Cecile Van Berkum

Advantages of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Health Care and Sports Cecile Van Berkum

Cecile van Berkum has spent almost ten years in the fascinating world of olive oil. What is extra virgin olive oil? What are its health effects? What is the environmental impact of its production? Cecile learned there are not too many people who can and will share the whole story. Extra virgin olive oil keeps us healthy and fit. An intake of three spoons a day in a Mediterranean diet reduces the chance of having a heart attack and of becoming obese. It improves cholesterol balance and protects against dementia. Research also shows that shifting to a Mediterranean diet significantly reduces our ecological footprint. Hundreds of scientific studies document the health effects of extra virgin olive oil. However, to benefit from these effects, it is essential to know what to look for in buying your olive oil. Because the more "extra" a virgin olive oil is, the better is is for your health. This book tells it all. Its focus is on sharing objective information and the book is as honest as your olive oil should be. Offering Mediterranean food with good extra virgin olive oil in hospitals, schools and catering would significantly reduce the costs of health care systems. From the example of professional cyclists at Team Sunweb, the book demonstrates how any athlete can benefit from extra virgin olive oil. From the tree to the bottle, from the doctor to the nutritionist and the cook: this book covers a wide range of topics in a coherent framework. The references provide direct links to the (scientific) sources to enable further explorations.