HONORS SEMINAR- SPRING 2011

Therapeutic Benefits of Olive Oil

Everything You Would Like to Know About Olive Oil

Ali Sefik Yur

5/9/2011

Olive oil is the only oil with ancient roots starting in 5000 B.C. This “great therapeutic” oil is

being consumed in millions of kitchens every day. This project examines the benefits of olive oil

in human health and how consuming it may increase ones average life span. The project

identifies the effect of olive oil on the reduction of coronary heart disease, cholesterol regulation,

blood pressure, cancer risk and antioxidant contribution on the body by analyzing multiple

studies done about olive oil effect on human health. In these studies, groups of olive oil

consumers and a different variety of oil consumers participated. Research has shown that the

blood pressure of non-Mediterranean countries’ men, where olive oil is rarely used, was

significantly higher than men from Mediterranean countries. Also, a study has shown that

women who consume a small amount of olive oil each day have a lower risk of having certain

diseases compared to non-consumer women. Overall, the project attempts to prove that

consuming olive oil in a daily basis will eventually improve a person’s health condition by

reducing the risk of multiple cardiovascular and cholesterol related diseases.

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Table of Contents

Introduction (3)

PART-1 ESSENTIAL INFORMATION ABOUT OLIVE OIL (4)

Description of Olive Oil and Olive Tree (4)

The Origin of Olive Oil and Its Place in History (5)

Olive Oil Production: Olive Oil Extraction (6)

The Traditional Method: The Olive Press (6)

The Modern Method: Decanter Centrifugation (6)

The Sinolea Method (Cold Dripping) (7)

PART-2 THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF OLIVE OIL (8)

The Cause of Cardiovascular Heart Disease and Olive Oil’s Effect on a

Person’s Heart (8)

Cardiovascular Heart Disease and Its Place on the Body (8)

Olive Oil and Cardiovascular Heart Disease (9)

Olive Oil’s Effect on Cholesterol Level (12)

The Definition of Cholesterol and Its Importance on the Body (12)

Olive Oil and Cholesterol (13)

Olive Oil and Blood Pressure (14)

The Definition of Blood Pressure and Its Effect on the Body (14)

Olive Oil and Blood Pressure (14)

Olive Oil’s Effect on Skin & Cancer (16)

Olive Oil and Its Effect on Skin (Aging) (16)

Olive Oil and Its Effect on Cancer (18)

PART-3 OLIVE OIL IN OUR LIVES (20)

Country’s Olive Oil Consumption in the 21st Century (20)

Types of Olive Oils (23)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (23)

Virgin Olive Oil (24)

Refinery Olive Oil (24)

Pure Olive Oil (24)

Conclusion (25)

BIBLIOGRAPHY (26)

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Introduction

Many countries’ people have health problems due to cardiovascular heart disease, high

cholesterol and blood pressure levels. And thousands of people lose their lives due to various

cancers every year. When the death rates of various nations’ population were compared,

attention was drawn to three special countries: Greece, Italy and Spain. People in these countries

live longer and healthier than most of the other people in nations. So what is so special about

these people? What do they do? What do they eat? How do they have such a long life span

(average 80+ years) without ever seeing a doctor (Public Health Nutrition)?

The benefits of olive oil are well known by many people thanks to hundreds of scientific

studies. While people have been getting to know olive oil for a long time, perhaps humans were

not the first ones that admired it. One tale tells us that the Greek father of western medicine,

Hippocrates, called olive oil “the great therapeutic” (Oliveology). This may or may not be valid,

but this statement is interesting enough to deserve to be chosen as the title of this project.

This project intends to provide essential information about olive oil consumption and its

effect on several vital diseases such as cardiovascular heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood

pressure, and cancer. While the project tries to outline the up-to-date studies that have been done,

the studies draw conclusions on olive oil consumption and the related diseases. The project also

provides insight from the country’s best doctors on what they thought about olive oil.

