Alternative medicine: Olive
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A diet rich in olive oil is effective in reducing weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and the risk of suffering heart failure.
Botanical: Olea europaea L.
Family: N.O. Oleaceae
Synonyms: Olea Oleaster. Olea lancifolia. Olea gallica. Olivier.
Habitat:
The olive is native to the Mediterranean region, tropical and central Asia, Chile and Peru, south Australia and various parts of Africa.
Description:
The olive tree is a small, evergreen tree, rarely exceeding 8 to 15 meters in height. It has pale grey bark and numerous small and creamy colored flowers.
The fruit is small, ovoid and filled with oil. It is a green drupe when unripe, and becomes blackish-purple when fully ripe. A few varieties are green when ripe and some turn a shade of copper brown. Olive oil ranges in color and flavor from green to gold and from very mild to very strong.
Part Used Medicinally:
Fruit, the oil of the fruit, leaves and bark.
Constituents:
Mannite is found in the green leaves and the unripe fruit.
Olive oil is rich in oleic acid, a monosaturated fatty acid, and phytochemicals oleurpein and hydrooxylorosol, potent anti oxidants.
Medicinal Uses:
Its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the severity of asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The vitamin E in olive helps reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes in menopause women.
Olive contains many fenol-like substances, which are effective in preventing and treating thrombosis and arteriosclerosis.
Olive leaves are astringent and antiseptic. They are powerful herbal organic antioxidants.
Olive oil is a laxative and disperser of acids and a mechanical antidote for irritant poisons. It is often used in enemas. It also helps with abdominal chills, typhoid, scarlet fever and the plague.
Olive oil is the best of cooking oil and a valuable dietary item for individuals of all ages.
Olive oil has a protective effect on the development of colon cancer and tackles certain types of skin cancer.
Preparation:
Olive oil is extracted by pressing or crushing olives. Depending on its processing, its varieties consist of: Extra virgin (best quality, least processed from the first pressing of the olives), Virgin (from the second pressing), Pure (undergoes some processing, such as filtering and refining), Extra light (undergoes considerable processing and only retains a very mild olive flavor).
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