Olive
From ilmpedia
One of the foods to which attention is drawn in the Qur'an is the olive. Research in recent years has revealed that the olive is not just a delicious food but also represents an important source of good health. In addition to the olive itself, olive oil is also an important source of nutrition.
Allah says in the Holy Qur'an : "And a tree that grows on Mount Sinai which provides oil and enjoyment for those who eat it." (Qur'an 23 : 20).
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References in the Qur'an
Attention is drawn to the oil of the olive tree in these terms in the Qur'an (in Surah Nur):
"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The metaphor of His Light is that of a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp inside a glass, the glass like a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, its oil all but giving off light even if no fire touches it. Light upon Light. Allah guides to His Light whoever He wills and Allah makes metaphors for mankind and Allah has knowledge of all things." (Qur'an, 24:35)
The expression "mubarakatin zaytoonatin" (translated as blessed) in the above verse describes the olive as being "plentiful, sacred, auspicious, providing countless blessings." Olive oil, referred to in the term "zaytuha," is known as one of the most highly recommended types of oil by all experts, especially for coronary and arterial health.
Allah says, "And by it He makes crops grow for you and olives and dates and grapes and fruit of every kind. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who reflect."(Qur'an, 16:11)
Benefits
When olive oil is used as a balm, it fortifies the hair and the limbs and delays old age. Drinking the oil is beneficial in cases of poisoning. It keeps the bowels on the move, soothes pains, expels worms, as well as having many other uses. All balms weaken the stomach except olive oil. The best kind of olive oil is known as Infaq.
The green olive is cold, dry and very nourishing. It fortifies the stomach, stimulates sexual activity and counteracts the effects of vapours. The black olive is hot and dry. It generates spleen and is bad for the stomach. Salty olives are good for the burns caused by fire. Chewing the leaves from an olive tree is very good for thrush, rodent ulcers, herpetic eruptions and urticaria.
Immune System
Olive oil has been shown to strengthen the immune system.
Bruno Berra of the Institute of General Physiology and Biological Chemistry, University of Milan said concerning olive oil :
"The minor polar components of extra virgin olive oil increase significantly the resistance of LDL to oxidation."
A.A. Rivellese, G. Riccardi and M. Mancini of the Institute of Internal Medicine and Metabolic Diseases at Federico II University, Naples said:
"Olive oil prevents insulin resistance and ensures better control of the glucose in the blood."
Patrizia Galletti of the Second University of Naples, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery:
"Dietary intake of olive oil polyphenols may lower the risk of reactive oxygen metabolite-mediated diseases such as some gastrointestinal diseases and atherosclerosis. Olive oil hydroxytyrosol protects human erythrocytes against oxidative damage."
Frank Sacks of the Harvard School of Public Health:
"An olive-oil-rich diet is more effective than a low-fat diet in controlling and treating obesity. Moreover, it leads to longer-lasting weight loss and it is easier to keep to..."
Heart Disease
Studies have shown that people who consumed 25 milliliters (mL) - about 2 tablespoons - of virgin olive oil daily for 1 week showed less oxidation of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of antioxidant compounds, particularly phenols, in the blood.
But while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, extra virgin olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed.
Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the healing fats. Most people do quite well with it since it does not upset the critical omega 6 to omega 3 ratio and most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually an omega-9 oil which is monounsaturated.
Colon Cancer
Spanish researchers suggest that including olive oil in your diet may also offer benefits in terms of colon cancer prevention. Their study results showed that rats fed diet supplemented with olive oil had a lower risk of colon cancer than those fed safflower oil-supplemented diets. In fact, the rats that received olive oil had colon cancer rates almost as low as those fed fish oil, which several studies have already linked to a reduction in colon cancer risk.
Types of olive oil
Generally, olive oil is extracted by pressing or crushing olives. Olive oil comes in different varieties, depending on the amount of processing involved. Varieties include:
Extra virgin - considered the best, least processed, comprising the oil from the first pressing of the olives.
Virgin - from the second pressing.
Pure - undergoes some processing, such as filtering and refining.
Extra light - undergoes considerable processing and only retains a very mild olive flavour.
