Boosting health with olive bioactives

We know the olive is an incredible fruit, with myriad health benefits, and a new blog posted by the Olive Wellness Institute provides more great evidence as to why olive products are so good for us.

The health effects of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) are often attributed to its fats, however science reveals something far richer. EVOO contains a complex mixture of bioactive compounds, including squalene, tocopherols, and a diverse family of active biophenols that work synergistically to protect cells and reduce inflammation.

Bioactives are health-modulating compounds found in plant foods that influence biological processes such as antioxidant defence, inflammation and metabolism. In EVOO these molecules act in concert rather than isolation, offering protective effects that extend well beyond what any single nutrient could deliver.

Highlighting the nutritional potential of cooking with EVOO, this blog explains how the bioactives in olives add not only flavour but powerful nutrients to your food. Contributed by Dr Paul H. Mason, chief investigator on the Fresh Produce Bioactives initiative at Macquarie University, it’s a great tool for sharing the health benefits of olive products with your customers and networks.

Read the blog here and find out more about the Olive Wellness Institute here.

The Olive Wellness Institute’s work is delivered via the Hort Innovation strategic investment project Increasing awareness of the health benefits of Australian olive products (OL22001). The project is funded by Hort Innovation using the olive research and development levy and funds from the Australian Government.