Bangkok--8 Nov--Hill+Knowlton Strategies
The pressing of olives to make olive oil dates back to 6000 BC1. In the ancient world, olive oil was referred to as liquid gold by Homer and the great healer by Hippocrates. Known as one of the most prized goods in the entire Mediterranean region, from the Old Testament to the present day, the sheer myriad of things people utilize olive oil for is surprising. More than just drizzling over a salad or a dish, here are five interesting age-old uses of the heart-healthy oil that still do the trick.
1. Morning Beverage
In earlier times, olive farmers drank olive oil every morning and many lived a long life2. Nowadays, many, especially in the Mediterranean, drink one-fourth of a cup of extra-virgin olive oil, followed by a small glass of warm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice, every morning. It is believed that this gives the body a kick-start for the day since both olive oil and lemon juice act as two powerful detoxifying and cleansing of the body. Olive oil is rich in fatty acids that help reactivate the circulation and remove the excess bad cholesterol while lemon provides us with excellent vitamins. Drinking olive oil in the morning helps to detoxify the body by also keeping hunger pangs away and, as a result, can contribute to weight loss.
2. Super Skin Balm
In Ancient Rome, while whole olives were eaten during meals, olive oil was prized for cosmetic and medical applications. The father of medicine, Hippocrates, meanwhile mentioned 60 different conditions which could be treated with it, such as skin ailments, wounds and burns, gynecological issues, ear infections and many other – thanks to large amounts of antioxidants and healing agents such as Hydroxytyrosol and Peroxide naturally found in olive oil.
3. Natural Soap and Perfume
During the Roman Empire when soaps were yet not around, when the Roman went to bathe, they rubbed olive oil all over their bodies, then scraped it off using a metal instrument called a Strigil. This carried away dirt and dead skin to leave the skin smooth, silky and moisturized. Olive oil was often scented with essential oils, and poured into private baths to soften skin and keep people relax and rejuvenate with pleasant fragrances. Today, Olive oil is well-known as a natural cleanser that provides a healthy and hypoallergenic option for everyone from babies to adults. Olive oil was also the special oil selected to hold fragrance for the preparation of traditional Egyptian perfumes, commonly stored in beautiful containers made from alabaster or glass.
4. Food Preservation
Before the advent of refrigerators, eating in season was much more common. However, with abundance of fruits and vegetables at certain times of the harvest, food preservation enabled ancient man to keep them in optimal condition to eat later. Preventing oxygen and microorganisms from reaching food, the use of olive oil to preserve food is a basic – yet excellent - method of enjoying food, while maintaining most nutrients, vitamins and flavors. In addition to some garden bounty like sun-dried tomatoes, baby artichokes, sweet peppers, eggplants, mushrooms, goat cheese or basil for making pesto, pure olive oil can keep tuna, sardines, Chorizo or even pork loin safe and delicious for a long time.
5. Enhanced Athleticism
The therapeutic use of olive oil in the ancient sports world was greatly recognized. According to a research study published in the Archives of Medical Science3, olive oil was used as a mean of prevention and treatment of sports injuries in Ancient Greece, the birth place of the Olympics! Eighth century BC athletes, especially wrestlers, were prepared physically before they entered the playing field with deep friction body massage with olive oil. It was claimed that the technique was first discovered by the Athenians. Rubbing the body with olive oil was not only for warming up, but also to enhance performance as it helped the athletes to increase the local temperature of the rubbed muscle, and contributed to better blood flow and flexibility while maintaining the elasticity of athletes' skin. Post-exercise massage combined with olive oil rub furthermore helped remove lactic acid faster and resulted in rapid recovery of the athlete.
Sources:
1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil
2 https://www.theepochtimes.com/10-ancient-uses-of-olive-oil_228883.html
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3298328/
About Bertolli
As the world's number one olive oil brand, Bertolli was founded in the small Tuscan town of Lucca, Italy. For 150 years, the Bertolli name has been at the heart of Italian and international cooking and eating. At the heart of the Bertolli brand is a commitment to quality, dedication to leveraging the natural goodness of ingredients and a tradition of providing outstanding and flavorful olive oils to Thailand and the world. For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/BertolliTH/ .