The beneficial effects of extra virgin olive oil on human health have been known since ancient Roman times when it was already considered the main food of the Mediterranean diet; one of the healthiest food models characterized by a low use of saturated fats in favor of polyunsaturated fats.

EVO oil is made up of 95-98% triglycerides, in particular mono and triglyceride free fatty acids and the remainder made up of fat-soluble substances including alpha-tocopherol and polar compounds.
The fatty acids that make up the triglycerides are mainly: oleic acid, a monounsaturated present for 55-86%, linoleic acid which represents 2.7-20%, saturated palmitic acid present between 6.30 -21% and stearic acid, also saturated, present for 0.32-5.40%.
The minor compounds present in EVO oil, which in any case play a fundamental role both from the point of view of sensory and nutritional qualities, are terponoids, alkaloids, phenolic compounds and polyphenols.
Among all these, the polyphenols deserve to be mentioned, produced by the plant itself to protect itself from possible pathogens, they give the fruit and therefore the oil a lot of stability by acting as flavourings, coloring agents and antioxidants.
The phenolic compounds instead, with high nutritional and sensorial properties, characterize the shelf life of the product; in addition to being powerful antioxidants, they can give the oil a slightly bitter taste with a pungent note due to the presence of the lingustriside polyphenol.

Medicine has been studying olive oil for centuries, trying to understand how it can positively influence our health. The scientific researches that have followed are innumerable and all have shown how it is able to intervene in a positive way both on our heart and on our brain.

Property of Oil Licinius

• It is essential for weaning the infant as a source of essential polyunsaturated fats.
• As a friend of the heart, it protects the cardiovascular system by reducing LDL cholesterol.
• It helps the brain by slowing down cognitive and brain aging.
• Counteracts cellular damage with anticancer activity.
• It is a precious ally of our beauty.

Olive oil, as well as other unsaturated fats, protects our heart from heart attacks and strokes. The confirmation comes from researchers who have studied the behavior of a protein present in these foods which is able to block the formation of platelet agglomerates which could lead to thrombosis and therefore to heart attacks, strokes and death.
The news comes from researchers at St. Michael's Hospital who have analyzed the behavior of the plasma protein ApoA-IV or Apolipoprotein A-IV. The levels of this protein increase in the blood after digestion, in particular, after the digestion of foods rich in unsaturated fats such as EVO oil. The researchers explain that this protein is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and inflammation precisely because it is able to inhibit platelets from aggregating; platelet agglomerates can also cause blockages that prevent regular blood flow and lead to thrombosis and a greater risk of death.
This protein seems to play a controversial role: on the one hand it is useful for our heart because it reduces the risk of thrombosis on the other, it still allows platelets to aggregate together, saving us from possible bleeding.
The same study showed that Apolipoprotein also has its own circadian rhythm which makes it more active during the night. "Mother nature wants us to sleep, so we are protected by this protein when we sleep," the researchers explain.

Another important study has shown that EVO oil, in addition to protecting the heart, is also able to act on our brain, protecting us from the risk of stroke.
The research, which was attended by more than 7,000 people with an average age of over 65 and without any history of stroke, highlighted with data collected over a good 5 years that people who regularly consume EVO oil were more protected from the risk to develop a stroke compared to those who did not use it: "the regular use of EVO oil reduced the probability of stroke by 41%. A particularly significant figure because the research took into account physical activity, body mass index and diet. We recommend the daily use of EVO oil as part of a healthy and balanced diet and not to exceed 3 tablespoons per day.

In November 2011, EFSA (Euporean Safety Authority) released a claim that derives from the daily ingestion of 5mg of polyphenols as protective agents against LDL from oxidative damage. A cause-effect relationship is therefore identified between the consumption of olive oil polyphenols and LDL protection. Oleocanthal polyphenol has been shown to have pharmacological properties, acting positively, with various mechanisms, on inflammatory diseases.