In addition, this project examines olive oil popularity in our lives. The project compares

multiple countries’ olive oil consumption to countries such as Greece, Italy, and Spain. While

doing this, the project pinpoints that healthy life in countries that consume significantly high

amount of olive oil is not a coincidence.

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PART-1 ESSENTIAL INFORMATION ABOUT OLIVE OIL

Description of Olive Oil and Olive Tree

An olive tree (family “Oleacae”) is the source for olive oil. The olive tree belongs to the

Mediterranean region and is separated into two major categories: “Sylvestris” and “Macrocapra”

which are known as the wild and domesticated olive tree. The wild and domesticated olive tree

show great physical characteristics and that cannot be distinguished by “applying botanical

knowledge.” However, the wild and domesticated olive tree can be separated whether there are

cultivated or wild crops (Olive Oil and Health).

The domesticated olive tree has “greater size, thicker trunk, and rounded canopy”

compared to the wild olive tree. The Greek “Theophrastus” (a Greek native of Eresos in Lesbos)

“used these properties to separate domesticated olive from the wild one” (Olive Oil and Health).

The Wild Olive Branches of Wild Olive Tree

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Domestic Olive Domestic Olive Tree

The Origin of Olive Oil and Its Place in History

The homeland of olive oil includes countries such as Iran, Syria, and Palestine where

olives were first seen around 5,000 years ago. However, olive trees were first grown on a Greek

island, “Crete,” around 3,000 B.C and spread to Egypt and Rome around 2,000 B.C.

The oldest olive tree on Earth is believed to between 3,000 to 5,000 years old. It is located in

Crete, a Greek Island. The tree still produces olives.

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In addition, olive oil was used by the founder of Islam, Muhammad, and in different Christian

church ceremonies. Olive oil was so popular in churches that it was used to “anoint the early

kings and the winning athletes of the Greeks” (Olive Oil Source).

Olive Oil Production: Olive Oil Extraction

Olive oil quality mainly depends on its production. The Olive Press, Decanter

Centrifugation, and Cold Dripping are different types of production methods. They differ in

whether there is applied temperature and/or pressure to olives or not.

The Traditional Method: The Olive Press

In this method, an olive is pressed by a disk or hammer and olive paste is separated into

liquid oil. Olive Oil Press takes a lot of effort, thus high quality extra virgin olive oils are

produced by using this method. This extraction method ensures that olives are well ground, given

enough time for olive drops to combine and allowed enzymes to produce aromas for the taste of

the olive oil.

However, a contamination may occur if the disks or hammers are not sterilized enough

after each use. Overall, this method is the most natural method since the olives are not exposed

to high temperature and/or pressure. While this method is very old, it has been widely used in

many villages in Greece and Western Turkey (Olive Oil Emporium).

The Modern Method: Decanter Centrifugation

This method is more professional than the traditional method where higher olive oil

production is possible. In this method, the olive paste is separated from the olive oil by high

spinning speed of the centrifuge machine where the olive oil droplets combine at the bottom of

the machine. The paste stays on a higher level than the olive oil and can later be easily dumped .

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Many of the olive oils that we consume today are manufactured by using the modern method.

Decanter Centrifugation is named “unnatural production.” This is because olive oil loses its

beneficiary ingredients and vitamins when it exposed to high temperature and pressure (Olive

Oil Emporium).

Disk Stone- The Traditional Method Disk Stone Crushing Olives

The Sinolea Method (Cold Dripping)

In terms of quality and originality of production, the Sinolea method comes right after the

traditional method. In this method, there is no applied high pressure or temperature. Instead, this

method uses “cold pressing” technique where stainless steel combs are dipped into the olive

paste. The oil lets it stay in a separate container for a while after it is separated from the olive

paste. By letting it stay, the original flavor of olive oil enhances and reaches its maximum taste.

Consumers should expect a high quality of olive oils if they purchase ones that are manufactured

by the application of the cold dripping method. Overall, this method offers more “polyphone

content” (vitamins & minerals), low acidity and higher quality olive oil than oil that is produced

by Decanter Centrifugation (Olive Oil Emporium).

