Abstract
Olea europaea L. fruit is a peculiar vegetal matrix containing high levels of fatty acids (98–99% of the total weight of extra-virgin olive oil, EVOO) and low quantities (1–2%) of phenolics, phytosterols, tocopherols, and squalene. Among these minor components, phenolics are relevant molecules for human health. This review is focused on their beneficial activity, in particular of hydroxytyrosol (HT), oleuropein (OLE), oleocanthal (OLC), and lignans found in EVOO, olive oil by-products and leaves. Specifically, the cardioprotective properties of the Mediterranean diet (MD) related to olive oil consumption, and the biological activities of polyphenols recovered from olive oil by-products and leaves were described. Recent European projects such as EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) and EPICOR (long-term follow-up of antithrombotic management patterns in acute coronary syndrome patients) have demonstrated the functional and preventive activities of EVOO showing the relation both between cancer and nutrition and between consumption of EVOO, vegetables, and fruit and the incidence of coronary heart disease. The data reported in this review demonstrate that EVOO, one of the pillars of the MD, is the main product of Olea europaea L. fruits; leaves and by-products are secondary but precious products from which bioactive compounds can be recovered by green technologies and reused for food, agronomic, nutraceutical, and biomedical applications according to the circular economy strategy.
Highlights
IntroductionExtra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), extracted physically from the fruit, is known for its nutritional properties and health effects, especially against cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)
Olea europaea L. is a fruit tree native to Asia Minor and Syria, which today is cultivated in the entireMediterranean area; nowadays, the major producers of olives and olive oil are Spain, Italy, and Greece.Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), extracted physically from the fruit, is known for its nutritional properties and health effects, especially against cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)
NF-kB translocation in monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages sampled from healthy subjects
Summary
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), extracted physically from the fruit, is known for its nutritional properties and health effects, especially against cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). These properties are due Nutrients 2019, 11, 1776; doi:10.3390/nu11081776 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients. Nutrients 2019, 11, 1776 to the presence of high levels of fatty acids (98–99% of the total weight of EVOO), in particular of monounsaturated acids such as oleic, as well as of other valuable components like phenolics, phytosterols, tocopherols, and squalene even if present in low percentages (1–2%). EVOO, and not all seed oils, has a high percentage of fatty acids with a correct balance of unsaturated fatty acids stabilized by minor polar compounds, with an antioxidant character [1].
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