Discover why extra virgin olive oil has been at the heart of healthy Mediterranean living for thousands of years.
With grocery shelves full of refined oils and highly processed foods, understanding and finding healthy food can feel complicated. Extra virgin olive oil is different. It is simply 100% the natural juice of fresh olives, cold pressed without chemicals, which keeps the flavor, the polyphenols and the monounsaturated fats that were already in the fruit.
Unfortunately not. Can it be part of a healthy diet and a healthy life? Absolutely.
Hippocrates - Greek physician and father of Western medicine. - is supposed to have said "let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." He almost certainly didn't: the line appears nowhere in his writing. But people have wanted him to have said it for about two and a half thousand years, which tells you something on its own.
The facts
One of the more striking facts about the Mediterranean diet is just how much more Olive Oil is actually consumed. The average Greek gets through about 13 litres a year and that’s about 10X the quantity eaten by US and UK citizens.
But the real insight isn't just how much fat is being eaten. It's the quality of the fat. EVOO is good fat.
HEALTHY HEARTS
Olive oil is the most-studied fat in the human diet, and the evidence is unusually consistent. If you're interested in it, here are some of the more significant findings, with the design and size of each study and a link to the paper.
The PREDIMED trial followed 7,447 people at high cardiovascular risk in Spain, randomly assigning them to a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil, the same diet supplemented with...
Harvard researchers followed 92,383 American nurses and health professionals for 28 years. Those consuming the most olive oil — around half a tablespoon a day — had a 19% lower...
Harvard researchers followed over 90,000 people and examined them for signs of dementia. Those eating at least 7 grams of olive oil a day — about half a tablespoon —...
A 2025 review pooled 15 clinical trials covering 2,477 adults, comparing a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil against control diets. It found significant reductions in C-reactive protein and interleukin-6...
Oliváki is a food, not a medicine. This page summarizes published research on olive oil and on Mediterranean eating patterns. It is general information, not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Where a finding comes from an observational study we've said so - those show association, not cause. If you have a medical condition, or are managing your diet on medical advice, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing it.
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- EMMA VEITCH-GEORGE
In a word: Taste, freshness and love. OK that's 3 words but every bottle of Oliváki is the result of hundreds of thoughtful decisions made to protect its flavor, freshness and natural goodness. From harvesting early and cold extracting within hours to sourcing from a single certified organic family estate, every detail is carefully considered to create an exceptional extra virgin olive oil.
Oliváki is made to be enjoyed every day. Take it as a shot, drizzle it over salads, vegetables, pasta and grilled meats, use it for dipping fresh bread, or add it to marinades and dressings. Oliváki makes everything taste great. It's also perfect for roasting, baking and everyday cooking.
Yes. Oliváki is produced on a single certified organic family estate in southern Greece, where the olives are grown without synthetic pesticides or chemicals. We are currently working to get it certified in the US and UK so we can display it proudly on our labels.
Harvesting early means producing less oil, but far better oil. Young green olives create a fresher, more vibrant flavor and naturally contain higher levels of beneficial polyphenols.
Many people consider extra virgin olive oil to be a true superfood. While "superfood" is a marketing term rather than a scientific one, few foods have been studied as extensively. Rich in natural polyphenols and healthy fats, extra virgin olive oil is a key part of the Mediterranean diet and is associated with a wide range of health benefits.
Rich in natural polyphenols and healthy monounsaturated fats, extra virgin olive oil can help nourish beneficial gut bacteria, which play an important role in digestion, immune function and overall well-being.
Not necessarily. Although extra virgin olive oil is high in calories, research suggests that when enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet, it is not associated with weight gain. In fact, in the Mediterranean diet here extra virgin olive oil is a key ingredient is linked to maintaining a healthy weight and supporting overall well-being.
There isn't a single recommended daily amount for everyone, but many health experts suggest enjoying 1–2 tablespoons (15–30ml) of extra virgin olive oil each day as part of a balanced diet. That is 8 litres per year - strangely almost exactly what the Italians do and way less than the Greeks.