"Olive Leaf" Great Health Benefits

Olive Leaf "Great Health Benefits"

Ancient cultures had held the olive leaf in high regard. It was a revered symbol of glory, abundance and peace. It was offered to deities and men of power. Leafy olive branches were used as tokens of peace by the ancient Greeks and Romans in times of war[1]. The early Egyptians, on the other hand, regarded the olive leaf as a symbol of heavenly power and they, like other dominant cultures during that time, used the leaves quite extensively because of their observed health properties [2].

Thousands of years may have passed, but the olive leaf and its amazing contributions to good health have not been forgotten. Scientific studies have confirmed their real health-giving power, and the good news is that extracts from this ancient botanical wonder are now available.

Learn more about the history of this amazing leaf and what it can do for your health and well-being.

General Information

The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean region and Western Asia. It is an evergreen with its characteristic gnarled, twisted trunk and dark green oblong leaves that have silvery undersides. Olive trees are cultivated mainly for their fruits from which olive oil is derived and for their leaves as well.

Olives and olive oil are core ingredients of the Mediterranean diet, which is considered as a healthy and ideal diet rich in beneficial phenolic compounds. Olive leaves, on the other hand, are harvested not for food, but for the important compounds they contain that have been proven effective in the improvement of general health. Hippocrates, regarded by many as the "father of medicine", had long recognized the medicinal value of these helpful leaves and was said to have prescribed concentrated olive leaf extracts more than 2,500 years ago [3].

In the 1900s, studies on the olive leaf isolated a phenolic compound named oleuropein, which researchers concluded is the compound that gives the olive leaf its therapeutic power.

Nutrients and Applications

Oleuropein, the major active compound in olive leaf, offers a broad spectrum of health benefits that would make patrons of natural products want to try extracts of this wonderful leaf. Oleuropein helps promote the relaxation of arterial walls, improves endothelial function and helps prevent the aggregation of platelets that can contribute to improved vascular, heart and blood health.

Oleuropein is a powerful antioxidant that aids the immune system. The olive leaf also contains d-lenolate, which stimulates immune cells known as phagocytes.

Olive leaf also contains many health-giving compounds and nutrients such as selenium, chromium, iron, zinc, vitamin C, beta-carotene and vital amino acids. These compounds and nutrients working in conjunction with oleuropein further improve the overall health benefits of olive leaf.

References

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_branch

2. http://mrvitaminsnews.com.au/herbofir-health-you-gettin-the-very-best

3. http://www.prokryon.com/eliminaciondelcanceren12dias.htm

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