Portuguese olive oil

Advantages of olive oil

Olive oil is extracted from the olive fruits and there are numerous olive groves in Portugal today in the regions of Norte Alentjano, the hills of the Moura region, the upper Douro and the Tras-os-Montes in the northern part of Portugal. The various climatic and geographical factors aid and facilitate its production in these regions. Since 1986, after Portugal became a member of the European Union, olive oil has begun to be exported to various parts of the world and according to recent figures, Portugal is ranked eighth in the world market.

Olive oil has manifold advantages and in fact it can be regarded as a product that has no negative side effects at all. There are various advantages of the olive oil produced upon extraction from the olive fruit and its functions are many. It is considered extremely healthy because of the high proportion of polyphenols and monounsaturated fats like oleic acid which it contains. They have a variety of uses in cosmetics, soaps, as fuels for lighting oil lamps, cooking and medicinal purposes. Olive oils have great digestive properties which ensure swift digestion because of their low acidity levels. For beauty and skin care regimens, olive oil is an important ingredient as it helps to smoothen and soften dry scaly skin.

Since ancient times, olive oil has been used in various religious rituals amidst the Jews and Christians and it has even found mention in the holy Koran which is the Muslim holy text. However, the most significant functions of the olive oil are in terms of medicinal uses. As a necessary requisite of the Mediterranean diet, it is very beneficial for curing various heart diseases. It is rich in natural antioxidants like Vitamin E which is also aids in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol. It is also at times used as a laxative.