Anyone ever visiting Greece/Greek Islands will certainly feel the beauty and power from wild ancient olive trees.

Greece has the deepest and oldest tradition of olive trees than any other earth zone,  myths about Athena, Zeus, Poseidon and other Gods and Goddesses and there relation and love of the olive tree are abundant in the Greek Myths.

Olives from different regions, can vary in size, shape colour and taste, In my opinion they are a super food, with a great variety of health benefits...

• they eliminate excess cholesterol in the blood.
• they control blood pressure.
• they are a great source of vitamin E.
• they act as an antioxidant, protecting cells
• reducing the effects of degenerative diseases like Alzheimers, benign and malignant tumours, including less serious varicose veins and cavities.
• they help prevent blood clots that could lead to a myocardial infarction or deep viewed thrombosis (DVT)
• protecting cell membranes against cancer.
• also a great protection against anaemia.
• they enhance fertility and strengthen the reproductive system.
• they play an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system.
• they are a subtle aphrodisiac.
• they are rich in mineral content as sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and iodine.
• also provide essential vitamins and amino acids.
• containing oleic acid having benefitting the heart.
• they contain polyphonous, a natural chemical that reduce oxidative stress in the brain. So by eating a daily serving of olives helps improve your memory by up to 25%.
• Just one cup of olives is a great source of iron-4.4mg.
• Eating olives stops the appearance of wrinkles by 20%.. olives contain oleic acid which keeps the skin soft and healthy.
• By eating just 10 olives before a meal you can reduce your appetite by up to 20%. This is because the monounsaturated fatty acids contained in olives slow down the digestive process and stimulate the hormone cholecystokinin, a hormone that sends messages of fullness to the brain.
• Not only does it do that but it also helps your body stimulate the production of adiponectin, a chemical that burns fat for up to five hours after ingestion.

Olive oil is known as liquid gold in some regions. Its flavour, colour and smell can can change radically region to region.

After some years of trying different oils from around europe, one can feel and taste which region the oil comes from.

Thus the oil is passing on information of its life.

Oil from Crete is favoured worldwide, but because of this liking to olive oil from Crete, the land has suffered, the olive groves were once flowery, insect rich places full of many different birds, unfortunately now most have been converted to irrigated  intensively used agricultural land.

Olive oil  keeps the heart healthy, it can block certain cancers and may play a role controlling diabetes and weight problems. This is because olive oil is a monounsaturated fat which lowers bad cholesterol without affecting good cholesterol.

So if you haven't already switched from veg and sunflower oils to olive oil, its time to do so.

Olive oil deteriorates fast exposed to sunlight, so keep it in a dark airtight glass bottle, in a cool place, olive oil doesn't improve with age, so its best to use it within 1 year of bottling. 

Good quality olive oil used on the skin as moisturiser, is a wonderful replacement to any cosmetic produced product.