Olive Leaf

Olive leaf is the leaf of the olive tree (Olea europaea). While olive oil is well known for its flavor and health benefits, the leaf has been used medicinally in various times and places. Natural olive leaf and olive leaf extracts (OLE), are now marketed as anti-aging, immunostimulators, and even antibiotics without any proof of efficacy.

History
Olive leaf extract is derived from the leaves of the olive tree. Recorded use of olive leaf's medicinal use spans back for thousands of years: it was used by ancient Egyptian and Mediterranean cultures to treat a variety of health conditions. Olive leaf is the first botanical cited in the Bible (Ezekiel 47:12) as a natural healer: "The fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine."

Active compounds
The primary medicinal constituents contained in unprocessed olive leaf is believed to be the antioxidant oleuropein and Hydroxytyrosol, as well as several flavonoids including Oleocanthal. Both Mission and Manzanillo olive trees are most commonly cited for medical use, as other varieties of olive tree are better suited for olives and olive oil production.

Nutritional and medicinal uses
Olive leaf and extracts are utilized in the complementary and alternative medicine community for its ability to act as a natural pathogens killer by inhibiting the replication process of many pathogens. More specifically, it disables infections long enough for the immune system to eliminate them and prevent pathogens from spreading.

Olive leaf is commonly used to fight colds and flu, yeast infections, and viral infections such as the hard-to-treat Epstein-Barr disease, shingles and herpes. Olive leaf is also good for the heart. Olive leaf has shown to reduce low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or bad cholesterol. Researchers have found that olive leaf lowers blood pressure and increase blood flow by relaxing the arteries.

Olive leaf harbors antioxidant properties that help protect the body from the continuous onslaught of free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances that, when oxidized, can cause cellular damage if left unchecked. Some recent research on the olive leaf has shown it’s antioxidants to be effective in treating some tumors and cancers such as liver and breast cancer but the research on this is preliminary.

Olive leaf can be taken in powder, liquid extract or capsule form.

Soaps and cosmetics
Olive leaf extracts are combined with olive oil in soaps and skin creams for topical use.

Olive leaf tea
To prepare olive leaf tea, a large teaspoon (approx. 10g) dried olive leaf is placed in a tea ball or herb sack and dropped into two quarts boiling water. The heat is immediately reduced to a medium simmer and the tea let brewed in a covered pot for three to ten minutes with occasional stirring. Tea should be a medium amber color.

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