vegetable fats and oils, though none as abundant in Oleic acid as . . . Olive Oil
The oil extracted from the fruit of the sacred olive
tree; Olive oil has found its place as a major historical component in cooking, hygiene, and various utility The Culture Behind the Olive
Even as civilizations rose and fell in the region, the olive tree and its golden oil were always at the base of their prosperity and at the heart of their culture Mythological Origins: Egypt
Egyptian Mythology has
It that the goddess Isis introduced The olive tree to the world Mythological Origins: Greece
Greek Mythology attributes
Introduction of the olive Tree to Athena, goddess Of wisdom as her entry Into a contest with Poseidon over the city Of Athens Mythological Origins: Rome
Roman Mythology has it that
The hero Hercules is responsible For bringing the olive tree to Rome From Northern Africa, and the Goddess Minerva is credited for bringing the Knowledge of its cultivation and the Extraction of the precious olive oil Culturally Interwoven
With the olive oil and its ties within mythology, the olive and its tree served a strong cultural purpose The Culture Behind the Olive
In the extremely romantic and poetic society the
was Classical Greece, the Olive tree and specifically its oil was praised for its value
The Greek poet Homer referred to olive oil as
liquid gold
The Greek Philosopher Democritus had said that
a diet of honey and olive oil would make it possible for a man to live to the age of 100 The Culture Behind the Olive
As is its importance, Olive oil has made over 100
appearances in the bible
The deliverance of an olive branch to Noah after
the flood
The wise virgins having their lamps lit with Olive
oil Historically, what was Olive oil even used for? The Historical Uses of Olive Oil
As well as its obvious role supplying valuable calories as a food, olive oil was used in many other aspects of everyday life by the people living around the Mediterranean The Historical Uses of Olive Oil
Both the Greeks and the Romans
Used olive oil to light up dark city Streets
Woman in these cultures also used
Olive oil for their skin and hair, Believing that it made them look Younger and kept their hair Healthy and shiny The Historical Uses of Olive Oil
Greek athletes had thought
Olive oil was key in making their Muscles supple
The Olive tree was seen as a
Symbol of victory and so an olive leaf Wreath and olive oil were given to the Athletes who were victorious in the Olympic games The Historical Uses of Olive Oil
Greek and Egyptian doctors used
The leaves from the olive tree to Treat malaria and fevers
Olive oil itself and the mixtures
created with it were used to treat Cholera, Insomnia, Nausea, and Ulcers What makes the Olive and its oil so special? The Chemistry of Olive Oil
We do not think it too speculative to assert that without oleic acidnamed after the olive and the molecule that differentiates olive oil from other oils or fatsthe development of Western civilization and democracy might have followed a very different path The Chemistry of Olive Oil
Oleic acid is a Fatty acid
Fats and Oils are known as Triglycerides
Triglycerides are formed from a Glycerol
molecule and three molecules of Fatty acids
A Fatty acid is a carbon chain with an acid group
COOH on one end Glycerol Molecule (C3H8O3)
Oleic Acid Molecule (C18H34O2)
The Chemistry of Olive Oil
Glycerol and three Fatty acids come to form a
Triglyceride molecule
A Triglyceride molecule must have at least two
or less Fatty acid molecules be the same
All Fats and Oils have the same Glycerol portion,
it is the Fatty acids that differ from molecule to molecule The Chemistry of Olive Oil
If a Fatty acid is Saturated, then it has the
saturated amount of Hydrogen, meaning there are no Carbon to Carbon double bonds that can be broken to allow for excess Hydrogen
If such Carbon to Carbon double bonds are
present in the Fatty acid, then it is deemed Unsaturated The Chemistry of Olive Oil
If an Unsaturated Fatty acid has one Carbon to
Carbon double bond, it is considered Monounsaturated
If an Unsaturated Fatty acid has more than one
Carbon to Carbon double bond, it is considered Polyunsaturated The Chemistry of Olive Oil
The more Carbon to Carbon double bonds that