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Overall, each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Villagers who are looking to

continue the traditional way use the olive oil press, whereas companies that sell thousands of

tons of olive oil use the Sinolea method. Knowing these three methods are essential since they

give an idea to the consumer about the quality of the oil that each method presents.

PART-2 THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF OLIVE OIL

This project gives an insight to both olive oil consumers and non olive oil consumers.

The project aims to inform consumers that olive oil is not only a regular healthy ingredient, but

also a lifesaving liquid. In order to show olive oil’s health benefits, multiple studies on olive oil

consumption and the related diseases (cardiovascular heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood

pressure and cancer) were analyzed. The quality of these studies were evaluated based on such

criteria: completion rate of the study, considered equal numbers of male and female participants

during the analysis of the disease and consumption of olive oil, same aged healthy men and

women and the time spent to finalize the study. Olive oil’s effect was observed by comparing

among different types of olive oils (such as low, medium and high fat content of olive oil) and

mostly to other oils, and ingredients.

The Cause of Cardiovascular Heart Disease and Olive Oil’s Effect on a

Person’s Heart

Cardiovascular Heart Disease and Its Place on the Body

Cardiovascular Heart Disease (CHD) includes many different types of illness such as a

heart attack, heart failure, “Arrhythmia” and stroke. This project focuses on heart attack and its

importance, and how olive oil consumption affects heart attack prevention.

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According to the American Heart Association’s 2010 statistics, 502,189 Americans lost

their lives due to CHD. In addition, 13.2 million Americans suffered heart attacks and many

related diseases (American Health Association).

CHD is mainly due to genetic factors and sometimes “environmental influences.” A

disease called Atherosclerosis (blood coagulation) is the main cause for heart attack and stroke

where the blood vessel is blocked after certain period of time. Atherosclerosis creates “fatty

streaks” in person’s blood vessel where if it gets too thick or wide, the blood circulation is

partially stopped through the person’s vein. Ultimately, this situation causes heart attacks. Not

surprisingly, the Atherosclerosis has much lower rates in the Mediterranean region and three

special countries (Greece, Italy and Spain) compared to countries all around the world. As a

result, this brings a question: whether high olive oil consumption in Middle East and these three

countries could lead to this result (Western Journal of Medicine).

This photograph, which was taken from the St. James's University Hospital, shows the “fatty

streak” in person’s blood vessel.

Olive Oil and Cardiovascular Heart Disease

In order for a person to lower his risk of having CHD, the treatment of Atherosclerosis is

essential. In order to do so, the first goal is to improve a person’s diet. Thus, the person has to

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maintain a diet that prevents fatty streaks in his/her blood vessels. One effective way to do this is

to substitute saturated fats with non saturated fats in a diet. Virgin olive oil, for instance, is a rich

source of monounsaturated fat (Live Strong).

Research done by scientists Annette Pedersen, Manfred W. Baumstark, and Peter

Marckmann at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg Denmark

identified the relationship between olive oil consumption and blood coagulation. Scientists

concluded that even consuming a little bit of olive oil (about three tablespoons a day) for a

certain period of time can decrease the fatty streak in person’s blood vessel. In this research, the

scientists compared the effects of virgin olive, vegetable (canola) and sunflower oil on

established fatty streak in blood vessel where 18 healthy young men and women consumed these

oils for a month. At the end of a month, scientists measured the fatty streak tissue factor of the

volunteers and analyzed between 10 to 20 % decrease on fatty streak of volunteers who

consumed virgin olive oil compared to volunteers’ who consumed canola and/or sunflower oil.

With 100 % completion rate, this study shows that olive oil consumption can significantly

decrease the “fatty streak” in the blood vessel where scientists believe low fatty streak may

ultimately lead to low risk of CHD (Journals of Lipid Research).

In addition, many scientists and medical doctors have started to express the potential

benefits of olive oil. In fact, they announce their opinions about olive oil whenever they get a

chance. For instance, Greek Interventional Cardiologist Antonis Pothomulakis states:

While we can do nothing to counteract our heredity or our age, we can do a

lot to stop the other two “killers”: smoking and metabolic syndrome.

