Olive oil and Health Elias Castanas University of Crete, School of Medicine, Heraklion, Greece

Leading Causes of Death for All Males and Females United States: 2001 A Total CVD B Cancer C Accidents DChronic Lower Respiratory Diseases EDiabetes Mellitus FAlzheimer’s Disease Source:CDC/NCHS.

Change in the US Death Rates* by Cause, 1950 & 2001 * Age-adjusted to 2000 US standard population. Sources: 1950 Mortality Data - CDC/NCHS, NVSS, Mortality Revised Mortality Data–NVSR-Death Final Data 2001–Volume 52, No Heart Diseases Cerebrovascular Diseases Pneumonia/ Influenza Cancer Rate Per 100,000

Epidemiological data Epidemiological studies indicate the role of olive oil in health promotion, especially in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases

Epidemiological data

Food consumption in a small town Kroussonas 1999

Epidemiological data

Chemistry of Fatty acids Saturated Mono-Unsaturated Poly-Unsaturated Oxidized

Chemistry of Triglycerides

Fatty Acid Composition of Different Oils

Constitution of olive oil Fatty acids 1. Oleic (C18:1) 2. Linoleic (C18:2) 3. Linolenic (C18:3) 4. Arachidonic (C20:4) 5. Palmitoleic (C16:1) 6. Palmitic (C16:0) 7. Stearic (C18:0)

Olive oil constitution Other ingredients Vitamin Α Vitamin Ε Provitamin Α –α-caroten –β-caroten Phytosterols Saponins Coumarins Dithiones Indols Terpens Isoflavones Polyphenols Phylic acin Proteases inhibitors

Effect of Olive oil on cell function Replacement of saturated fatty acids from cell walls (better cell plasticity) Import of antioxidant microconstituents (ex. Vitamin A, Vitamin E) and decrease of oxidized lipids. Replacement of oxidized lipids from vessel walls.

Atherosclerosis

Detection of oxidized proteins in vascular endothelium

Detection of oxidized proteins

Experimental data

Population Studies Antioxidants and Atherosclerosis

Population Studies Antioxidants and Cancer 1 Hertog et al. Nutr. Cancer 22, , 1994 ; 2 Goldbohm et al. Am. J. Epidemiol. 141 (Suppl) s61, 1995; 3 Knekt et al. Am. J. Epidemiol. 146, , 1997

Flow-chart of transformations in the agro-alimentary industry conservationpretreatment primary transformation mixing of materials secondary transformation (cooking, extraction, etc) Conservation methods Conditioning and storage Raw Material Finalized Product

Olive Oil

Features of the Mediterranean Diet MediterraneanWestern Conviviality+± Frugality (Cost)+- Diversity++ Culinary know-how++ Nutritional Equilibrium+- Health effects+-

Culture Primary Economy Natural Products Non-transformed or slightly transformed products Finances Technology Luxurious Products Mediterranean Countries Northern Countries Economical flow among countries Agro- alimentary

Factors affecting the penetration of olive oil in non-consuming countries Positive Variety of products Nutritional value Cultural status Health effects Negative Cost Nutritional habits of the country Cultural level-history