Hippocrates and other ancient physicians used olive oil to treat diseases. Modern scientific research has now proven these beneficial properties.

Znanstveniki so ugotovili, da je bila nizka stopnja smrti zaradi bolezni srca na podeželju Krete posledica visoke porabe oljčnega olja v nasprotju z drugimi državami, katerih prebivalci uživajo semenska olja in živalske maščobe. Ustrezne raziskave so dokazale, da olivno olje zaradi vsebnosti enkrat nenasičene oleinske kisline uravnava raven holesterola v krvi z izboljšanjem ravni lipoproteina HDL in posledično presnovo te snovi, ki je glavni povzročitelj bolezni srca.

Poleg tega je organoleptične lastnosti oljčnega olja za telo lahko prebavljiva in najprimernejša maščoba za uživanje z blagodejnimi učinki na želodec.

Španci Medpoklicna organizacija za oljčno olje supports experts and researchers in order to highlight the health-protective effect of olive oil on the human body. Spanish researchers, among them doctors, are seeking to make olive oil more known to the general public, as many people are not aware of the beneficial effects of olive oil. Through the campaign “For a Lifetime”, they differentiate the quality categories of olive oil, promote its uses in cooking and nutrition in general and want to convey to the Spanish population the advantages that they will have by following a Sredozemska prehrana in which olive oil will be the main source of fats.

As they argue, a small percentage of people follow the Mediterranean Diet, so it is considered necessary to spread the scientific evidence that exists about the benefits of olive oil and how people with cardiovascular problems can be helped by its use. Specifically, from the CORDIOPREV study (2022) it appears that cardiovascular patients who follow a Mediterranean Diet rich in ekstra deviško olivno olje have up to 30% less chance of their disease recurring compared to those who follow a healthy diet but low in “good” fats.

Olive oil is characterized as a “dietary jewel”, which lowers blood pressure, helps prevent diabetes, increases good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol, conditions that are closely related to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, it has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect, which mitigates chronic diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, as well as cancer.

Tudi v športu je učinek oljčnega olja pomemben, saj je ena najboljših maščob, ki jih lahko uživamo, saj s svojim protivnetnim delovanjem pomaga pri vzdržljivostnih športih (kolesarjenje, tek ...) in športih moči.