Whereas olive oil (and the other features of the so called “Mediterranean

diet” or “Mediterranean lifestyle”) is strongly connected with the health of

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our metabolism it has no smoking cessation properties, to my knowledge

(Olive Oil Times).

In addition, Mehmet Oz, M.D. mentions the benefits of olive oil on a human heart in his

book, You Staying Young. Oz states, “The “extra virgin” kind contains lots of healthy

phytonutrients [vitamins and other healthy ingredients] as well as monounsaturated fats, which

help raise your good HDL cholesterol. Aim for 25 percent of your diet to come from healthy fats

like those found in olive oil. That will reduce your real age by more than six years.”

This study proved that olive oil is better than other oils (such as sunflower and canola

oil) when it comes to decreased fatty streak in a blood vessel. These results are not surprising

because olive oil consumption in the Middle East vindicates what scientists state. For instance, in

2010, the Middle East had a heart attack mortality rate of 4% (World Heart Federation). This is

the lowest rate compared to all the other regions in the world. A Greek island, “Icaria,” is another

This chart shows the different types of ingredients and

their effect on CHD prevention (positive or negative-

Olive Oil Increases CHD Prevention)

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perfect example of high olive oil consumption and low level of CHD. In this island, people have

50% lower rates of heart diseases where every one out of three people make it to their 90s

compared to the Greeks. And most Icarians have never even visited a doctor during their

lifetimes. While these people may have less life stress compared to one working American, their

long life span cannot only be the result of how they live, but what they eat as well (Real

Balance).

Olive Oil’s Effect on Cholesterol Level

The Definition of Cholesterol and Its Importance on the Body

The word “Cholesterol” is always heard in hospitals, TV ads and the health section of the

newspapers. In fact, this terminology is a part of our life since it has a direct effect on our health.

“Cholesterol is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes.” In the human

body, there are two types of cholesterol: good (HDL=high density lipoprotein) and bad

(LDL=low density lipoprotein) cholesterol. Cholesterol comes from our body and food. The liver

and other organelles make 75 percent of cholesterol, where the rest comes from the foods we

consume. Among all the edible products, only animal products contain cholesterol. The risk of

having CHD may increase when a high level of bad cholesterol circulates in a person’s blood

vessels. Good cholesterol, on the other hand, helps to keep the bad one from “being lodged into

our artery walls” (American Heart Association). In sum, in order to live healthily, the person

should take the initiative and maintain his/her cholesterol at a desired level.

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Olive Oil and Cholesterol

Because olive oil is a richer source of monounsaturated fat than all the other types of oils,

it fights high cholesterol by reducing a person’s bad cholesterol (Live Strong).

Research done by scientists at the EUROLIVE Study Group identified the relationship

between consumption of different contents of olive oils and bad cholesterol levels. 200 male and

female volunteers were asked to consume very low, medium and high fat content olive oil (2.7,

164 and 366 mg/kg). Participants continued consuming olive oil for a total of five weeks. When

scientists measured participants’ bad cholesterol, they analyzed the greatest decrease of bad

cholesterol with the consumption of high fat content of olive oil. In addition, the lowest decrease

of bad cholesterol was with the consumption of low content of olive oil. Overall, it is concluded

that consuming low content olive oil will not significantly reduce a person’s bad cholesterol.

However, the person can make the highest contribution to fight against cholesterol by consuming

the highest content of olive oil (Annals of Internal Medicine).

Change in Cholesterol Level by Consuming Low, Medium and High Fat Content Olive Oil

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Cholesterol not only affects middle-aged men and women, but also the teenagers. Teens

cannot be unwary of eating eggs three times a week, consuming fries, hot dogs or other types of

junk food. A 14 year old teen can easily have high cholesterol in his/her body where it may lead

to further complications in his/her later 30s and 40s. Therefore, high cholesterol should be

treated as a serious health threat. In sum, families should prepare meals that contain low bad

cholesterol by minimizing the saturated fat consumption.

