Discover the benefits of Olive Oil
TYPE OF PLANT: Olea Europea, Oleaceae
ORIGIN: Spain, Morocco, Turkey, Greece and Italy
USES: Antibacterial, Anti-Oxidant, Moisturizing, Anti-Wrinkle, Rich in Vitamins.
The Benefits and Uses
Antibacterial | Olive oil has been shown to have antibacterial properties. However, there are very few studies on olive oil's ability to control bacteria on the skin.
A small study looked at the effects of using olive oil and coconut oil on Staphylococcus aureus bacteria on the skin. The results found that both oils had antibacterial properties, but virgin coconut oil was more effective at killing the bacteria.
However, olive oil can sometimes be used to treat bacterial skin infections. It may also improve healing in people with foot ulcers caused by type 2 diabetes.
Moisturizer | Olive oil is a popular natural moisturizer that is often used to soften both skin and hair. However, there is very little research on its effectiveness.
Anti-Oxidant | Olive oil acts as an antioxidant, a substance that prevents oxidation. Oxidation is a process that can produce free radicals, which are chemicals that can potentially damage cells and may contribute to the development of cancer.
When applied to the skin, antioxidants can prevent premature aging. Additionally, some research suggests that applying olive oil to the skin after sun exposure can fight cancer cells.
In the study, scientists applied the oil to the skin of mice that had been exposed to potentially harmful ultraviolet (UV) light. Tumor growth was significantly lower in mice that had olive oil on their skin than in those that did not.
Scientists need to conduct further research in this area to understand the effects of the antioxidant properties of olive oil on human skin.
Vitamin Content | Olive oil contains the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Some of these vitamins may be beneficial to the skin. For example, people have used vitamin E oil topically throughout history to treat a variety of skin conditions, including psoriasis and eczema.
Anti Wrinkle | Due to its antioxidant content, olive oil can reduce skin aging and wrinkles. The oil can be dabbed around the eye area at night or after sun exposure.
Regenerating | Anti-Scars The vitamins and other antioxidants in olive oil can fade scars by helping skin cells regenerate.
Simply massage the undiluted oil into scars or mix it with a squeeze of lemon juice to treat areas of hyperpigmentation, where the skin has darkened due to scarring.
Olive oil can also be used to prevent or treat stretch marks, although studies on its effectiveness have found mixed results.
The Story
Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of Olea europaea; family Oleaceae), a traditional plant of the Mediterranean basin. The oil is produced by pressing whole olives.
It is commonly used in cooking, for frying foods, or as a salad dressing. It is also used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps, and as fuel for traditional oil lamps, and has additional uses in some religions. There is limited evidence of its possible health benefits.
The olive is one of the three main food plants in Mediterranean cuisine; the other two are wheat and grapes. Olive trees have been cultivated throughout the Mediterranean since the 8th millennium BC.
The top five producers of olive oil by volume are Spain, Morocco, Turkey, Greece and Italy. However, national consumption per capita is highest in Greece, followed by Spain and Italy.
The composition of olive oil varies depending on the cultivar, altitude, harvest time and extraction process. It is composed primarily of oleic acid (up to 83%), with smaller amounts of other fatty acids including linoleic acid (up to 21%) and palmitic acid (up to 20%). Extra virgin olive oil must have a free acidity of no more than 0.8% and is considered to have favorable aromatic characteristics.
Uses in history
Olive oil has a long history of use as a home remedy. The Egyptians used it along with beeswax as a cleanser, moisturizer, and antibacterial agent since Pharaonic times.
In ancient Greece, olive oil was used during massage to prevent sports injuries and relieve muscle fatigue. In 2000, Japan was the leading importer of olive oil in Asia (13,000 tons per year) because consumers believe that both ingestion and topical application of olive oil are beneficial to skin and health .
Olive oil is popular for massaging babies and toddlers, but scientific evidence for its effectiveness is mixed. One review of olive oil versus mineral oil found that, when used for infant massage, olive oil can be considered a safe alternative to sunflower, grapeseed, and fractionated coconut oils. This is especially true when mixed with a lighter oil like sunflower, which “would have the additional effect of reducing the already low levels of free fatty acids present in olive oil .” Another study found that olive oil reduced the risk of dermatitis for babies at all stages of pregnancy compared to emollient cream . However, yet another study in adults found that topical olive oil treatment “significantly disrupted the skin barrier” compared to sunflower oil and that it may worsen existing atopic dermatitis. The researchers concluded that due to the negative result in adults, they do not recommend the use of olive oil for the treatment of dry skin and infant massage.
Applying olive oil to your skin does not help prevent or reduce stretch marks.
Discover the other ingredients
HELIANTHUS ANNUUS SEED OIL ( Sunflower Seed Oil ), OLEA EUROPAEA FRUIT OIL ( Olive Oil ), RICINUS COMMUNIS SEED OIL ( Castor Oil ), THEOBROMA CACAO SEED BUTTER ( Cocoa Butter ), MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA ( Tea Tree Oil ), GOLD ( Gold )