Spanish Olive Oil School in London

London based Olive Oil lovers and enthusiasts are in for a treat!!

An Olive Oil venue, The Spanish Olive Oil School, has just opened in London. Mar Fernandez, originally from sunny Malaga has followed her passion: she has created a venue for learning, tasting and buying extra Virgin Olive Oil in the United Kingdom.

You couldn’t ask for a better olive oil ambassador.

Spain is the world’s largest olive oil producer, and much of it is high quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Mar is a Certified Olive Oil expert who completed her studies at University of Jaen (Spain) in 2016 and became a Certified Expert in EVOO tasting.

We wanted to know more about Mar and the Spanish Olive Oil School so were delighted when she agreed to tell us about her new venture.

Can you tell us a little about your background, and what triggered your love for olive oil?

I have always loved cooking ever since I was a child and living in Malaga I was surrounded by olive trees. But it all started when I was diagnosed with Diabetes type 2 back in 2011. The doctor recommended three things; to start taking extra virgin olive oil, to follow the Mediterranean diet and to exercise regularly. I began studying more about olive oil, and got hooked on the product and all its possibilities.

I first studied in Madrid and later on in Cordoba & Jaen with Experts Tasters and doctors.  I also met lots of professionals with in- depth knowledge on the subject, and this triggered me to learn more. I finished my studies in December 2016 at the University of Jaen,and became a Certified Expert in Olive Oil Tasting.

You now live in the U.K, not a producer of olive oil, a country which has only recently discovered extra virgin oils. Do you see that as a challenge? What have you noticed as regards to eating habits and using olive oil in the U.K?

When I came to London 6 years ago, I noticed there weren’t many good extra virgin olive oils from Spain in shops, and there was lots of misconception about the product and the subject. As London is such a cosmopolitan city you can find EVOOs from Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, etc, and we’ve seen the people here are open to tasting new varieties and discover its healthy attributes. Little by little consumers are becoming more health conscious and want to use EVOO in their diets: they want also to appreciate the improved taste in food as well as   their well-being. Fast food is still a habit though vegetarians and vegans are more conscious of their options and the challenge is to educate the public to change towards healthier eating and lifestyle. We’ve got a big job to do!

How important is learning to taste olive oil for the general public?

We’re introducing our participants to flavours, aromas, and textures that they’ve never seen or experienced before, so it’s a big and fun task. It’s key to appreciate the ingredients, and each variety tastes different so it can be an amazing experience learning which one pairs with your porridge, salads, soups, chips, pulses, vegetables or meat & fish! You’ll never see anyone cooking fish with butter in the Mediterranean countries, and we even use EVOO very often for baking purposes.

We’re also teaching them how to find defects and avoid fraud by learning its attributes.

You have some exciting plans for the Spanish Olive Oil School; can you give us a few details of what we can look forward to?

We want to educate and share our knowledge.   We will tailor our program to adapt to each audience - from chefs to nutritionists, importers, foodies, schools/ colleges and the general public. We have an introductory course set up, an advanced one for those with some knowledge as well as tasting workshops.  This means we have something for everyone however knowledgeable or not they are!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Join us at the Olive Oil School and learn about this interesting, exciting and ever- expanding world culture of olive oil.  

Mar Fernandez(left ) and Elena Garcia her business partner (right)  from The Spanish Olive Oil  School                                          

Thank you Mar and Elena and best of luck for this exciting project.

5 Good Reasons for Considering Organic Wine

Swirling, Sniffing and Sipping Organic Wine from Provence: why wine drinkers are switching

                                                         

                   

          

      

       

Looking for a gentle way to say goodbye to the summer, I finally took time to discover our very own Maison des Vins here in Provence.  Home to around  800 red, white and rosé wine from the Côtes de Provence, this is where wine producers showcase their produce and an excellent way for wine lovers like me to taste and appreciate fine blends of Côtes de Provence wine.

What I found refreshing during my session with the resident oenologist was the choice and taste of organic (bio wine in France). Up to now, I had not paid much attention to organic wines but I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised at the fresh taste and wanted to find out more about organic wine here in France.

  Here are 5 good reasons why you should take organic wine more seriously:

    

1.       Winemakers make the switch because they realize the damage that constant use of pesticides   causes to their domaines. Chemicals rob soil of their natural properties. Today, more and   more vintners are seriously making an effort to protect their domaines and the environment.Organic grape farming requires grapes to be organic which means no chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides but using instead 100% natural products.

