The conclusion that olive oil is beneficial to health was largely based on the fact that the people and have the highest score on major health criteria and the highest consumption of olive oil, in addition to other positive dietary practices.
But the olive oil that the Cretans used was cold pressed and unrefined. In those days olive oil was a natural olive fruit juice and there were only two types: olive oil, for food; and lampante olive oil that was inferior and was used for lighting the lamps.
Today’s ‘olive oil’ category is a highly refined product deprived not only of its natural flavour but it comes with reduction in water-soluble antioxidants. It is unfortunate that in order to get the real olive oil one has to look for virgin or extra virgin that is very confusing not only to newcomers but also to traditional users of olive oil.
A reasonable assumption suggests that for health benefits and enhanced flavour to materialise, the olive oil must be introduced into the daily diet the same way as the Cretans and other people did.