Olive Oil and Blood Pressure

The Definition of Blood Pressure and Its Effect on the Body

“Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood

vessels” (Health and Life). Each heart beat creates a minimum and maximum pressure inside

veins. Blood pressure’s effect on human health is vital and gradual and changes in it should be

taken seriously. High blood pressure (Hypertension) is a disease that can be fatal. Moreover,

high blood pressure can lead to CHD, stroke and other complications in a person’s body. While

high blood pressure may be inherited, a high amount of alcohol, tobacco, salt and dairy product

consumptions are the main causes of high blood pressure. Today, many people are unaware of

hypertension as a cause of sudden deaths. Ultimately, hypertension is mainly due to maintaining

an unhealthy diet with high content of saturated fats. One of the easiest ways for a person to

prevent hypertension is to eat a healthy diet.

Olive Oil and Blood Pressure

What makes olive oil special in the treatment of high blood pressure is its

monounsaturated fat component. This component reduces bad cholesterol and ultimately high

blood pressure. For example, people who often consume fast food that is cooked with vegetable

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oil (saturated fat) have a higher blood pressure and heart attack risk than people who consume

salad with an olive oil (monounsaturated fat) (World Health Organization). Research done by

scientists at PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) Study Investigators identified the

relationship between olive oil consumption and decreased blood pressure. 772 male and female

volunteers aged from 55 to 80 had blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg. Half the

participants were asked to consume a low-fat diet, and the other half were asked to consume a

Mediterranean diet with olive oil. At the end of three months, participants who consumed the

low fat diet had a decreased blood pressure of 0.64 mm-Hg, whereas the group that consumed

Mediterranean diet had a decreased blood pressure of 4.8 mm-Hg (Annals of Internal Medicine).

With a 99.6 % completion rate, this study shows that food consumption with olive oil can

decrease blood pressure almost five times as much as a low fat diet can. Overall, olive oil

consumption should be considered since it is the key ingredient to fight against high cholesterol

and blood pressure.

Blood Pressure and Consumption of Mediterranean Diet and Low Fat Diet

(Consumption of Mediterranean Diet with Olive Oil decreases Blood Pressure)

Even though multiple studies have shown the relationship between blood pressure and

olive oil, one has to consider that blood pressure cannot be decreased solely by olive oil

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consumption. If a person smokes and consumes a high amount of alcohol, a healthy diet in

his/her life would be a minor contribution since tobacco and alcohol are the predominant factors

on the change of blood pressure. On the other hand, consuming a very high amount of olive oil

(10 tablespoons a day, instead of three or four) can cause a person to put on weight. One

tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil has about 120 calories (Fit Day). Like any other nutrients,

person should not exceed the suggested amount of olive oil consumption.

Olive Oil’s Effect on Skin & Cancer

Olive Oil and Its Effect on Skin (Aging)

A change of appearance on human skin, such as aging is caused by an organelle called

“Mitochondrion.” Mitochondrion contains many different proteins and tissues. As the person

gets older, tissues’ enzymatic activity decreases. As the enzymatic activity decreases, it creates

an imbalance between the production of skin molecules. These abnormal activities become more

obvious on a person’s skin as he/she gets older (The Linus Pauling Institute).

The monounsaturated fatty acid in olive oil affects the production efficiency of

Mitochondria and lowers the oxidative stress (aging related stress). Overall, monounsaturated fat

makes the molecules grow at a slower rate (U.S National Library of Medicine).

Dr. Jose L. Quiles, a scientist at the University of Granada Spain did an experiment on

rats to identify the relationship between aging and consumption of monounsaturated fat. Dr.

