A Few Facts About Olive Oil And The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet, one of the most widespread diets around the world, is based on the consumption of olive oil as the main source of fat. Over the last 50 years, surveys carried out in parts of the Mediterranean, including Crete and southern Italy, have shown that the Mediterranean diet is responsible for the longevity of the inhabitants and the absence of cardiovascular and digestive diseases.

The Mediterranean Diet, rich in fiber, is based on eating healthy foods for the body, vegetables and plant foods. Vegetables, pasta, rice, legumes and fruits are its main ingredients, while food of animal origin is consumed in small quantities.
Olive oil, specifically raw, is used in salads and always at the end of cooking. Finally, in this model of diet, it is common to consume small quantities of red wine during meals.

An example of a Mediterranean diet could be:

And also don’t forget that Olive Oil:

• Has the same number of calories (9.3 per gr) as any other vegetable fat.
• It is, together with avocado oil, the only vegetable oil that can be consumed immediately after extraction without having to undergo any further treatment
• It is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids: 60-80% oleic acid
• It has a very low content of saturated fatty acids ~ 14%
• It has approx. 10% linoleic acid
• Contains about 10% of the required daily amount of vitamin E in each tablespoon
• It has a high content of natural antioxidants and nutrients (eg polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenes, etc.)
• It has a high content of squalene that actively regulates metabolism
• Does not contain water, proteins, gluten, carbohydrates, salt or other preservative
• It is absorbed by the body by 98%, while retaining an important role in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
• It has excellent digestion by the human body, while its fatty acid composition and the presence of chlorophyll help digestive tract function, stimulate the enzyme pancreatic lipase, facilitate the secretion of bile, and promote the metabolism of endogenous cholesterol.

Sources:

www.sevitel.gr