Olive Oil
in Antiquity

Since ancient times, the Greeks understood the beneficial properties of olive oil for their health. The father of medicine, Hippocrates, as well as the greatest physicians of the time, such as Galen, Dioscorides and Diocles, firmly believed in the beneficial effects of olive oil for good health and recommended it be taken on a daily basis as a cure for several diseases.

The Hippocratic Corpus contains over sixty medicinal uses of olive oil, with its main uses being to combat skin diseases and as a contraceptive. In his book ‘Diet and Therapeutics’, Hippocrates writes about olive oil: ‘Exercises with dust and exercises with oil differ in that the dust is cold, the oil is hot. In winter, the oil is more conducive to growth because it prevents the cold from leaving the body. In summer, the oil melts the flesh, as it heats up due to the season … Rubbing with oil and water softens the body and prevents it from overheating.’

Hippocrates mentions other uses of olive oil, for example, as an antidote in cases of mild poisoning, in the treatment of chronic fevers, small wounds, ulcers, abscesses and inflamed gums, and also for maintaining the whiteness of teeth.

In ancient medicine, olive oil from wild olive trees was the preferred choice. This is a rare olive oil because the oil from the first compression (omphakinon), known nowadays as ‘unripe olive oil’, is produced with gentle crushing of the olive and without the use of hot water. According to Pliny, this oil is obtained by either compressing the olive when it is still white and unripe, or when the olive has begun to change colour without having matured. The first oil is white, while the second is green. It is beneficial for the gums and effective for maintaining the whiteness of teeth.

In ancient times, an infusion of olive leaves and flowers was used to heal stomach ulcers and used as eye drops to cool sore eyes.

Olive Oil
in Modern Medicine

Modern medicine recommends the widespread dietary use of olive oil, as its valuable properties promote health, wellness and longevity. Numerous scientific studies have shown that olive oil is a beneficial ingredient and a very powerful defence against chronic diseases.

Consumption of olive oil helps maintain the health of the body as a whole. It assists the smooth functioning of the cardiovascular system, reducing ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) and maintaining ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) in the blood. Due to its powerful antioxidants, it helps to prevent cardiovascular disease and protect the body from coronary heart disease.

The benefits extend to the gastrointestinal system, as olive oil facilitates digestion and contributes to the proper functioning of the intestines and to the reduction of gastric fluid.

Scientific studies reveal that olive oil protects against certain malignant tumours of the breast, prostate, endometrium, colon, digestive system, etc. It also has a beneficial effect on the skin, reduces the risk of melanoma, protects against childhood leukaemia and acts as an inhibitor to the formation of cancer cells.

The use of olive oil as a main source of fat could significantly reduce the incidence of cancer as it is rich in the vitamins and antioxidants that the body needs to fight free radicals.