ABSTRACT
The extraction and use of olive oil has been linked to Mediterranean culture and history since
4000 BC. Several terms used today are reminders of this ancient heritage. For example, the Latin
words olea (oil) and olivum (olive) were derived from the Greek word elaia. As a dietary note,
olive oil is high in nutrition, and appears to have positive effects in the prevention and reduction
of vascular problems, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and even some types of
cancer [1].
