11 Olive Oil Benefits And Uses You Must Know About

Ever wondered what something as simple as olive oil can be used for? Olive oil benefits are many and here are 11 olive oil benefits and uses you must know about.

Olive oil was referred to as liquid gold in the ancient world. It is extracted from olive and has become popular the world over. It is produced from pressing whole olives. From using it in the kitchen to finding its ways to the beauty closet, olive oil is nothing short of sheer magic.
Supermarkets are filled with various types of olive oils. But do you know that apart from cooking, olive oil can be used in many different ways. There are multiple olive oil benefits for your hair, skin, and overall health as well.
Add it to your favourite salad, use it as an ingredient in a DIY body scrub, or using it as a makeup remover, there are so many ways that olive oil can be useful in everyday life.

Types of Olive Oil

There are various types of olive oil, depending upon the flavour, shelf life, and texture. Although most types are suitable for cooking, there are a few types of olive oils that are not fit for edible consumption.

Given below are the 4 main varieties of olive oil –

1. Virgin Olive Oil – Virgin olive oil is the most popular variety. It has low acidic content and is most commonly used in cooking. It is quite affordable.
2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil is made by cold-pressing olives. It is considered to be the most premium form and the best for your body. But because of the cold press techniques, the price goes up making extra virgin olive oil rather expensive.
3. Pure Olive Oil – Pure olive oil is an amalgamation of refined and extra virgin olive oil. It is high in acidic content and is unsuitable for use.
4. Lampante Oil – This particular type is not fit to be used in cooking and is used only as a fluid.

Olive Oil Benefits for Skin 

There can be different olive oil benefits for skin. These may include:

1. Can be Used as a Make-up Remover 

Why spend a bomb of makeup removers when you can simply use the multipurpose olive oil. All you need is some olive oil (preferably extra virgin) and cotton balls. The main advantage is that you’re removing makeup and at the same time moisturising your skin as well.
It is very effective in removing pesky waterproof eye make-up that you always struggle to get rid of. Dip a cotton ball in olive oil and massage all over your face. It’ll break down all your make-up. You can use a tissue to wipe it off or wash it using a mild cleanser.

2. Moisturises Skin

Invest in a bottle of extra virgin olive oil and use it to massage all over your body. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants and has a high vitamin E content. It’ll penetrate deep into your skin and moisturise it. The best part is that olive oil suits all skin types.
For those who have dry skin type, olive oil is one of the best body lotions. The light texture makes it perfect. It gets absorbed easily, is not greasy yet highly moisturising at the same time.
You can also use olive oil as a serum if you have dry to very dry skin. Take a few drops and rub it in your palms. Dab it all over your face, followed by a light night cream.

Here are some easy DIY olive oil face packs:

Olive Oil and Oats Face Pack 

1. Mix 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 egg white + 1 tbsp oatmeal + 1 tsp lemon juice to form a smooth paste.
2. Apply it evenly all over your face and neck.
3. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then wash off with cold water.

This pack is perfect for those with oily skin. It is beneficial in regulating oil production in the skin. Use it once a week for effective results.

Olive Oil and Yogurt Face Pack

1. Mix 1 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp plain yoghurt + ½ turmeric powder to make a smooth paste.
2. Apply it on your face and allow it to dry for 15 minutes.
3. Wash off with lukewarm water.

Turmeric has antibacterial properties and will help fight acne, olive oil will moisturise your face, and yoghurt will act as a natural skin conditioner and will lighten the skin as well.

3. Softens Cuticles and Helps Nails Grow

If you are someone who is battling rough cuticles then using olive oil would be helpful. Massage your hands, especially cuticles with olive oil at night regularly and say goodbye to dry rough cuticles. Rightly said that olive oil can give any hand-cream a run for its money.

Apart from giving you soft and supple cuticles, olive oil also helps in nail growth. It is rich in vitamin E which gets easily absorbed into your skin and helps in growing your nails. If you have brittle nails that chip easily, then make use of olive oil. Dip your nails in olive oil for about 20 minutes once a week and you’ll see visible changes.

4. Nourishes Skin

It is rich in antioxidants, which helps in anti-ageing. Using olive oil in homemade face packs is a great way to nourish your skin.
You can delay signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles by using olive oil. Using a body scrub enriched with olive oil will help get rid of dead skin cells and nourish your skin from deep within.

