Olive oil has a number of benefits to each part of the body, but is most remarkable for its overall ability to increase lifespan. There has been a great amount of research into the “Mediterranean diet” and its ability to cause long lifespans. Remarkably, people who consume Italian and Greek diets – which heavily utilize olive oil – tend to live longer and show greater health at later ages.
Olive oil history archaeological evidence shows that olives were turned into olive oil by 6000 BC and 4500 BC at a now-submerged prehistoric settlement south of Haifa. Until 1500 BC, eastern coastal areas of the Mediterranean were most heavily cultivated.
1. Olive Oil Is Rich in Healthy Monounsaturated Fats Olive oil is the natural oil extracted from olives, the fruit of the olive tree. About 14% of the oil is saturated fat, whereas 11% is polyunsaturated, such as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.