All praise to Allah the Almighty, who Created food for us to eat. Among million of foods exist in the world, many of them are good for the body that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had suggested us to eat them. One of those beneficial foods is olive oil.
The Virtues of Olive Oil in Islam
Olive oil is extracted from the olive fruit and it has become a subject for research in any fields including health and beauty. Yes, many of the virtues of olive oil in Islam are related to those two things.
Allah SWT has said in the Holy Quran:
“And a tree (olive) that springs forth from Mount Sinai, that grows oil, and (it is a) relish for the eaters.” – [Al Mu’minun (23:20)]
In another verse Allah explained:
“Lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east (i.e. neither it gets sun-rays only in the morning) nor of the west (i.e. nor it gets sun-rays only in the afternoon, but it is exposed to the sun all day long.” – [An Nur (2:35)]
Here are the virtues of olive oil in Islam:
1. Preventing Cancer
Numerous research on medical science has proved that olive oil is good to prevent cancer. The constant consumption of olive oil could reduce the risk of breast cancer. More than that, olive oil could protect human’s body from other cancers, such as colon, uterus, and ovary cancer. But the scientific research to prove them are still small.
2. Lowering Death Rates
On a study held in 1999, the poorest country in Europe, Albania, which happen to be a Muslim country has the lowest death rate that year. It was 41 per hundred thousand, which is lower than Britain’s. Thanks to the country’s low income, the people has a very low consumption of meat and dairy products. Instead, the consume vegetables, carbohydrates, and olive oil.
Also read: Importance of Foods in Islam
3. Prevent Stomach Ulcers
A research from Harvard University has shown that unsaturated oil such as olive oil, sunflower oil, and fish oil could prevent the growth of Helicobacter pylori, which grow inside the stomach. These bacteria may cause several stomach ulcer’s issues that can lead to a stomach cancer when it becomes severe. Foods that contain those three oils have a huge beneficial effect to defend the stomach against cancer and prevent the stomach ulcers from reoccuring.
4. Improving Breastmilk Quality
Another study by University of Barcelona shown that olive oil could improve the quality of breastmilk. The study was involving 40 breastfeeding moms whose milk were taken for samples and found that the type of fats that were in the breastmilk was the unsaturated type. It was regarded as the best fats to consume by human being, and it happened to be in the olive oil. For this research, a lot of breastfeeding woman consume a lot of olive oil.
Also read: Eating Habits in Islam
5. Lowering the Risk of Heart Disease
Especially for women, consuming olive oil could lowering the risk of heart disease. It has been revered by the Mediterranean culture. An Italian study found that consuming olive oil during diets resulted in the reduced rates of the risk of coronary heart disease. It also beneficial for men as well, which proven by a study in 2008 that man who consume two ounces of olive oil would reduce the chances of heart attack by 82 per cent compare to those who doesn’t.
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6. Good for Beauty
Olive oil has been one of the must have natural beauty ingredients for women. It’s benefiting for the skin and beauty, such as reducing and curing severe acne on the face. It could also fight blackheads and pimples, by mixing olive oil and salt. It also make lips softer, if you add it to your home made lip balm with beeswax.
Also read: How to Gain Beauty in Islam
7. Protects Blood Cells
Blood cells have a great impact on the body metabolism, thus it played a big part in maintaining someone’s health. Olive oil does the best job to protect both red blood cells and the heart. It specifically protects the red blood cells from oxidation.
8. Improve Memories
It has widely proven by number of research that olive oil is good from the brain. Regular consumption of olive oil can prevent the memory loss. For those with poor memories, especially elder people, consuming the olive oil can even reverse the memory loss which caused by the Alzheimer, a disease that common between elder people.
Also read: Eating Habits in Islam
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9. Improving the Human’s Health
Many research has found that olive oil helps maintain the human’s health and even prevent many of dangerous disease such as cancers, and stomach ulcers. Thus, the consumption of olive oil helps to improve human’s health. Even though they are in a perfect health condition, the consumption is still suggested since it’s very good for the body.
10. Fights the Degeneration Disease
Degenerative disease has to be fought by lots of antioxidants. Olive oils happened to contain many of it, since olive oil has the power to lower the impact of degenerative disease by regular consumption of it.
11. As a Source of Antioxidant
One of the best virtues of olive oil in Islam it is the source of antioxidant. The antioxidant not only beneficial for the health, but also for beauty. As antioxidant prevent the growth of acne and get rid of the bacteria from the skin. For the health, the antioxidant kills number of bacteria inside the body.
12. Making Us Live Longer
Olive oil is undeniably one of the best diet out there. It prevents many diseases, which may increase the live rate of people and making them live longer. In addition to that, Olive oil makes people stay youthful and energize, so that the hardly look old.
13. Good for Food
As it contains good fat, so frying food using olive oil is the best choice. Since the fat is unsaturated one, it less dangerous for the body.
So those are all the virtues of olive oil in Islam. Indeed, anything that has been written inside the Quran as a good thing is good. May Allah SWT always bless and protects us.