                 

2.      Farmers are the first victims of the substance intensive-based agriculture. If it’s that harmful to them, it must also be unhealthy to us. It takes three years for them to convert their soil from traditional grape growing too organic.

3.      The organic wine industry is growing considerably In France.  According to Agence Bio, the French Governmental body for organic affairs, French households bought nearly 800 million euros of organic wines in 2016. 

4.      Wineries that make organic wine have to follow specific guidelines not only in the vineyard but also in the vinification process. To get the certified organic label in France winemakers turn to organizations such as Ecocert which ensures that all European regulations are met.

5.   French households bought nearly 800 million euros of organic wines in 2016. More organic  wine is available these days; it’s easy to opt for healthy organic wine not only in supermarkets but also in restaurants.

One thing is clear, more and more of us are keen on a  healthier lifestyle and thankfully, we are paying more attention to the environment. Don't you think these are  perfect reasons for taking organic wine seriously? Wine drinking should always be a pleasure and if we pay attention to our beautiful planet, even better!!

The First National Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting Team Championship in France

Tasting skills of olive oil enthusiasts to be assessed in Provence 

France will be hosting its first ever national olive oil tasting competition September 16 in Lançon-de-Provence, an exciting event for olive oil producers, growers, and olive oil enthusiasts. The country might not be known as a big olive oil producing country, but France’s exceptional terroir produces sublime extra virgin olive oil and what better way to encourage excellence in extra virgin olive oil?

The main organizing committee for the competition Savantes, The Association FrancaiseInterprofessionnelle de L’ olive (AFIDOL) and Cécile Le Galliard creator of  Jus d’Olive are understandably thrilled to be a part of this exceptional competition where the main focus will be on the olive oil tasters and not  on extra virgin olive oil.

Founder and Director of Savantes Simon Field from Australia will be working together with the organizing team to oversee the championship: The Savantes tasting program is recognized worldwide also for its marketing program for extra virgin olive oil.  Also assisting in the competition will be the technical team whose task is to ensure the highest technical standards.

Tasting Teams

The organizers say they hope to ‘create a relaxed atmosphere around olive oil,’ they say they would like the teams to enjoy a pleasant day surrounded by other olive oil enthusiasts.

Cécile Le Galliard, French olive oil expert  says enthusiastically: “We have been planning and working hard to prepare this event since last year. We have 15 teams registered. “

She says that participants do not have to have to be experts on olive oil tasting to take part that they should relax and enjoy the day.

The tests

The first test will test each participant’s knowledge individually.

The second test will be a team effort where each team will be given the same blend of extra virgin olive oil.  Points will be given for correct identification of the given oil.

Test 3, also a team effort involves analyzing 6 six monovarietal numbered samples from 6 producing regions.

The setting up and organizing of this competition at Château Virant in Provence is a tremendous achievement, a superb opportunity for French olive oil enthusiasts to test their knowledge and to discover new extra virgin olive oil. What’s great about this sort of event is that that participants will be discussing that primary method of describing olive oil – the flavor of course.

                                         Olive Oil expert Cécile Le Galliard judging olive oil at a recent competition


Credits: terraolivo Jeruslame 2017

5 Things you should know about Oleocanthal in extra virgin olive oil

Have you heard of Oleocanthal?  Here are the basics about the extraordinary virtues of this olive Oil component. 

    --  Oleocanthal is an antioxidant discovered purely by chance when an American researcher Gary            Beauchamp was invited to participate in an olive oil symposium in Sicily in the  90’s.

-- Oleocanthal is what causes that sting, the peppery sensation in the back of your throat when you swallow olive oil neat. Oleocanthal comes from the purist of olive oil: if it stings a little the olive oil contains little oleocanthal but if it stings a lot, it contains a good deal of oleocanthal.

-- Oleocanthal has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties similar to ibuprofen. Oleocanthal like ibuprofen inhibits production of the two enzymes that cause arthritis. This is good news for people with arthritis when you think that over two million people in the US alone suffer from the disease.

        -- Research studies by Professor Amal Kaddoumi on mice show that oleocanthal leads to reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by an accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau proteins in the brain. Her  experiments were conducted on mice, but she says “What we see in animals we can see in humans.”

