The basis of Mediterranean diet is olive oil, which is a good source of monounsaturated fat. Its magic lies in the plethora of health benefits it has to offer. The benefits were for the first time mentioned by "father of medicine" Hippocrates. Recent research has now provided firm proof that Mediterranean diet is generally healthy and consuming olive oil can actually help lower harmful LDL cholesterol. Olive oil contains antioxidants that discourage artery clogging and chronic diseases, including cancer.

Olive oil is rich in vitamins A, thiamine (B1), Riboflavin (B2), C, D, E and K and iron. Olive oil acts as a mild laxative, is a friend to the intestine and an enemy of ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil is a good tonic, with specific benefits for people suffering from heart disease.

Olive oil has been regarded as the "beauty oil". The body's cells incorporate the valuable fatty acids from the oil, making arteries more supple and skin more lustrous. The amount of oleic acid in olive oil is about the same as that found in a mother's milk and is thus the best growth supplement for infants.

Drunk before a meal, olive oil protects the stomach from ulcers. It is also effective in treating urinary tract infections and gall bladder problems. It is a perfect remedy for gastritis in children; it accelerates brain development and strengthens the bones. Olive oil dissolves clots in capillaries, has been found to lower the degree of absorption of edible fats, and consequently slows down the aging process.

Olive oil is cholesterol-free.