They have evolved over the centuries developing a powerful natural resistance system also thanks to their high content of polyphenols.
These are the same polyphenolic compounds found in freshly squeezed extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), mainly hydroxytyrosol , the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet for a long and healthy life.
The importance of polyphenols
Polyphenols are a family of substances produced by the secondary metabolism of plants, in which they perform a defense function against parasites and pathogens. An aspect that has been particularly studied concerns their antioxidant action, they are in fact substances capable of protecting the body from oxidative processes due to free radicals.
In particular, one of them, hydroxytyrosol has an effect on the cardiovascular system by playing an important role in the inhibition of oxidative stress.
Hydroxytyrosol is among the most powerful natural antioxidants currently known.
Many studies show that hydroxytyrosol exerts a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system by playing an important role in the inhibition of oxidative stress.
Precisely hydroxytyrosol, due to its hydrophilicity, is found in smaller quantities in the oil where it acts against rancidity as a stabilizer, but in high quantities in the olive vegetation waters.
Well-documented studies confirm its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant properties and its health benefits.