The olive contains: 50% water, 18-25% fats; 19-20% sugars; 5-6% cellulose; 1.6% proteins and I -2% other.
Fats, whilst being fundamental for our organism, energy reserve and a source of flavour intensifiers in food, are held responsible for many diseases.
The difficulty is in the stabilising of which fat is most suitable for our health.
Butter, lard and hard margarines predominantly contain fatty acids (lauric, palmitic, stearic) which increase the level of cholesterol in the blood.
Sesame oil and soft margarines, however, contain mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic, alpha-linoleic) which reduce cholesterol, but on contact with oxygen they oxidize with the formation of free radicals, products which favour the cellular ageing process and certa in chronic-degenerative diseases.
Olive oil contains predominantly monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic) which do not increase haematic cholesterol and submit in a tesser degree to the oxidation process.
In extra virgin olive oil, however, there exist many minor components endowed with important biologica) activity; alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) and some carotenoids and polyphenols. The latter of which are extremely important for our organism.
It has, in fact, been shown that the antioxidant known as hydroxytyrolo, contained in extra virgin olive oil and in the vegetation water, has Qualities which protect against neuro-degenerative diseases such as the sourge of Alzheimers.
The research carried out by the University of Barcelona has revealed the effects of polyphenols in the hinderance of oxidative stress on neurons and cerebral cells.
Adding an extract of olive oil rich in hydroxytyrosol to cells undergoing stress, they were able to limit the reduction of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to 15% against a reduction of 40% in cells which were not treated. ATP is a molecule present in all living organisms, for which it represents the principle form of immediatelyavailable energy.
A further study has demonstrated that the 45.5% of hydroxytyrosol extracted from the residual water of the oil press is able to diminish the oxidative stress effects on cerebral cells and earlier studies have demonstrated the positive effects of hydroxytyrosol in the prevention of cancer and in the reduction of LDI_ cholesterol with a daily consumtion of 25 ml of extra virgin olive oil.
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