Olive Oil is all over the place right now. Advocates want us to give it preference as a cooking oil. Health nuts want us to chug it, straight. And now, hard core traditionalists want us to ‘take’ an olive oil byproduct as a daily elixir…
An ancient olive tree that may have been around for hundreds of years. Still producing…
They call it Olive Oil Mill Water (OOMW). And it’s byproduct of the oil-extraction process which, heretofore, has been discarded by manufacturers. But science says it may be the next super-concentrated superfood…
Bountiful health benefits…
Olive oil mill water is a brownish liquid left over after olives are pressed for their oil, and the oil is separated from the other fluids have settled out of the exuded complex.
As we know, the oil is a superfood on its own. But researchers have discovered that the water is also chock-full of nutrients and bio-active substances which are just too good to throw away.
“For years, [OOMW] was seen as a waste product, “says Dr. Pamela Tambini, an internal physician and Medical Director at Engage Wellness. “But it’s now getting attention for potential health benefits, since it’s packed with antioxidants and bioactive compounds that don’t make it into olive oil,”
Clinical proof
Recent studies have shown OOMW contains a wide range of substances including, “polyphenols, plant compounds known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which help the body fight oxidative stress (an imbalance in free radicals and antioxidants that can lead to cell damage) linked to aging, heart disease, and other chronic illness, Tambini says.
In addition, functional medicine physician Dr. Shivani Amin points out, “The acidic liquid is also deemed a nutraceutical since it provides health benefits beyond basic nutrition, helping to prevent or manage disease.”
There are also demonstrated lab results showing promising anti-cancer properties: “It can have a very selective process toward cancer cells,” says Dr. Adriana Albini, a cancer researcher and scientific collaborator at the European Institute of Oncology.
Albini also conducted a study that demonstrated possible beneficial effects on cardiovascular health, cholesterol, weight management, and blood sugar control.
My take
The boosters say, in short, that a shot of OOMW a day could help keep all kinds of afflictions away. And it might just be more palatable for more folks than straight Oil. Add to that, it’s a water-based compound, so doesn’t have the digestive drawbacks of a concentrated oil-based substance.
It’s still early days and OOMW is not being marketed widely, or by major supplement makers. But there’s at least one player in the game, and their website provides a comprehensive look at the commercial side of the topic.
It appears The Olive Mill Water CO. is located in Australia. But they have an online store. And though they don’t say so explicitly, it appears they ship internationally…
~ Maggie J.