The Use of Olive Oil in the Various Stages of Life

Including olive oil in the dailydiet brings numerous benefits, although inordinate use is totally discouraged especially for those who need to follow a diet low in calories and fat. For those who need to keep cholesterol under control, on the other hand, olive oil consumption is indicated within certain limits, but the benefits also involve reducing the risks of developing certain diseases such as atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Other potential benefits derived from the consumption of olive oil as a condiment relate to the prevention of various types of cancer, including colon cancer, as well as other diseases affecting the gastrointestinal system and diabetes itself. Some studies, moreover, seem to highlight the usefulness of olive oil in protecting artery and heart health.

In addition, seasoning foods with olive oil used raw can be a valuable remedy to combat constipation and constipation due to its laxative potential.

Read Also: Olive Oil and Natural Remediesi

The quality of an olive oil depends on many factors: the cultivar, the condition of the olive tree and fruit at the time of harvest, the technology followed in production, harvesting and extraction, and storage conditions.

To achieve the highest quality and organoleptic specificity, state-of-the-art technologies are used, without forgetting local traditions and specificities.

Olive Oil in the various ages of life

Here are the main life stages to consider:

• Infant feeding and weaning
• Feeding in pre-school and school age
• Nutrition in the adult
• Nutrition in the elderly
• Nutrition in pregnancy and lactation

Let us now go on to analyze each of them in detail:

Infant feeding and weaning

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an indispensable food in children’s diets and should be introduced from the very early stages of weaning, that is, as early as around 6 months. Extra virgin olive oil, in fact, contributes to bone formation, the process of myelination of the brain and growth; it is, in addition, an excellent aid for immune defenses.

Extra virgin olive oil is preferable for baby’s meals because it is obtained from the first pressing of olives using mechanical techniques and not through chemical processes. In addition, its acidity level does not exceed 1 percent: that is, during pressing, only one particle in a hundred of a fat (oleic acid) is released from glycerin, a naturally occurring alcohol.
And it is precisely the free oleic acid that is harmful. Then there are commercially available oils specially designed for the feeding of young children. They have a delicate taste, are prepared from selected olives and supplemented with vitamins A, D, E, and B6, substances that are useful for the growth of the little one.Oil is important first of all because it promotes the assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins, that is, they are dissolved only in fat. Without fats, therefore, the body could not use many vitamins taken in through fruits and vegetables.

Oil is also useful for facilitating bowel function: thanks to its emollient abilities, in fact, this food makes stools softer, thus facilitating evacuation. Consumed from the earliest years of life, the oil helps prevent circulation disorders that can appear in adulthood, thanks to the fatty acids (in particular, monounsaturates) it contains.

Tips for mom

• Use olive oil to season baby’s first meals, starting from the beginning of weaning. The ideal amount for the baby is one to two teaspoons as a topping for vegetable broths, baby food or soup.
• Always add olive oil raw: only in this way do the nutritional characteristics of the product remain completely unaltered. In addition, raw oil is more easily digested. It is good, therefore, to add it only after cooking, once the gruel has been poured onto the plate.

Feeding in pre-school and school age

For a child, feeding is not only about satisfying a biological need, but is a moment rich in affective, psychological and relational values.
Proper nutrition, an essential prerequisite for harmonious and optimal growth, must take into account the different stages of life, characterized by evolving nutritional needs and physiological and behavioral skills.
In early childhood, the tastes and eating habits that will form the eating style of adulthood begin to be structured, so cultivating correct eating habits by all family members is essential to direct the child toward a healthy eating style.

In the period from 2 to 4 years of age, transitioning from kindergarten to preschool, the child may be reluctant to dietary changes and have a poor aptitude for new taste experiences. At this stage, the child will eat only one food and then reject it and move on to another that becomes his or her favorite.
During this period, sweet or salty foods should be avoided to get the child to eat, as the habit of palatable foods may adversely affect the construction of eating habits.

If we add extra virgin olive oil to our recipes we will fill up on essential fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) that are very important in forming the structure of cells, especially those that are developing.

