Olive oil

“The fruit of the olive tree is the greatest good for all the healing of life”

Solon of Athens 640-560 BC.

Olives

With significant health and longevity benefits, olives and their products are valuable components of our daily diet. Since ancient times, their fruit was considered blessed, a symbol of knowledge, wisdom, abundance and health.

The ancient Greeks considered olives to be a symbol of goodness and kindness, and even today the olive branches are a symbol of peace. The olive tree has been cultivated for thousands of years and many of its products are used for their beneficial properties.

The nutritional value of the olive is important because it contains very few carbohydrates and is a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin C, minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and selenium.

Olives contain linoleic acid, which is beneficial for breastfeeding infants. Its deficiency is associated with certain skin diseases and growth problems in infants. The chlorine they contain can improve liver functions, helping the body to effectively eliminate waste from the body. The vitamins A, D, E and K contained in olives help the bone development of children and adults.

The characteristic taste and aroma of the olive come from the presence of polyphenols. Polyphenols are beneficial against cancer and also have important anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin E and other antioxidants contained in olives reduce the risk of cell damage.

Olive oil

Olive oil is a rich source of antioxidants, vitamin E, polyphenols and chlorophyll. It contains other important ingredients such as high levels of vitamin K, trace elements such as potassium and sodium, which are beneficial for the skin, and iron, which is good for the hair. The chlorophyll contained in olive oil, due to its increased antioxidants, makes olive oil more resistant to light, temperature and air than other oils.

In addition to being an antioxidant, olive oil’s monounsaturated fats have positive effects on cholesterol levels, reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol. The monounsaturated fats in olive oil are beneficial against the gene responsible for the development of breast cancer tumours.

Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties that have been shown to be beneficial in conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. The American Diabetes Association and the European Food Information Council recommend that diabetics include olive oil in their diets because its monounsaturated fats can help lower blood glucose levels.

Also hot flashes during menopause can be significantly reduced by the consumption of olive oil. Olive oil contains a natural chemical that can reduce pain.

Olive oil is beneficial for the scalp and hair and helps repair damaged hair follicles and provides moisture to the hair making it soft, silky and shiny. The application of olive oil is also suitable for the care of the feet. It makes the soles of the feet soft and the nails stronger.

Figs

Figs were one of the most valuable fruits in antiquity, especially in Attica, where Solon had forbidden their export on penalty of a fine, to be enjoyed exclusively by the citizens of Athens. This is how the word sycophant came about, from those who denounced those who stole or exported figs.

All figs, regardless of colour and quality, are more nutritious than all fruits. They quench thirst, wear away gallstones and increase sperm count.

The medicinal properties of figs have been known since the time of Hippocrates. Today we know that these nutritious fruits are beneficial for the liver, relieve cough, asthma and pharyngitis while being an excellent laxative and diuretic. Rich source of trace elements helps in good bowel function and constipation problems.

Its sugar and energy content is very high. This reason made the fig a staple of the diet of the ancient Lacedaemonians, because as a dried fruit it is easily preserved and transported.

Botany tells us that the fig is not a fruit, but a sheath that encloses thousands of hidden flowers that we call a seed.