Health

Phytoconstituents of foods in the Mediterranean diet have been the topic of various research in recent years for their favourable effects on human health. The typical diet is high in vegetable oils, fruits, nuts, and seafood. The most researched component of Mediterranean diet is without a doubt olive oil, owing to the beneficial characteristics that have drawn its attention. Hydroxytyrosol (HT), the major polyphenol found in olive oil and leaves, has been linked to these beneficial properties in several studies. In several chronic illnesses, including intestinal and gastrointestinal pathologies, HT has been found to modulate the oxidative and inflammatory processes.

One of the most notable anti-oxidants in olives, hydroxytyrosol, functions in a variety of ways. On the one hand, it boosts the body's inherent anti-oxidant power by raising glutathione levels in cells. Increased glutathione levels also steer melanin formation towards the more soluble and lighter pheomelanin. On the other hand, it considerably lightens skin tone by lowering total melanin production. In this regard, hydroxytyrosol-containing olive extracts may have pharmacological benefits in topical and oral therapy for melasma control or as an adjuvant long-term maintenance treatment.

Increased adherence to the Mediterranean food pattern has been linked to a lower prevalence of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative illnesses. One of the components of the Mediterranean diet, and now the most actively researched component, is hydroxytyrosol, a natural phenolic phytochemical with antioxidant characteristics found in olive leaves and oil.