Quiles separated two groups of 20 rats and fed them with olive and sunflower oil for a month. At

the end of rats’ lifetime, Dr Quiles found monounsaturated fat in the mitochondria of rats that

consumed olive oil. On the other hand, he found unhealthy fat called “Polyunsaturated Fatty

Acid” in the mitochondria of rats that consumed sunflower oil. Dr Quiles tested the function of

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mitochondria of two rats and identified “a lack of regeneration of liver cells” in mitochondria of

rats that were fed with sunflower oil. However, he did not observe any “abnormal activity” in

mitochondria of rats that were fed with olive oil. This study shows that in animals, olive oil

consumption leads to better cell function in Mitochondria (Basic Nutritional Investigation).

In addition, Dr. Quiles ran a different experiment to confirm his observations from the

first one. He fed two groups of Wistar rats with virgin olive oil and sunflower oil for two years.

At the end of the experiment, he analyzed lower aging related stress in mitochondria of rats that

were fed with olive oil than mitochondria of rats that were fed with sunflower oil (Basic

Nutritional Investigation).

This study proved that olive oil reduces aging in rats. However, because human

mitochondria are more complex that rats’, scientists may need to do different studies to analyze

olive oil’s effect on human mitochondria. It is likely that scientists will get the same results with

human mitochondria since most of the rats experiments lead to the same results when it is done

on humans (Basic Nutritional Investigation).

While scientists are still looking forward to learning the effects of olive oil on human

mitochondria, three particular countries stand out. Most people look younger than their age in

Greece, Italy and Spain. Could this be due to high consumption of olive oil over the years? The

answer is most likely to be “Yes.”

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Olive Oil and Its Effect on Cancer

In developed countries, cancer has the second highest mortality rate. Scientists believe that

one third of human cancers may be related to specific compounds of a person’s diet. Therefore,

science authorities have focused on research that identifies the relationship between cancer and diet.

Multiple studies identified the relationship with olive oil consumption and cancer risk. Even though

multiple studies showed that olive oil has an effect on cancer, it is still not known what exact

ingredient in olive oil fights against cancer cells.

Research done by scientists at New York University identified the relationship between

Mediterranean food with olive oil and colon cancer. A group of four categories of men and women

between ages of 55-57 were screened at 10 different cancer institutions in the U.S. Both male and

female groups were asked to consume Mediterranean food with olive oil, whereas the other male and

female groups were asked to consume non-Mediterranean food with no olive oil. Participants’ blood

cells were analyzed between 1993 and 2000. At the end of seven years, results showed that the male

group that most complied with the Mediterranean food recommendation had a 26% reduced risk of

colon cancer compared to the male group that did not comply with Mediterranean diet. In addition,

the female group that most complied with the Mediterranean food recommendation had an 18%

reduced risk of colon cancer compared to the female group that did not comply with the

Mediterranean diet with olive oil (American Cancer Society).

For men,

≤ 2 servings/day of drinks; ≤ 3 servings/day of dairy products; ≤ 4 servings/day of fruits; ≤ 5

servings/day vegetables with olive oil.

For women,

≤ 2 servings/day of drinks; ≤3 servings/day of dairy products; ≤4 servings/day of vegetables

with olive oil; ≤5 servings/day of grains.

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Risk of Colon Cancer Based on the Mediterranean Consumption with and without Olive

Oil (Male and Female Participants Screened Between 1993-2000)

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Moreover, another research done by scientists in Italy justified the previous results. A

study in Italy, between June 1992 and 1996, compared olive oil consumption and colon cancer

rate. 1225 patients, aged 23-74 with a history of colon cancer, were separated into groups and

asked to consume small amount of olive oil, vegetable oil and butter each day. In the end of six

years, colon cancer odds ratios were 0.83 for the olive oil, 0.91 for the vegetable oil, and 1.01 for

the butter consumers (Public Health Nutrition).

These results were not surprising because the study identified the risk of colon cancer

based on the different types of fats in ingredients (monounsaturated fat in olive oil vs. saturated

fats in vegetable oil and butter). In fact, isn’t it the monounsaturated fat that lowers CHD, bad

cholesterol and high blood pressure?

