Greek Olive Oils Used For Medical Research

Greece has over a thousand extra virgin olive oils tested by NMR that meet and exceed the EU criteria for health-promoting phenolic compounds. On the rising tide of astonishing research into the health benefits of olive oil in the daily diet, Greek EVOOs are riding this wave of change in the olive oil industry.

In these three studies reviewed, they look to Greek High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, proving the ancient wisdom of food as medicine.

In 2012 the EU approved a health claim labelling regulation which created the new category of High Phenolic EVOO. It stated that olive oils containing a specified amount of polyphenols (phenolic compounds) could put a health claim on the label as it was well researched and documented that High Phenolic olive oil has a beneficial effect on the blood lipid level. In simple terms it is good for the heart.

In the same year, Dr. Prokopios Magiatis at the University of Athens discovered an accurate way to identify and measure the polyphenols in olive oil using sophisticated Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). His interest was primarily in oleocanthal, the phenolic compound found only in olive oil. Oleocanthal was pulling out front in research for its broad reaching affect on chronic disease like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart attack and stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, Type II diabetes and even cancer. Its effectiveness was proving itself in the prevention, treatment and sometimes reversal of symptoms. Tests on over two and a half thousand olive oils has revealed best harvest and production practices for optimum concentration of phenolic compounds.

In the four short years since 2012, testing of olive oils from countries around the globe have revealed that early harvest green olives do indeed yield the highest levels of phenolic compounds and that olive oils high in healthful phenolic compounds stay fresh and vital longer.

The movement amongst olive growers throughout Greece is nothing short of a revival of the ancient Hellenic standard of excellence in olive oil. The wave is surging into the other olive oil producing countries as testing and research exemplifies the health-protective benefits of High Phenolic EVOO and practices and methods of production are refined.

Three companies – a distributor, a family business and an importer are being the change they want to see. Greece is once again reaching out into the world. These three companies not only provide excellent products, are invested in sustainable technology and innovation, but they are each involved in research and consumer awareness for this new category of tested and certified health-promoting High Phenolic EVOO.

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