-- These are only two health benefits of Oleocanthal. Researchers keep finding more health benefits every year. They say we should include a daily dose of extra virgin olive oil in our diet every year-- around three tablespoons say the experts.

The International Oleocanthal Society

The discovery of oleocanthal made such a buzz amongst researchers and health professional that they formed a society the International Oleocanthal Society(IOS)  comprising of scientists, nutritionists, dieticians and chefs meeting regularly not only for research but also to promote and raise awareness of how oleocanthal can make a difference.

The Society met in May this year. This is what Professor Kaddoumi reported:

The International Oleocanthal Society in Malaga 2017

 The meeting in Malaga was great and exciting for multiple reasons. First meeting and come to know new people who share similar interest as mine in relation to olive, EVOO and oleocanthal in addition to other phenolic compounds in EVOO. Also, it provided the opportunity to build collaboration with other scientists in this field.  What I found really interesting in this meeting is having olive oil. 

The authors of 7 Wonders of Olive Oil were delighted to receive a gold

diploma, an award for their work on Olive Oil. Thank you to the International Oleocanthal Society for this recognition.

Gazpacho: Healthy, Nutritious and perfect for summer

I  love watching friends and family tucking into a healthy nutritious dish. And even better when it's made with fresh vegetables and olive oil.

 Try Gazpacho, the Spanish soup made in advance and served cool. 

It’s summer time here, scorching hot and like you, the least time I spend in the kitchen in front of a hot stove the better.

I make my gazpacho with lots of tomatoes; tomatoes that are scientifically proven to be full of antioxidative properties: they contain lycopene as well as other carotenoids.

You might not have heard of carotenoids, but they are known to protect us against cancer as well as heart diseases. 

 You need three main vegetables, and, of course, wonderful healthy extra virgin olive oil for gazpacho.

Three main vegetables for Gazpacho

Make sure also that you wash your vegetables well; we very often don't spend enough time doing this.

You will need a good blender for this recipe; it will save you time and energy.

Here’s what's required  for 4 – 5 servings of Gazpacho;

About 8  medium sized  tomatoes cut into quarters 

1 clove garlic       

Four tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Two tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1 peeled  cucumber (half   for the soup and the other half for garnishing) 

1 chopped  green pepper (Bell pepper)

1 small onion

½ teaspoon salt

A few drops of Tabasco sauce and a few basil leaves (optional)

Ice cubes or cold water

Simply put all the vegetables into your blender together with the vinegar and salt and blend until you get a nice smooth mix. Then add the extra virgin and Tabasco. Blend again for another couple of minutes and place the covered bowl in the fridge for a few hours.

Before serving, add some cold water or ice cubes – you don’t want your gazpacho to be too thick.

You can also serve some  chopped vegetables either mixed together or served separately (cucumber red and green  pepper)

Some homemade croutons complete this truly lovely soup.

                                          Bon appétit.

Why Everyone's Making the Switch to Bag in Box

Boxed Wine is here to stay, even in France where the Bag in Box competition took place in March.

No one thought that buying wine in a box would be so successful. Wine snobs fretted when they were first introduced refusing to believe you can buy decent wine in a box. Thankfully, they’re finally getting over their shame. Bag in box (BIB) is so successful in France that they even have a yearly competition, great incentive for national and international winemakers.

 Bag in Box competition has done even better this year.

Held for the third consecutive year in Toulouse, south-west France even more boxes were on display this year – 384 samples entered this year representing 16% more than last year.  Good to see too is the foreign participation: entries this year came from South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, and the US.

Judged for Quality, not for the boxes in France's Bag in Box Competition 

Winemakers get rewarded for the quality of their wine. No silver or bronze medals but a 'Best Wine in Box award' which will give them added value when the wines go on sale in supermarkets and other retail outlets. At this year’s competition, 123 judges tasted, discussed and gave 113 awards.

 More and more popular

Thankfully the stigma of buying and offering boxes of wine is on the way out. You should no longer be looking at boxed wines as being subpar. The quality of wine sold in boxes these days are much more superior to that of 6 years ago.

Here’s why you should be buying your wine in a Box:

There’s no pressure to finish off the bottle

Once open, you can easily store your box in the fridge. Here in Provence, nothing beats a chilled Rosé on a hot day. Thanks to the airtight seal there’s little oxidation so my red and rosé wine can last a couple of weeks.