These studies concluded that olive oil consumption affects the cancer risk for both men

and women. A man can potentially decrease his/her risk of having a colon cancer by one fourth

just by substituting olive oil with other types of oils in his diet. However, olive oil’s effect on

cancer is not well known as its effect on CHD, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. While

there are multiple studies that have been done, scientists are not sure whether olive oil can also

fight other than colon cancer. Overall, based on the complexity of cancer cells, scientists may

need more time to come up with an answer on how olive oil affects these cells.

PART-3 OLIVE OIL IN OUR LIVES

Country’s Olive Oil Consumption in the 21st Century

Olive oil has the highest consumption rate in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. In

this region, olive oil usually has been used as a salad dressing. Furthermore, olive oil has been

used with cold and hot meals such as appetizers and fish. For instance, in Mediterranean culture,

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it is always expected that green beans, octopus salad and calamari are served with olive oil. In

Greece, people classify an individual who does not use an olive oil in his/her dishes as foreign.

This situation in which the country sees olive oil as a country symbol is very extreme. Like

Greece, Italy and Spain identify olive oil as their national symbol as well. While it is expected

that olive oil is heavily consumed in these three countries, many other nations have started to

share a big portion of olive oil in their kitchens. According to the International Olive Oil Council

2010 statistics, Italy is the first, Spain is the second and Greece is the third largest olive oil

consumer in the world. The U.S and Syria follow these countries with being the highest fourth

and fifth largest consumers in the world. In addition, countries such as Russia, Brazil, Turkey,

Iran and the U.K have doubled their olive oil consumption in the last ten years (between 2001

and 2010) (International Olive Oil Council).

Year

Country

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Spain 631.2 591.3 613.9 615.7 477.8 538.7 546.3 533.6 555.0 555.0

Greece 270.0 270.0 270.0 283.0 265.0 269.5 264.0 229.0 225.0 220.0

Italy 735.0 770.0 785.0 840.0 848.2 730.0 705.0 710.0 675.0 730.3

France 95.1 97.0 94.0 97.1 99.5 101.8 101.6 113.5 113.7 113.0

Portugal 61.5 64.9 67.0 74.6 71.6 76.8 75.8 87.5 87.5 87.5

Slovenia - - 2.0 1.1 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.8 2.0 2.1

Germany 38.6 40.0 38.5 46.3 45.3 48.3 48.0 47.7 44.9 44.9

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Belgium 12.4 12.7 11.8 11.4 12.3 11.7 6.2 3.2 11.5 12.1

Denmark 2.7 3.1 3.1 2.9 1.9 3.5 4.3 4.5 5.0 5.0

Netherlands 9.1 9.3 11.1 13.4 14.2 15.1 12.8 11.7 13.1 13.1

U.K 25.5 47.0 71.6 60.1 48.8 47.6 56.1 56.4 55.3 55.3

Sweden 5.3 5.3 3.8 4.3 4.3 6.7 6.4 7.2 6.5 6.5

Egypt 1.5 3.5 2.0 2.5 2.0 2.5 2.0 8.0 7.0 6.5

Iran 2.0 1.5 3.5 5.0 6.5 5.5 7.5 7.0 6.5 13.5

Lebanon 7.0 4.5 5.0 5.0 5.5 5.0 9.0 20.0 9.5 10.0

Libya 8.5 14.5 12.0 9.0 11.0 13.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0

Morocco 60.0 60.0 70.0 38.0 55.0 65.0 65.0 70.0 90.0 90.0

Syria 86.0 128.5 150.0 135.0 79.0 110.0 80.0 110.0 120.0 125.0

Tunisia 28.0 30.0 56.0 44.0 38.0 45.0 55.0 21.0 40.0 30.0

Turkey 55.0 50.0 46.0 60.0 50.0 80.0 85.0 108.0 110.0 115.0

Brazil 22.5 21.0 23.5 26.5 26.0 34.5 40.0 42.0 50.5 51.0

Canada 24.0 25.0 26.0 32.0 30.0 32.5 29.0 30.0 37.0 37.0

Chile - - - - - 4.5 5.5 7.5 8.5 12.0

USA 188.5 184.0 216.5 215.0 223.0 248.0 246.0 256.0 258.0 260.0

Japan 31.5 30.5 32.0 32.0 30.0 30.5 29.0 30.0 40.5 41.0

Mexico 8.0 12.0 12.0 12.0 11.5 10.0 10.0 9.5 9.5 9.5

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Norway - - - - - 3.5 3.5 3.0 4.5 3.5