are present in an Unsaturated Fatty acid, the less efficient it is at Packing
The less efficient the Packing in a molecule, the
easier it is to overcome the attractions that hold the molecule together, and thus can be separated at lower temperatures The Chemistry of Olive Oil
Triglycerides with a higher proportion of
Unsaturated Fatty acids tend to be liquid at room temperature, we call these Oils
Triglycerides with a lower proportion of
Unsaturated Fatty acids tend to be solid at room temperature, we call these Fats The Chemistry Behind Olive Oil
The Monounsaturated, 18-carbon molecule
known as Oleic acid is the major Fatty acid found in Olive Oil
While Oleic acid is found in many Oils and Fats,
Olive Oil has the largest proportion of Oleic acid as opposed to any other Oil or Fat Fun Fact
It is commonly known now that Saturated Fatty acids
are a leading cause of heart disease, however, in Mediterranean regions where the Unsaturated Olive Oil is consumed, heart disease is observed to be much lower The Chemistry Behind Olive Oil
Another important benefit present in Olive Oil
that most other Oils and Fats do not have is its relatively long shelf life for being an Unsaturated Oil
As the number of Carbon to Carbon double
bonds in a molecule begin to grow, so does a Triglycerides tendency to oxidize - go rancid The Chemistry Behind Olive Oil
Considering that Olive Oil has a much smaller
concentration of Polyunsaturated Fatty acids than most other Oils and Fats, it is lended a much longer shelf life
Olive Oil also contains a small amount of
polyphenols and Vitamins E and K, antioxidants that play a critical role in natural preservation How does the chemistry behind Olive Oil help it relate to everything else? Preservatives, Trade, and the Greek Kingdoms
The natural preservatives present as antioxidants in olives would have been of paramount importance to the oil traders of ancient Greece How The Chemistry Behind Olive Oil Relates To Everything Else
To the Greek Oil traders, the natural
Preservatives found in Olive Oil to be An economic life-saver
When combined with the versatile
And sought after uses of Olive Oil, Greek Traders were able to use Olive Oil as The prime export, allowing them to Bring in metals, spices, and cloth How The Chemistry Behind Olive Oil Relates To Everything Else
This turned the many ports of the
Greek City-States into Maritime hubs And economic powerhouses
The Olive Trees well sutured ability
Grow on steep rocky cliffs made it the Perfect crop to cultivate along the Coasts of Greece Fun Fact Common Roman hygiene consisted of rubbing Olive Oil and sand on the body How The Chemistry Behind Olive Oil Relates To Everything Else
At the decline of the Roman Empire
And the subsequent downfall of the Kingdoms in the mediterranean, Olive Oil itself suffered a downfall of its own
However this was short lived, during
The rise of the European Feudal Kingdoms, Olive Oil was used for a Very new purpose What's this new purpose? Soap!
Olive oil may have been a factor in the collapse of classical Greece, but around the eighth century A.D. the introduction of a product from olive oil, soap, may have had even more important consequences for European society Soap!
The process behind the making of Soap is known
as Saponification
Saponification is the process in which a
Triglyceride breaks down into its Glycerol and Fatty acid components with the use of an Alkali, or Base
Common Bases used in Saponification are
Potassium Hydroxide and Sodium Hydroxide Soap!
With the onset of Plague-ridden
Europe, bathing fell almost out of Fashion due to fear that it was a Leading cause of the plague
Soap however was in high demand,
Used to wash clothes, pots and Pans and even faces and hands With all that said, what's the big idea behind Olive Oil? The Big Idea
But the wealth that olive oil brought to ancient Greece ultimately allowed the development of many of the ideals of that culture that we still value today The Big Idea
In the end, Olive Oil and its wonderful
characteristics was the prime reason Classical Greece was able to reach such an astounding level of development, and thus subsequently led to environment where the ideas such as democracy, self-government, philosophy, and logic were allowed to blossom And with all that said . . . Thanks for listening!