More value for money

Buying bottles of wine is more expensive than buying boxes. As a consumer, I appreciate this difference in price.

The environment

Bottles carry a bigger carbon footprint than boxes.

If you care about the environment and shrinking your carbon footprint, you will look more carefully at eco- friendly measures you can adapt on a daily basis.  Think of the packaging involved in buying 6 or 12 bottles of wine – all those bottles, all the material to separate the bottles.

The technology behind bag in box has vastly improved over the years. If like me you enjoy a glass or red with dinner, your boxed wine will last much longer sitting in its lovely box in the fridge.

Judging with full concentration  at Wine in Box competition 

What Behavior Pattern do you Show when you Drive?

Staying calm and zen on the road  is our responsibility

We were driving in a quiet country lane, enjoying the scenery when my friend turned to me with a pointed question: 

“Why do you people in the south get so angry and selfish at the wheel? Embarrassed, I fumbled for an answer but couldn’t find one. 

She had noticed the tailgating, the lack of indicating, and the aggressive, pushy behavior of some drivers here. The driving style wasn’t exactly road rage she said but “undisciplined.”

I had to admit, she was right. This set me thinking of our driving behavior, not only in the South of France but everywhere.

Why do we display certain behavior patterns when we drive?  

Our impatience and aggressivity towards other drivers come because of the following:

  

     Stress

When the pace is hectic, we become stressed. We’ve got our jobs to do, kids to pick up, bills to pay-  limited time for a multitude of tasks. These might well be reasons for some of the stress of everyday life but they’re certainly not worth taking risks when driving.

      Personal Issues

Ask yourself the following question “Am I frustrated when I drive”. Listen also to feedback from your family. If the answer is yes, then look for what is really bothering you and attend to those issues. Don’t let these situations pile up, deal with the issues instead. Driving is challenging enough, don’t let the road be the place to vent your frustration.

Busy Roads in the South of France

Driving here during the holidays can be trying, a real test of nerves even if you consider yourself a  patient driver. Brace yourself for long delays on days the French call 'les jours de grand departs', days when the French leave the big cities for their holidays. What you need to know is that holiday rentals start from Saturday to Saturday so simplify your life by choosing your holiday dates wisely; one way to avoid aggressive and impatient drivers. 

Four ways to avoid conflict with other drivers

• Don’t get mad at the other driver; you don’t know why he or she is angry. Even if you are in the right, don’t inflame the situation. It won’t get you anywhere, just let it go calmly, it’s not worth getting a ticket over someone’s rude behavior.
• Breathe in deeply, breathe out and then scoop your abdominal muscles in towards your spine and concentrate on keeping them there just as your Pilates teacher taught you. Even better, you can meditate or scream. You are in a car so no one will hear you. The car is one of the few places you can scream, shout and holler.
•  Listen to some inspirational music or sing loudly.
• If it was your fault show consideration and remorse by mouthing “I’m sorry” and waving.

Let’s face it; driving is more stressful than taking public transport, especially now that our roads are more congested. Brake, the UK Road Safety Charity defines it well “Driving is a complex task, requiring full concentration and a calm attitude.”

Analyzing our driving behavior can only improve our attitude and well being.

Incorporate Lemons into your daily Mediterranean Lifestyle for Inner Beauty

You know that lemons are a valuable source of vitamin C, that’s it’s an antioxidant and good for your health. However, you might not know the following:

Freezing lemons

Yes, to save time you can freeze whole lemons and keep them in the freezer. Wash them and freeze them whole.  The zest is just as good as the juice so next time you do your weekly shop for vegetables and fruit, make sure you buy an ample supply. Simply grate the frozen lemon over your sauces, soups or use in a marinade – it’s that simple.

Start the day with a hot lemon drink.

Even here in the South of France, you can still get winter blues. Okay, we do have a bit more sunshine than the north of France, but we still need to boost our energy levels, making sure we get the right nutrients into our system and beat those dreaded winter blues. This is where the humble lemon comes in. Besides gently waking up your digestive system, you activate the liver; it functions correctly, getting rid of unwanted toxins.

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a cup of hot water; add a teaspoon of honey and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Have this before breakfast and make it a routine; it’s an ideal way to wake up your liver with a good dose of vitamin C and to start your healthy daily intake of extra virgin.

