OLIVE OIL in TIME

The qualities of olive oil have been known since ancient times: Homer called it 'the liquid gold'.

 

Its medicinal properties were known to the peoples of Asia Minor and ancient Greece, so much so that its cultivation spread throughout southern Europe, and became a staple of the Mediterranean diet.

 

Extra virgin olive oil is rich of monounsaturated fats (oleic acid), and polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties, linked to healthier eating and living.

 

Already used by Romans as skin lotion, extra virgin olive oil has been proven to prevent, among others, cardiovascular conditions and some forms of cancer, as well as strenghten bone tissue, and improve memory and learning abilities. Recent studies have even revealed that extra virgin olive oil has aphrodisiac properties!