Olive Olea europea


Olea europea
  • Common Names
  • Olive Oil , Olive Leaf
  • Botanical Name
  • Olea europea
  • Family
  • OLEACEAE
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Medicinal Uses & Benefits of Olive Oil

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How to Use: Olive


Olive Herbal Oil Olive oil is very stable in comparison with many other nut and vegetable oils and is often used to make medicinal herbal oils and salves that need to be stored for long periods. Comfrey, arnica, garlic are along the many medicinal herbs that are infused in olive oil. Olive is more than just a stable base for making herbal oil infusions, it has analgesic and antibacterial properties as well. Olive oil lends itself well to many skin care applications.

“Externally, it relieves pruritus,(itching), the effects of stings or burns, and is a good vehicle for liniments. With alcohol it is a good hair-tonic. Delicate babies absorb its nourishing properties well through the skin”. (Grieve, Maud)
Studies have shown olive oil helps to releive aches and pain when massaged into sore mucles and tender joints. 1616

Heart Healthy The heart healthy benefits of monounsaturated oils like olive are the abundantly clear choice for healthy eating. Scientific evidence suggests that eating about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease according to the FDA, in one of there rare edorsments of health claims for food. 1127 Olive oil consumption may dramatically reduce stroke risk for older adults, according to a recent population-based study in France.1619

Olive Diet BenefitsThe Mediterranean diet consists of a high intake of plant-based foods and fish while restricting dairy products and meat. Olive oil is the main culinary fat used while saturated fats are kept to a bare minimum. Regular but moderate intake of red wine Vitis vinifera with meals is also encouraged in this diet regime. A recently published trial evaluated the effect of MedDiets versus a low-fat diet on cognitive function and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. The results suggest that the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cerebrovascular protective effects of the Mediterranean diet may have a beneficial impact on cognition and memory. 1712

Healthy culinary herbs add tasty benefits when infused in olive oil. Rosemary, thyme, marjoram and tarragon and many others make delicous culinary oil infusions.

Preparation Methods & Dosage :Virgin Olive oil is used for healthy cooking, and makes a great base for herbal infused oils for the kitchen, and medicine chest. You can infuse olive oil with rosemary, garlic, thyme, and other herbs for a variety of flavors to complement any dish. Olive leaf is used as an extract and the dried leaves can be taken as a tea.

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Olive Remedies

In the Kitchen:

Olive oil for heart healthy foods is a monounsaturated oil that is widely used in healthy cooking, and as a salad dressing. Even the extremely conservative FDA allows suppliers of virgin olive oil to carry heart health claims on there consumer packaging. Some care must be taken to not expose virgin olive oil to high heat when cooking, as this can cause heat damage that break down the oil. Some in the health food community caution overheating causes olive oil to have harmful side effects.

Olive Side Effects: None noted

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Plant Description


The Olive is an evergreen tree or shrub native to the Mediterranean, Asia and parts of Africa. It is short and squat, and the trunk is typically gnarled and twisted, the silvery green leaves are oblong in shape, and the flowers small and white. Olives are harvested at the green stage or left to ripen to a rich purple color(black olive). Canned black olives may contain chemicals that turn them black artificially.


History and Traditions & Folklore

The high position held by the Olive tree in ancient as in modern days may be realized when it is remembered that Moses exempted from military service men who would work at its cultivation.
In Scriptural and classical writings the oil is mentioned as a symbol of goodness and purity, and the tree as representing peace and happiness. The oil, in addition to its wide use in diet, was burnt in the sacred lamps of temples, while the victor in the Olympic games was crowned with its leaves
References:
books citedWorks Cited
  1. FDA . Monounsaturated Fatty Acids From Olive Oil and Coronary Heart Disease
  2. PMID: 21318304 . The Antioxidant and Anti-proliferative Activity of the Lebanese Olea europaea Extract. , PUB MED:
  3. PMID: 20106659 . Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of individual and combined phenolics in Olea europaea leaf extract. , PUB MED, (2010):
  4. Martnez-Lapiscina EH, Clavero P, Toledo E, et al. V . Mediterranean Diet with Added Extra Virgin Olive Oil Improves Cognitive Function , ABC Herbclips/ J Nutr Health Aging. 2013;17(6):544-552., (12-13-2013):
  5. PMID: 18844257 . Antidiabetic effect of Olea europaea L. in normal and diabetic rats , PUB MED, (2009):
  6. Rachel Murphy . Extra-virgin olive oil has similar activity to ibuprofen , Nature | doi:10.1038/ncprheum0023, (December 2005)):
  7. Dr. Cecilia Samieri . Olive oil consumption, plasma oleic acid, and stroke incidence , http://www.neurology.org, (June 15, 2011): ,