Shadows and Dark Rings

Stress, genetic factors, and lack of sleep can cause dark circles under your eyes sometimes called bags under the eyes. You’ll come across home remedies such as cucumber and tea bags, but did you know you can use a mixture of olive oil and lemon as well?

Mix two tablespoons of olive oil with the juice of half a lemon. Using a cotton ball apply on the eyes, press lightly on the dark circles for about five minutes, then rinse. Lemon is known for its skin lightening properties, while olive oil hydrates the skin

Massage Oil

Nothing beats a massage to make you unwind and feel relaxed. Here’s massage oil you can use at home. Start by putting 200 ml (7 ounces) of olive oil in your massage bowl; add the juice of one whole lemon and eight drops or so of lavender oil, the essential oil recognized for its calming and relaxing properties. It is ready to use.

Stop that itching

You don't have to put up with skin rashes and eczema - try pure lemon juice on the area, it will soothe and give relief to your itchy skin.

And did you know that August 29 is National Lemon Day? Don't wait for that day to celebrate, let every day be a lemon day.

Full of goodness, a lemon a day is the way to go for perfect cleaning and cleansing.

These are some of the home remedies in chapter 6 of 7 Wonders of Olive Oil.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com France

Familius.com

BarnesandNoble.com

Target.com

BooksaMillion.com

Amazon.com (UK

Understanding the Label and Buying Extra Virgin

Once you understand the label, buying extra virgin becomes easy

How often have you stood in front of a row of extra virgin olive oil, bewildered by the choice and confused by the labels? Don’t worry, you are not alone. The wording manufacturers use is not always easy to follow, the bottles come in various sizes, different colors, some with impressive sounding labels such as ‘lite olive oil.' Mandatory information such as provenance, quantity, and company brands are clear but how can we be sure of the quality of the contents, what does lite olive oil signify? 

As consumers, we scrutinize the label because we want to buy the best olive oil especially now that we are more aware of the health benefits and the organoleptic aspects of extra virgin. Buying the right olive oil, however, is not easy these days because of complicated phrases, confusing terminology and besides, we are put off by the alarming increase of fraud in the olive oil world.

Phrases like ‘packed in Italy’ or ‘bottled in Italy,’ do not mean that the oil was made in Italy, or that it was made from Italian olives. Often too, a label claiming that the oil is extra virgin is nothing but cheaper oil sold at the same price as good quality extra virgin olive oil or even worse, blending cheaper low grade oil with refined olive oil and passing it off as fresh olive juice.

To safeguard these fraudulent practices and to protect the consumer, The International Olive Oil Council has enforced strict standards for their member countries - this account for 98% of the world’s olive oil supply. Most non IOC members also have established norms and practices to ensure that the contents live up to what the label says, regarding chemical and organoleptic standards.

Things were different a few years ago when olive oil was mostly a Mediterranean product and a Mediterranean way of life, but. EVOO has become a global product present in 150 countries. Because of the considerable increase in olive oil consumption with new markets and new producers all over the world, it is important to protect consumers with common regulatory statements: compulsory declarations relating to bottling and selling all types of olive oil everywhere.

If you can, it’s best to buy from a reputable producer, but this is not always possible. That is why it is vital to study the label paying close attention to the compulsory statements; it is the best guarantee that you are getting the real thing.

Look for two magic words on the display panel – extra virgin

Ignore any bottles labeled 100% pure olive oil, light olive oil or any such terminology.  Pick up instead one, which says extra virgin, the two words that tell you that this is the highest grade of olive oil, made without any added chemicals and that that the producer took extra care during the extraction process to keep the temperature at below 27° or lower. This is sometimes labeled as “First cold pressure.” It means that you are getting the maximum nutritional and organoleptic qualities. Heat matters because although excessive heat yields more oil, the quality becomes inferior when it is processed this way. The Extra Virgin label also tells us that only the best olives were used, that the oil was laboratory tested and that it meets the required chemical and organoleptic standards. It is in the best commercial category approved by IOC.

Following closely behind the extra category virgin is the description of the category, also a mandatory statement:

  “Virgin olive oils are the oils obtained from the fruit of the olive tree solely by mechanical or other physical means under conditions, particularly thermal conditions; that does not lead to alterations in the oil, and which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation, and filtration.”