Olive Oil and Sea Salt Scrub 

1. Mix olive oil and sea salt in the ratio 2:1.
2. You can also add a few drops of lemon juice to it.
3. Apply this mixture all over your body and massage in circular motion.

While sea salt will get rid of all impurities and dead skin cells, olive oil will moisturise your skin to keep it soft and supple.

Olive Oil Benefits for Hair

The different olive oil benefits for hair include:

1. Keeps Hair Healthy and Shiny
Olive oil is a natural conditioner. Use it regularly for massaging your hair before shampoo and you’ll notice a difference. It’ll add a natural shine to your hair, and make them soft and manageable.

Biotin benefits for hair are quite popular, but olive oil too has many benefits for hair. If you’ve always dreamt of having luscious long hair, then olive oil can be greatly beneficial. It’ll moisturise your hair and reduce irritation on the scalp.

Olive Oil Hair Mask 

1. Mix ½ cup olive oil + 2 tbsp honey +1 egg yolk to form a thick paste.
2. Apply all over your hair and leave it for 20 minutes.
3. Wash it off with lukewarm water using a mild shampoo.

Olive oil will moisturize your hair, honey will rejuvenate your hair, and egg yolk will provide strengthen your hair and give a naturally radiant glow.

Olive Oil Benefits for Health

Olive oil benefits for you overall health may include:

1. May Reduce Risk of Type 2 Diabetes 

Research shows that olive oil is beneficial in protecting against type 2 diabetes. Studies have linked olive oil’s beneficial effects in insulin sensitivity and blood sugar.
Including olive oil in your daily diet would help keep your blood sugar in check.
A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated that consumption of olive oil may reduce the risk of diabetes in women.

2. Protects Against Heart Diseases 

For a healthy heart and healthy life, it is useful to include olive oil in your daily diet. Choose a premium quality olive oil for maximum benefits. In a study, it was revealed that olive oil helps in lowering blood pressure, which is one of the main causes of heart diseases.
Extra virgin olive oil lowers inflammation, improves the functioning of the lining of blood vessels, and also prevents clotting.

3. Relieves Constipation

Olive oil is a great remedy for constipation. It helps the colon and the entire gastrointestinal tract. The consistency and texture of olive oil help it to stimulate your digestive system making food pass smoothly through the colon.
As mentioned above, olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats. This helps in increasing the mobility of the food so that it can easily pass through the colon. Olive oil also helps speed up the bowel movement, which in turn prevents constipation.

Although taking raw olive oil does maximum benefit, but if you don’t like the taste, you can mix it with a juice.

• Mix 1 tbsp olive oil in one glass of orange/ apple juice and drink it on an empty stomach every morning.
• Mix 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp lemon juice. Drink this mixture once every day to treat constipation naturally.

4. Treats Depression

We all have our share of ups and downs and mood swings. Instead of resorting to medication, trying food items that have antidepressant properties is a good idea. Olive oil benefits your mental health by supporting the treatment of depression.
Consumption of olive oil increases the level of serotonin, a brain chemical. This has similar effects to that of some anti-depressants.

5. Helps Control Cholesterol

Lowering the level of bad cholesterol in your body is highly recommended. You can do this by consuming olive oil. Olive oil is rich in mono and polyunsaturated fats. It is this property that gives olive oil the ability to keep bad cholesterol under check.
In fact, olive oil has the highest level of monounsaturated fat, about 75 – 80%. This helps it to build HDL and good cholesterol in our body.

6. Can Help Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease. It is characterised by joint pains and deformed joints. The disease is usually caused when the normal cells of the body are attacked by the immune system.
Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties. Using olive oil supplementations can improve inflammatory markers and reduce oxidative stress in people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. It can help reduce joint pain and swelling.

Conclusion

The beneficial effects increase manifolds when olive oil is combined with fish oil. Fish oil is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids which also have anti-inflammatory properties. Olive oil is loaded with nature’s goodness and including it in your daily diet will help you stay healthy. Cook up your favorite pasta with it, drizzle it over a fresh salad, or just add it to a hair pack for beautiful looking hair! Olive Oil also helps in weight loss. Buy olive oil online or from a supermarket near you and start using this liquid gold.