HEALTH BENEFITS OF LIDRIVIO EXTA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

• Olive oil has distinct flavor and taste. Unlike many other oils, which are extracted from nuts and seeds, the olive is obtained from the olive berries and hence, carries large amounts of plant-derived anti-oxidants, phyto-sterols, and vitamins.
• Olive oil is recognized as one of the healthiest edible oils since it contains less saturated fats. Additionally, it composes linoleic (omega-6) and linoleic acid (omega-3) essential fatty acids at a recommended 8:1 ratio.
• The oil is high in calories. Its high-calorie content chiefly comes from its fats. However, it is especially rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) like oleic acid (18:1) and palmitoleic acid (16:1) that help in lowering LDL or "bad cholesterol" and to increase HDL or "good cholesterol" in the blood. Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids help to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.
• Olive oil, especially extra virgin, contains tyrosol phenolic compounds such as oleuropein and oleocanthal. These compounds are responsible for its bitter and pungent taste. Oleocanthal, oleurpein, and its derivative hydroxytyrosol are nature’s most powerful anti-oxidants. Together with vitamin E and carotenoids, they play a vital role fighting against cancer, inflammation, coronary artery disease, degenerative nerve diseases, diabetes…etc.
• Studies suggest that oleocanthal has ibuprofen (NSAID) like ant-inflammatory activities. Mediterranean diet that uses olive oil may be responsible in part for the low incidence of coronary artery disease.
• Being a vegetable source, it has very high levels of plant sterols, especially ß-sitosterol. The FDA has approved the following claim for phytosterols: "Foods containing at least 0.4 gram per serving of plant sterols, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 gram, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease". Phyto-sterols competitively inhibit cholesterol absorption in the gut, and thereby can reduce total cholesterol levels by 10% to 15%.
• Olive oil is rich in vitamin E. 100 g fresh extra-virgin oil contains 14.39 mcg (about 96% of RDA) of alpha-tocopherol. Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin through protecting it from harmful oxygen-free radicals.
• Additionally, extra-virgin oil is also a very good source of vitamin K; 100 g provides about 50% of DRI. Vitamin K has a potential role in the increase of bone mass by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bone. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in the brain.
• Olive oil has always been a fundamental product for the Mediterranean people. Its high nutritional value has been long recognized, as were its medicinal capacities: prevention of cardiac disorders (such as infarctions), reinforcement of intellectual lucidity and smooth functioning of digestive system.