Russia 4.0 6.0 7.0 9.0 9.5 10.5 17.0 15.0 18.0 20.0

Switzerland 9.0 10.0 11.0 11.0 11.5 12.0 12.5 6.0 6.0 13.0

Olive Oil Consumption (tons) of Different Countries in the Last 10 years

Therapeutic benefits of olive oil are no more a secret. Health organizations, science

seminars, and government briefings are given in many countries about the benefits of olive oil.

Because olive oil is very promising, many companies have invested millions of dollars in the

olive oil business. The widespread consumption of olive oil is, in fact, due to olive oil imports

and exports among many countries.

Types of Olive Oils

Even though olive oil itself is the healthiest oil among all the other oils, there are

differences among olive oils in terms of quality, vitamins and taste. Olive oils are namely

separated into four categories: Extra Virgin, Virgin, Refinery and Pure Olive Oil.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The most commonly used olive oil is extra virgin olive oil. This type of oil is directly

extracted from the olive and does not include any chemicals and is not exposed to high

temperature and/or pressure. Extra virgin olive oil has its natural taste and is considered as the

highest quality oil. “Virgin olive oil has acidity that is not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams.”

The cost of this oil is between 8 to 15 dollars per liter (International Olive Oil Council).

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Virgin Olive Oil

Virgin olive oil has almost the same characteristics as extra virgin olive oil. The

production of virgin oil is obtained by second processing. “It has acidity between 1 to 2 grams

per 100 grams.” The cost of this oil is between 7 to 12 dollars per liter (International Olive Oil

Council).

Refinery Olive Oil

Refinery olive oil is obtained by forcing high temperature, pressure and number of

chemicals on to virgin oil. “Refinery oil has acidity that is no more than 3.3 grams per 100

grams. Refinery olive oil is [mostly] tasteless, odorless, and colorless.” The cost of this oil is

between 7 to 11 dollars per liter (International Olive Oil Council).

Pure Olive Oil

Pure olive is a mixture of extra virgin and refinery olive oil. A very low quality of oil is

mixed with a small portion of extra virgin olive oil to decrease the acidity of the oil (2.4 g per

100 g). Pure olive oil is also named as “light olive oil” and is the lowest quality oil among all the

other olive oils. The cost of this oil is between 6 to 9 dollars per liter (International Olive Oil

Council).

Overall, considering different types of olive oil costs, one can see that there is not a big

difference between pure and extra virgin olive oil. A person should always try to consume extra

virgin olive oil since it has the highest amount of monounsaturated fat, oleic acid, and other

vitamins.

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Conclusion

In the 21st century, being able to live in a healthy lifestyle depends on many factors.

Having a satisfying income and living in a peaceful environment are just a few of those.

However, perhaps the most important factor is being able to maintain a “healthy diet.” Healthy

diets not only involve eating vegetables and avoiding high calorie meals but also creating a self-

control on which types of ingredients the person uses. For instance, a person should be able to

distinguish which types of ingredients in the meal are considered healthy.

In this project, olive oil was analyzed by considering one vital point: its structure. Olive

oil’s main secret comes from its component: monounsaturated fat. This is the type of fat that

lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. Finally, the risk of having CHD is also lowered. Olive oil

not only fights bad cholesterol, but also affects potential cancer risk.

While the consumption of olive oil in one nation can contribute to reduce the percent of

cancer risks, it can overall provide healthier lives. In addition, olive oil is not just used for its

health benefits; people have used it in unconventional ways, such as sun lotion, shaving cream,

polish for furniture, lip balm and hair tonic. So why should we not then revere it for its ultimate

life saving potential? With all these benefits of olive oil, no oil has ever been as much a part of

our lives.

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