Check the dates

The second important thing you should look for is the ‘best before date’ or the ‘harvesting Date’.  Shelf life can be variable, and though some producers might give an optimal ‘use by date’ or say ‘preferentially to two years,' a lot depends on the olive variety. The harvesting date is probably most useful for consumers but bear in mind that you need to think about how the oil was stored in the supermarket, all factors which play an important part in the lifespan of olive oil. Remember that the younger the oil, the better it is for your health and don’t buy oil that is more than 18 months after harvest time.

Check for the origin of the olives   

The label is a kind of contract between the producer or the bottling enterprises and the consumer. The source of the fruit and the geographic region for some consumers serve as a guarantee of quality; they like to see the clear direct path right up to the production process. However, if the identification of the supplier is necessary, the origin of the fruit is not always mentioned.  In most cases, the supplier is not the person who owns the olive plantation. One example is Italy, one of the world’s major 

importers of olive oil. Surprisingly, much of the fruit comes from orchards in Spain, Greece, and 

Tunisia. 

Also, Italians consume some of the oil imported into Italy, but much of it is blended, packed

and re-exported.  New legislation laws in Europe now protect consumers with a more detailed 

traceability chain, regulations that stipulate either the origin of the olives or the place of harvesting to 

to be mentioned on the label.

This is an extract from 7 Wonders of Olive Oil.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com France

Familius.com

BarnesandNoble.com

Target.com

BooksaMillion.com

Amazon.com (UK

be mentioned on the label.

5 Things Women should know about heart disease.

Looking after our hearts should be our top priority. Here's why:

1.       Heart disease is a number one killer of women. World Heart Foundations says cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for two million premature deaths per year. CVD kills more women than cancer, tuberculosis, HIV/Aids and malaria combined. 

2. According to doctors, women do not have the same symptoms as men, they don’t have the classic chest pains, but instead they feel fatigue, nausea, indigestion and shortness of breath. As women we have to take more care with our health: this means reducing our risk factors.

3. Women have the same risk factors as men – smoking, diabetes, cholesterol and family history. On top of that women have additional factors as well; notably menopause, pregnancy obesity, and stress.

4. Broken Heart Symptom is a recently recognized heart condition brought on by stressful situations. This is a temporary situation suffered mostly by women caused by a sudden surge of stress hormones recognized by shortness of breath and chest pain.

5. Scientific studies carried out over the years show that adhering to a Mediterranean diet can reduce our risk of cardiac disease.

Understanding Heart Disease Today 

The celebrities in their stunning red dresses parade elegantly down the runway. They were there to present the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” Red Dress collection, a colorful event which took place at the department store Macy’s in February 2016.

The gathering of top models, designers, and celebrities wanted to show their support and to help raise awareness of cardiovascular disease, an illness that affects 44 million women in the United States. Wearing red for this disease is the obvious choice because red stands out and is the color associated with our hearts.

Women suffer more than men from diseases of the heart, and the only way to bring down these high figures is by education. The American Heart Association asks women everywhere to wear red every first Friday in February; it is a ritual they say is beginning to bear fruit, as 90% of women have made at least one healthy behavior change. In the UK, the statistics are also high; the country observes National Heart Month in February as well. 

With more heart awareness taking place worldwide, women are now checking their cholesterol, increasing their exercise, and making lifestyle changes to prevent cardiac events from happening

We’d all like our blood to be freely flowing through our bodies, but blood vessels can sometimes get obstructed, and when they do, they can wreak havoc. If blood flow to the brain is not progressing correctly, the body suffers a stroke—a brain attack that disrupts the abilities related to the affected part of the brain; it can come on suddenly, causing numbness, sudden confusion, and dizziness. 

Strokes occur when a clot (a fatty deposit) blocks the artery in the brain. Equally serious is a heart attack, which causes damage to the heart’s muscles when vital oxygenated blood cannot get to those tissues.

This, too, is mainly due to a blood clot, blocking the coronary artery supplying blood to the heart. We are familiar with blood clots; we can see the sticky blood cells appear whenever we injure ourselves and form a scab over the cut. That is how the body responds to injury. However, what we do not want are those clots in our blood vessels.

An extract from Chapter 7 of the book  7 WONDERS OF OLIVE OIL

• Amazon.com
• Amazon.com France
• Familius.com
• BarnesandNoble.com
• Target.com
• BooksaMillion.com
• Amazon.com (UK)

THE 7 WONDERS OF OLIVE OIL

The 7 Wonders of Olive Oil was  released  January 10,  2017

Introduction.

