Olive oil is a healthful ingredient both in cooking and many beauty care products. This oil has many benefits for the body, but overly processed products will cause the health potential of olive oil to decrease.
Features
Traditionally a Mediterranean product, olive oil is made by chemically or mechanically extracting the oil from olives. Chefs and scientists consider extra-virgin olive oil, the oil extracted during the first press, to be the healthiest and best tasting.
Diet
Olive oil is one of the healthiest oils to cook with because it contains a high level of monounsaturated fat. "The World's Healthiest Foods" notes that "a study published in the 'Medical Science Monitor' reported that 2 tablespoons a day of olive oil added to an otherwise unchanged diet in 28 outpatients, ranging in age from 64 to 71, resulted in significant drops in total and LDL cholesterol."
Skin
Olive oil has been an ingredient in lotions and soaps for thousands of years. According to Natural Skin Care Secrets, olive oil can "promote a smooth, radiant complexion, help maintain elasticity of skin, and heal dry, brittle nails and soften cuticles."
Hair
Hot oil treatments are a classic way to restore shine and softness to hair. Of all the oils, organic, extra-virgin olive oil is one of the best you can use. Applying warm olive oil to wet hair thirty minutes before shampooing can result in soft, shiny hair.
Tips
When you purchase olive oil, look for organic extra-virgin. Organic oil won't contain the pesticides and chemicals other oils do, which is important whether you're eating it or letting it absorb into your skin. Also search for olive oil that is cold-pressed. This means the extraction process was low-heat, resulting in a higher-quality, more natural oil.
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