OLIVE OIL, THE LIQUID GOLD OF GREECE
There are four types suitable for human consumption: extra virgin olive oil, which is the most beneficial type, comes from the first pressing of fresh olives and has a perfect taste and aroma, virgin olive oil, refined olive oil and olive pomace oil.
It is an integral part of Greek diet and it is used almost in every recipe. It is even an appetizer; in Greece it is common to serve olives in olive oil with bread, or tapenade (olive spread; “pasta elias”) with breadsticks.
But it’s not just a culinary ingredient… This liquid gold can improve our health and lifestyle in countless ways. According to scientific research, it has been found to be effective against some severe diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, Alzheimer, diabetes, heart problems, arthritis and many more. Moreover, it keeps the heart young, improves metabolism and digestion and prevents aging. On top of that, it has a great history of being used as a home remedy for beauty and skincare. Egyptians used it as a cleanser, moisturizer, while the Japanese believe both the ingestion and the topical application of olive oil to be good for skin and health. In ancient Greece, olive oil was used during massage, to prevent sports injuries and relieve muscle fatigue. Nowadays, a lot of cosmetic companies use it as their base for hair and skin products.
