NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES OF VIRGIN OLIVE OIL WITH EMPHASIS ON PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS

Foods have been used historically, across cultures and for centuries, in treating disease and curing illness, owing to the role of antioxidants found naturally in foods. Also, it is known that in the process of historical development, virgin olive oil with a high content of antioxidants was consumed not only as food but also was used as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of various diseases, applied by rubbing onto the skin. Olives and the oil extracted from them by physical means are key nutrients in the Mediterranean diet pattern. They contain high amounts of bioactive compounds (polyphenols, tocopherols, phospholipids, carotenoids, chlorophylls, sterols and squalene) and possess high antioxidant potential. The supplementation of diets with virgin olive oil positively affects human health. The main objective of this review is to describe the physicochemical and nutritional characteristics of virgin olive oil and the influence of its physiologically active compounds, with special emphasis on the effect of phenolic compounds on human health