Olive oil has been used in the oil burning lamps that played an
important role in the most sacred and religious ceremonies. Olive
oil was among the first products made in the agricultural age of
the history of mankind. It was believed that olive oil was a source
of youth and strength. In ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, a variety
of flowers and herbs would be mixed with olive oil in the preparation
of medication and cosmetics. In the 15th century, Spanish priests
brought olives and olive oil to Central and South America and later
to California.
Until the 1970's, for people not of Mediterranean origin, olive
oil was considered a product for special use. It was considered
an authentic product that was kept in the back shelves of markets,
and was something to be used for sorcery by those from the Far
East.
Since olive oil is used largely in Mediterranean cooking, westerners
only got to know olive oil when they went to restaurants. Thanks
to some researches done in the 1970's, however, olive oil took
attraction. One of the researches showed that people from the
Mediterranean had a lower rate of heart disease than those from
other Western countries. That result was largely attributed to
the role of olive oil in the Mediterranean diet. Thus it appeared
that the use of olive oil until young adulthood contributes to
good nutrition, that in later years it reduces calcium loss and
thus reduced bone loss and helps during pregnancy. The acid from
the oil positively affects cells and the nervous system. Olive
oil is good for strengthening blood vessels and rich in antioxidants.
Because of these reasons, demand for olive oil in Western countries
soared in the 1980's. Consumers decided to eat wisely, to avoid
foods with additives and to choose natural products. As people
discovered healthy eating, olive oil gained more importance.
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