Feeding in the adult

Dietary maturity involves proper diets that must become lifestyle choices, style. Wrong choices risk consequences in future years. What diet to follow, with what caloric intake, how to distribute calories throughout the day. Here is what everyone should know by heart. Daily eating should always follow good rules, barring natural exceptions or digressions on special occasions (but even celebrating with food requires rules). At this time, olive oil is the staple of the diet.

In adults, the oil performs a valuable function in decreasing bad cholesterol and maintaining good cholesterol, thus contributing to the protection of arterial vessels and the heart. Added to this is an emollient action on tissues and functions in protecting gastrointestinal mucous membranes and digestive regulation.
But what really makes extra virgin olive oil unique in its nutritional properties is the large amount of Vitamin E, which is an antioxidant. There is a large amount of it in this oil because it is cold-pressed (below 27°) and because the olives are picked when they are half-ripe.
For these very reasons, in the countryside, many elderly people still take a tablespoon of olive oil a day!

Nutrition in the elderly

As the body ages, bone and muscle mass (lean mass) decrease, while fat mass increases. This is a natural tendency that proper nutrition can successfully hinder, however. Keep in mind, however, that at this stage of life, nutrition is also related to various factors (loneliness, lack of physical activity, mental state, economic availability, chewing problems, etc.).
However, due to its digestibility, laxative power, and genuineness, olive oil can counteract lack of appetite, reduce digestive difficulties, and promote the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

In fact, with aging there is a loss of digestive capacity and poor absorption of nutrients, primarily vitamins and minerals. Olive oil is the most digestible and stomach-absorbable fat, and it also has a mild laxative function that helps to combat constipation, which is very common in the elderly. In conclusion, then, olive oil can be consumed widely both cooked and raw: if it is raw it is even better, because it has many more vitamins and antioxidant substances. It is especially suitable for combining with and flavoring vegetables, which are rich in vitamins and minerals.

To limit the onset of any diseases and to improve one’s overall health, it is important thatnutrition in the elderly is healthy and balanced. It is never too late to change one’s habits for the better and start working toward achieving a new, healthier lifestyle.

Choose healthy, fresh and wholesome foods to put in your cart, such as:

• Seasonal vegetables of different varieties (green, red and orange)
• seasonal fruit
• cereals, preferably whole grains
• Low-fat dairy products, including milk, yogurt, cheese and/or soy drinks
• Protein, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas) and nuts, seeds and soy products
• Extra virgin olive oil, in controlled quantities.

Nutrition in pregnancy and lactation

During pregnancy, the average woman needs about 300 extra calories a day-nothing better than two large tablespoons of olive oil. The rest must be protein. After all, essential fatty acids (contained in olive oil) and protein are the best building blocks for the baby that will come into the world.

Extra virgin olive oil, is the most similar food to breast milk. It has a similar composition of essential fatty acids and the same percentage of linoleic acid (omega 6), making it an irreplaceable food for nerve fiber myelination and brain development. It is well digestible and helps both gastric and intestinal function, preventing constipation.

Breastfeeding is therefore a very important phase in the life of a new mother. Taking care of her body as well as her nutrition is vital. That is why there are some foods that should never be missing from the day of a mother breastfeeding her baby. Some foods are essential for the well-being of both mother and baby. Certainly a mother going through the delicate time of breastfeeding is supported by supplements, but there are in particular foods that should never be missing from a breastfeeding mother’s diet.
These foods are, of course, rich in vitamins, properties and substances that not only help the new mother feel more comfortable but more importantly give energy and support the baby who takes all the substances that the mother takes in.

Read also: The Beneficial Effects of Olive Oil on Digestion

Posted by:

Alfio Lo Conte

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Tecnico ed esperto degli oli extravergini di oliva, iscritto nell’Elenco Nazionale sezione Campania. Maestro di frantoio con diploma, conseguito presso International Extravirgin Agency.

Read more articles by: Alfio Lo Conte