Long used in sacred ceremonies and associated with good health, the nutritional and health promoting benefits of olives and olive oils have been proven by an ever-increasing body of science. From cardiovascular benefits to anti-microbial, anti-cancer, antioxidant activity and effects on macrophages and aptoptosis to cellular and pathophysiollogical process, olives and olive oils are proving important in many healthful ways. For example, reactive components in olive oils or olive oil by-products have now been isolated and identified. These include tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid elenolic acid and oleuropein. Oleic acid is the main monosaturated fatty acid of olive oil. These have putative protective effects and modulate the biochemistry of a variety of cell types including those of the vascular system. Some but not all components have been characterised by their putative pharmacological properties. It is possible that usage of these aforementioned products may have beneficial application in other disease. However, in order for this cross-fertilization to take place, a comprehensive understanding of olives and olive oils is required. Finding this knowledge in a single volume provides a key resource for scientists in a variety of food an nutritional roles. Explores olives and olive oil from their general aspects to the detailed level of important micro-and micronutrients Includes coverage of various methodologies for analysis to help scientists and chemists determine the most appropriate option for their own studies, including those of olive-related compounds in other foods Relates, in a single volume resource, information for food and nutritional chemists, pharmaceutical scientists, nutritionists and dieticians Presents information in three key categories: General aspects of olives an olive oils; Nutritional, pharmacological and metabolic properties of olives and olive oil; Specific components of olive oil and their effects on tissue and body systems

Epidemiological studies indicate that the consumption of natural antioxidants from such plant-derived sources as olive oil produces beneficial health effects. Olive Oil: Minor Constituents and Health provides a balanced understanding of the pharmacological properties of phenols and other bioactive ingredients in the composition of olive oil. It dis

The only single-source reference on the science of olives and olive oil nutrition and health benefits Olives and Olive Oil as Functional Foods is the first comprehensive reference on the science of olives and olive oil. While the main focus of the book is on the fruit’s renowned health-sustaining properties, it also provides an in-depth coverage of a wide range of topics of vital concern to producers and researchers, including post-harvest handling, packaging, analysis, sensory evaluation, authentication, waste product utilization, global markets, and much more. People have been cultivating olives for more than six millennia, and olives and olive oil have been celebrated in songs and legends for their life-sustaining properties since antiquity. However, it is only within the last several decades that the unique health benefits of their consumption have become the focus of concerted scientific studies. It is now known that olives and olive oil contain an abundance of phenolic antioxidants, as well as the anti-cancer compounds such as squalene and terpenoids. This centerpiece of the Mediterranean diet has been linked to a greatly reduced risk of heart disease and lowered cancer risk. Bringing together contributions from some of the world’s foremost experts on the subject, this book: Addresses the importance of olives and olive oil for the agricultural economy and the relevance of its bioactive components to human health Explores the role that olive oil plays in reducing oxidative stress in cells-a well-known risk factor in human health Provides important information about new findings on olive oil and lipids which reviews the latest research Explores topics of interest to producers, processors, and researchers, including the fruit’s chemical composition, processing considerations, quality control, safety, traceability, and more Edited by two scientists world-renowned for their pioneering work on olive oil and human health, this book is an indispensable source of timely information and practical insights for agricultural and food scientists, nutritionists, dieticians, physicians, and all those with a professional interest in food, nutrition, and health.

The Mediterranean diet is well-known worldwide and recognized as a nutrition reference model by the World Health Organization. Virgin olive oil, prepared from healthy and intact fruits of the olive tree only by mechanical means, is a basic ingredient and a real pillar of this diet. Its positive role in health has now been a topic of universal concern. The virtues of natural olive oil, and especially of extra virgin olive oil, are related to the quality of the fruits, the employment of advanced technologies, and the availability of sophisticated analytical techniques that are used to control the origin of the fruits and guarantee the grade of the final product. To enrich recent multidisciplinary scientific information concerning this healthy lipid source, a new special issue of Foods has been published.

Discussions on the various health promoting and disease preventing properties of olive oils and its components are presented, with focus on cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms and diabetes and other metabolic disorders. Also, chapters on the chemical composition and physicochemical properties of olive oils, including the various methods used to analyse them, are presented.

Jeanne Calment, who lived to be 121, credited one thing for her long life: olive oil. Olive oil enthusiasts and experts Alice Alech and Cécile Le Galliard join forces in this complete guidebook discussing the amazing—almost miraculous—health benefits of olive oil. From slowing the effects of Alzheimer’s to building healthy bones, extra virgin olive oil is unrivaled in its natural goodness. With detailed research and findings from doctors, medical researchers, nutritionists, and chefs around the globe, The 7 Wonders of Olive Oil explores the role olive oil plays in the Mediterranean diet, covers tips for cooking with, buying, and storing the green nectar, and most of all, reveals its seven amazing health benefits including: Anti-inflammation Cancer prevention Skin rejuvenation Healthy bones Alzheimer’s disease prevention Reduction in risk for diabetes Stroke and heart attack prevention