When I was just a two year old nipper, hanging onto my mothers apron strings, olive leaf extract was being studied for its ability to lower high blood pressure in mild hypertensives. So it comes as a shock to me that they are announcing it as if it was never known before as being one of the herbal remedies for high blood pressure.
Olive leaf extract is a known vaso-dilator, meaning, it can open up the arteries and allow more blood to pass through.
The Mediterranean diet includes olive oil in many of the recipes because of its healthy status for helping to reduce weight and blood pressure, so, many of us are quite familiar with the health benefits of the olive fruit. The leaf however, bathed in stardom way back during the flood in Noah`s day.
Maintaining its respect throughout the centuries, now it`s centre stage and in the spotlight again with its super ingredient Oleuropein.
A healthy heart is important for a healthy circulatory system and Oleuropein was noted in 1962 by an Italian and other European researchers as being able to lower the blood pressure of animals and increase the blood flow in the coronary arteries, that is, the arteries that supply blood to the muscle tissue of the heart.
But also Oleuropein, this powerful ingredient in olive leaf extract, may act in the relaxing of blood vessels, protect against free radical damage, and as with all anti-oxidants, it can also calm inflammation. Very important in the cardiovascular system.
In fact, would you believe it! Anti-oxidants in Olive leaves were found by the Southern Cross University to be more powerful than vitamin C and E or green tea, and with a higher ORAC value reaching 10,465. Anti-oxidants are vital for helping to protect the cardiovascular system from free radical damage, something we are at risk from more and more as our environment suffers higher levels of pollution.
Are you taking blood pressure meds called ACE inhibitors such as Captopril, Enalapril, Fosinopril or any other? This drug inhibits the production of a substance that contracts the blood vessels and restricts blood flow. Oleuropein does the same thing! It`s an ACE inhibitor too but a natural one.
With all these positive benefits that can help reduce high blood pressure and maintain the cardiovascular system, do you think the humble olive leaf deserves some respect?