A beautiful French woman, Jeanne Calment, lived to be 122 years old. Toward the end of her life, when asked the secret of her longevity and her relatively youthful appearance, she had two words: “olive oil.” This supercentenarian French lady was alert right until the end of her life.

    Olive oil, our gift from Mother Nature, has always been praised by dietitians, nutritionists, and medical researchers worldwide. They say, “Olive oil is good for your health and well-being.” Today, consumers are more health conscious. More curious than ever, they want to understand the medical research behind the health benefits, they need to know how they should be taking this monounsaturated fat, and, most importantly, they want to understand why they should include extra-virgin olive oil in their daily diets. 

Countless studies on the different health benefits of olive oil have been discussed over the years, and scientists are constantly discovering more. We could not include all these research projects, but what we discuss in The 7 Wonders of Olive Oil is based on interviews with the researchers involved in the studies, published research carried out in laboratory studies, randomized clinical trials, and observational studies. 

Without being too academic, we describe health conditions and show the extraordinary work and positive results that scientists have achieved so far.

    In order to fully grasp the work of these researchers, consumers need to understand olive oil. What you’ll find in 7 Wonders—in addition to the astounding health benefits of olive oil—is a comprehensive guide to extra-virgin olive oil, how it’s made, and the different types of olive oil available, as well as tips on storing and cooking.

Excellent olive oil comes from excellent fruit. This is one of the first things we as olive oil enthusiasts have come to appreciate more and more. We also realize that even though olive oil is one of the oldest products in history, not many people understand the basics of olive oil production, what a well-balanced extra-virgin olive oil should taste like, or, equally important, the practical side of buying, storing, and cooking with olive oil. This book answers all of these questions.

 Three major sections:

   

Part I

Part 1  looks at the history of the Mediterranean culture, followed by a description of olive oil processing. It covers harvesting and milling, looking at some of the choices modern-day producers have to face—questions such as when the best time to pick the olives is and whether or not producers should filter the oil. We conclude this section by discussing the complicated business of fats and how olive oil is different from other oils. 

Part 11

  Part II is a more in-depth study of the healthful characteristics of olive oil. It describes the research into the nutritional, medicinal, and cosmetic values of olive oil. We show you through scientific discoveries that olive oil is a therapeutic agent fighting diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s and why it is so important to incorporate this gift from Mother Nature into our daily diets for health and beauty. Dr. Oreste Gualillo, one of the scientists whose findings contributed to this book, sums up the value of this research: 

 Natural products have been used for thousands of years for the treatment of many diseases and pathological conditions. Thus, nature is a vast source of bioactive molecules from terrestrial and marine environments. Many of these natural products have gone on to become current drug candidates. The era of modern pharmacology is the result of man experimenting by trial and error for hundreds of centuries through palatability trials or untimely deaths, searching for available foods for the treatment of diseases. 

What he means by this is that Nature has been providing the necessary ingredients for healthful living since the beginning. We are just using the elements that she offers to us to find healing.

Part 111

In Part III, we offer you practical advice and information to help you figure out what it is that you should look for when purchasing olive oil. Food magazines and cookbooks say you should be using olive oil in the kitchen, but the choices in the supermarkets these days are overwhelming. As consumers, you want to understand the tricky business of labeling, especially when olive oil quality and authenticity are being questioned. This final section explains why you should not reject oil just because it causes a sting at the back of your throat and how to store your oil once you buy it.        

      

The olive oil world has changed over the years. Olive oil keeps making the news, attracting the attention of people from all walks of life—from health-conscious baby boomers to nutritionists and medical experts.

   

 “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” said Hippocrates, fifth-century Greek physician and philosopher, considered by some the “father of medicine.” How right he was! But today, we are afflicted by a plethora of noncommunicable diseases, the leading cause of death worldwide and a new challenge for all global health policies. If only we could put Hippocrates’s advice into practice.

More than anything, we want this book to be inspiring, to show you that the humble olive fruit produces a most powerful natural oil that can make a significant difference to our health.

Here are the links to order The 7 Wonders of Olive Oil.

• Amazon.com
• Amazon.com France
• Familius.com
• BarnesandNoble.com
• Target.com
• BooksaMillion.com
• Amazon.com (UK)