11 Virgin Olive Oil Benefits Both the wild olive (acebuche) and the cultivated olive tree arose in the eastern Mediterranean lands around the Neolithic period, following a series of transformations of the original species that appeared during the Tertiary era. They later spread to the soils on both shores of that sea. As a Mediterranean tree accustomed to variable, and at times demanding, climates, it faces dry and temperate or hot summers, rainy springs and autumns, and mild or cold winters. The olive tree stands out for its remarkable ability to adapt to these changing, and sometimes extreme, environmental conditions. It is always content with the rain that falls and withstands the cold up to a certain freezing point. A resistant, austere, and humble tree, a branch of which, in the beak of the dove of the Greek goddess Irene, seeks to inspire the difficult peace among peoples. Both are also symbols of God’s peace with humankind after the Flood, and of an offer of harmony between enemy combatants. And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. (Genesis 8:6-11) -Holy Bible, King James VersionThe oil has journeyed through the history of humankind, serving multiple purposes, both sacred and profane. Since antiquity, in Egypt, Greece, the Roman Empire, and the Islamic world, it was regarded as a staple food and emblematic of what we now call the Mediterranean diet. Its non-food uses were also of great importance, including medical applications; religious practices (offerings, anointings); prizes (the crowning of champions at the Olympic Games of ancient Greece); anointings (royalty, warriors, and gymnasts; protection against the sun and the cold); body care (after bathing, massages, cosmetics, and perfumes); domestic uses (lighting); and other practical purposes (soap, food preservation, waterproofing, lubrication, or craftsmanship). Small wonder that a traditional Spanish saying highlights its many virtues: “El aceite de oliva es armero, relojero y curandero” (“Olive oil is a gunsmith, a watchmaker, and a healer”.) editor’s preface
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