A study conducted by the National and Capodistrian University of Athens found that Kalamata olives help lower bad cholesterol and improve the overall health of people who include them in their diets.

Olives are well known for their health benefits when eaten in reasonable amounts. However, this new study of the famous Kalamata olives proves once again how important olives are in a balanced diet based on Mediterranean cuisines.

Extremely nutritious Kalamata olives, reduce bad cholesterol

The University of Athens study was conducted in collaboration with the 401 Military Hospital in Athens and included sixty participants.

The participants were all in good health and were between 22 and 65 years old.

One of the most important findings of the study was that after participants included Kalamata olives in their healthy diets, their bad cholesterol (LDL) levels were reduced, while their good cholesterol levels were reduced. or HDL, increased significantly.

The researchers who conducted the study now want to move on, including more people, whose health is not perfect, to see the impact that Kalamata olives could have on their overall health and rate. cholesterol.

According to the researchers, the daily consumption of several Kalamata olives helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, while improving a person’s lipid profile.

Greek olive oil also has many health benefits

Greek olive oil, or “liquid gold,” as Homer called it, has been a part of Greek history since ancient times. It is an irreplaceable nutritional element of the Greek diet.

The history of the use of the olive by mankind dates back to ancient history. In his work “Origin of cultivated plants”, the botanist Augustin Pyrame de Candole writes that our cultivation of the olive tree dates back to 4000 BC – and that its origin is from the coasts of Asia Minor.

Based on the findings from an excavation in Knossos in 1951, archaeologist Panagiotis Anagnostopoulos claimed that the origin of the olive is actually on the island of Crete. This theory is supported by the fact that the name given to the olive tree is Greek and has therefore been preserved in all languages.

The ancient Greeks also used olive oil as part of their efforts to lead healthy lives and promote longevity, and used it as a cosmetic for skin and hair. Today, Greek olive oil is considered by most to be the best in the world.

Olive oil is also renowned for its health benefits, and the substance has even been shown to contribute to a longer, healthier life. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in carotenoids and polyphenols, providing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Today in the world there are around 800 million olive trees – of which around 95% are cultivated in the Mediterranean basin, which has the best soil and climatic conditions for olive cultivation.

The olive is widely cultivated all over Greece. Its cultivation, larger than any other type of fruiting tree, occupies about 15 percent of cultivated agricultural land and 75 percent of the country’s tree crops.