complex process and the combination of various steps which extracts energy and necessary minerals from the food materials which we eat. Various crucial steps start from the mouth and move to another part. According to research and people who use olive oil in their daily life it promotes digestion and maintains the good condition of the stomach. Olive oil also aids in bowel movements and makes the process easy as bowel movements can be very hard and painful for people who are suffering from constipation.
Promote hair health and quality
Hair is a very important part of our body; it is not important as the internal organs of the body, but it plays a crucial role in the beauty and maintaining appearance. Appearance and beauty are important factors in attracting the opposite gender as well as other similar things. People who have good hair are also considered attractive. There are also some incidences where people have top depression and stress when they have hair loss.
Bottom line hair health is very important, and people need to take care of it genuinely. Some products diminish hair health instead of elevating it. Olive oil is one of the natural things that elevate hair health and promote growth. According to research, it has been found that olive oil is rich in vitamin E and similar nutrients which makes hair shiny and healthy.
Glow in the skin
Skin is the outermost covering of our body. Except in some regions skin covers all of the body from head to toe. It is also the largest sensory organ of our body. This large sensory organ also needs nourishment and care. Also, the condition of the body reflects on the skin. The skin of a healthy person glows and looks smooth while the skin of an unhealthy person looks unhealthy and dull with blemishes and spots.
Olive oil is a very great ingredient for the skin and people use it for various purposes. Both consumption and application directly in the skin are the ways to use olive oil to promote the health of the skin. When consumed it gives the body required nutrients like vitamin E while when applies it gives moisture to the skin and also repairs the damaged tissues and cells giving skin the natural glow and smoothness it had in the past.
Good for diabetes
Diabetes is a condition where the body is unable to produce insulin. The individuals who are suffering from this condition cannot consume food haphazardly, mainly they can consume foods that are rich in sugar and cholesterol. Olive oil is considered best for people who have diabetes.
Heart attack is one of the leading causes of death in people who are not even old yet. People who are obese and have passed the age of 40 have been found to have a higher chance of having a heart attack. Not just in one country but this is the problem in most of the countries in the world. Food habits and exercise routine are the major factors alongside genetics which results in the problems of the heart.
Olive oil is one of the healthy foods that are best for our hearts. Other oils, mainly the oil in restaurants and fast-food centers which are reused many times to fry foods, are very high in cholesterol and very bad for the heart.
The study has found that olive oil has 70% monosaturated fatty acid. It means that olive oil decreases the culmination of cholesterol in the blood vessel. If too much cholesterol is accumulated, it blocks the blood vessels. The blocked vessels are cause for heart attack and similar heart problems. Consumption of olive oil decreases the chance of heart problems.
Balanced blood pressure
Our heart pumps blood all over our bodies. There are different veins located in the various regions of the body. Blood travels within the body at a certain pressure and imbalanced pressure are the cause of many problems. There are two types of pressure in the veins, one is systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Pressure varies according to age as well as the size of the body of the individual but as age increases pressure increases.
In some cases, the blood vessels get partially blocked by cholesterol, increasing the pressure. Pressure is not a disease nor a condition, it is more of a way by which the body functions, and that function becomes harmful to the body itself due to various elements and conditions. Olive oil in daily diet helps to maintain blood pressure and keep it normal, which is a very good quality of the oil.
Reduces aging
Aging is the natural phenomenon that every human goes through whether they want or not. However, once someone pasts their prime aging does not become as fun as it was in their childhood. Slowly the body functions, as well as physical beauty, start to become less efficient. It is a process that cannot be stopped but is slowed if we play our part right. Good diet and good exercise are some of the factors that slow the process. Consumption of olive oil in daily diets also slows down the process of aging if you are past your prime.