Until recently I hadn’t heard the word ‘polyphenols’ never mind considered their health benefits. It was only when I started working with Kostas, a friend who painstaking explained the world of finance to me during our MBA studies, that this unfamiliar word ‘polyphenols’ started to attract my attention. Kostas was launching a new organic olive oil product in the UK called November Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and was characteristically enthusiastic about the oil, its high polyphenol content and the potential health benefits. 

Kostas comes from the Greek Island of Crete, the home of November Olive Oils and believed to be where Olive oil was first cultivated in ancient times. It is a beautiful Island, full of warm hospitable people. In my early 20’s I had the pleasure of exploring the Greek Islands over a full summer of independent travel, hopping on and off a network of ferries to experience the unique delights of each island paradise and at times camping on small, secluded beaches. Since I was sharing this experience with a chef and naturally a food lover, some of my fondest memories are of the hospitality and meals we shared with local people and travellers we met along the way. 

Anyone who has experienced sun-drenched days along the Aegean coastline or on any one of the stunning Islands where time stands still, and days run seamlessly into evenings of feasting on freshly caught fish accompanied by salads glistening with an olive oil drizzle, will surely understand my love of Greece. If not, I would highly recommend watching the film version of Mama Mia. 

The sights, the sounds, the tastes, and aromas are sensory delights enough to make anyone just feel healthier. But there is more to it than that. Countless articles backed by scientific research make compelling health claims for following a Mediterranean diet partly because the diet is rich in foods (including a significant amount of Olive Oil) that contain a high content of polyphenols. There is that word again!