Hydroxytyrosol is a little polyphenol thought to be responsible for
olive oil's anti-inflammatory effects. It was first discovered and extracted
from the wastewater that resulted when green olives were rinsed in the process
of making olive oil.
Hydroxytyrosol’s level of free radical scavenging activity is more than
13 times higher than that of ascorbic acid and about 4 times higher than the one
of grape skin extract. Actually, hydroxytyrosol is considered to be the most
effective antioxidant encountered in nature.
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Its discovery is fairly recent, yet is already being recognized by
scientists for its powerful anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant and
cardioprotective properties. It has long been noted that Mediterranean
countries have lower rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer than other
Western countries.
Since the main ingredient of the Mediterranean diet is olive oil,
researchers began looking for the compound that was responsible for the
anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-lowering effects.
Thanks to hydroxytyrosol’s ability to be rapidly absorbed into the
bloodstream and tissues, its free radical scavenging activity protects the
cells and mitochondria in our body from damage.