The oil that comes from the first "pressing" of the olive, extracted without using heat (a cold press) or chemicals, and has no "off" flavors is awarded "extra virgin" status. The less the olive oil is handled, the closer to its natural state, the better the oil. If the olive oil meets all the criteria, it can be designated as "extra virgin".
"Pure" olive oil is made by adding a little extra virgin olive oil to refined olive oil. It is a lesser grade oil that is also labeled as just "olive oil" in the U.S.
"Light" olive oil is a marketing concept and not a classification of olive oil grades. It is completely unregulated by any certification organizations and therefore has no real precedent to what its content should be. Sometimes, the olive oil is cut with other vegetable oils.
Comparison with other oils
Hype is put out by traditional medicine regarding the promotion of canola oil (rapeseed) as superior due to its concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil is far superior and has been around for thousands of years. Canola oil is a relatively recent development and the original crops were unfit for human consumption due to their high content of a dangerous fatty acid called euric acid.
If the taste of olive oil is a problem, or if one is frying or sautéing food, then the right alternative is coconut oil. Nutritionally misinformed people would consider this unwise due to coconut oil's nearly exclusive content of saturated fat. However, this is just not the case. Because it has mostly saturated fat, it is much less dangerous to heat. The heat will not tend to cause the oil to transition into dangerous trans-fatty acids.
History of Olive Oil
Specialists acknowledge that olive was first a native of the lands of greater Syria (nearly six thousand years ago) before spreading to the rest of the Mediterranean basin. Legend claims that the olive tree made its first appearance in Syria, in the ancient city-state of Ebla.
The kingdom of Ebla is located on the outskirts of the Syrian city Aleppo. During the height of its power( 2600-2240 BC), Ebla dominated northern Syria, Lebanon, and parts of northern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and enjoyed trade and diplomatic relations with states as far away as Egypt, Iran, and Sumer.
The first official documentation regarding olive trees and oil production was found in the archives of the ancient city-state Ebla. It consists of almost 12 documents, dated 2400 BC, describing lands in the property of the king and the queen concerning olive tree plantations.
The archive cites 4000 jars of olive oil being held for the royal family and staff and 7000 jars for the people. As each jar could hold up to 60 kg of oil, the quantities cited in such documentation are impressive: 700 tons of oil and over 1465 hectares of plantations.
The significance of this is realized when it is known that the Akkadian population of Ebla at the time was around 15,000. , which makes olive oil a major industry at the time. The term itself used in Arabic to name the olive (zeitoun) has a very close resemblance to the Akkadian term "zi-ir-tun" meaning Olive. One of the oldest olive oil related archaeological findings are huge jars found in the Ancient City of Ebla, which was filled with olive oil and used for trade with Egypt through the port city of Ugarit.
The cultivation of the olive trees, is one of the oldest signs of civilization in the world. It even preceded writing.
The olive culture, derived from the benefits of olive oil, and the mythology linked to it spread through the Phoenicians to Greece, and from Greece to Rome, and then to the rest of the Western world. In the past few hundred years, the growth of olive has spread to the Americas, Japan, Australia, and South Africa. Nevertheless, until this day around 99 percent of all olive oil still spills from the rim of the Mediterranean.
Ancestral devotion to the olive tree has carried down to later generations converting many into olive oil aficionados. Today, 6000 years after the spread of olive cultivation from Syria to the rest of the Mediterranean, Syrians are still among the leading producers of olive oil (it ranks sixth in olive oil output). The Syrian soil and climate is still as always, the best accustomed for the growth of olive oil. Syrian villages still linked to their past, have definitely got the best know-how of the art of olive growing. This ancient know-how has definitely improved and advanced in time, however, some basics characteristics remain such as the use of natural mechanisms rather than chemical solutions.
Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) recommendation of olive oil
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, used to recommend olives and saffron in cases of pleurisy and he used to say that olives are the medicine of the poor.
'Abdullah bin 'Umar reported that Allah's Messenger peace be upon him said, "Eat olive oil and anoint yourselves with it, for it comes from a blessed tree."
Abu Hurayrah narrates that Allah's Messenger peace be upon him stated, "Eat the olive oil and apply it (locally), since there is cure for seventy diseases in it, one of them is Leprosy." (Abu Naim)
It is also reported that olive oil helps with piles.
Notes
Compiled by Ustadh Luqman al Andalusi
