The “Mediterranean Diet” was first popularized by Dr. Ancel Keys who, while living in Southern Italy in the 1950s, came to the realization that mortality from coronary heart disease was very low in the region. But according to a publication titled “Mediterranean Diets” by A.P. Siomopoulos and F. Visioli (eds.), there is a misconception that there is only one Mediterranean diet. In fact, Mediterranean diets include any that encourage high consumption of plant foods rich in antioxidants and rely on olive oil as the principal or exclusive source of fat. It is easy to see why Mediterranean diets have tremendous appeal to Americans who are increasingly exposed to research and recommendations that advocate eating antioxidant-containing plant foods instead of trans-fatty acids.
Research continues to unveil a variety of significant health benefits associated with eating olives. Those benefits include reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and improving joint health. Among the active substances in olives, there are 30 or more polyphenols. One principal polyphenol is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance called hydroxytyrosol. In The Perricone Prescription by Nicholas Perricone, daily ingestion of olive oil is recommended, and hydroxytyrosol is described as a rare and potent protective antioxidant that can slow the aging process in the skin by stabilizing cell plasma membrane.