In an unusual turn from the typical football pitch, players are now lining up for a different kind of fiery kick: a searing shot of Cypriot olive oil.
The peppery, throat-burning liquid, produced by a small Cypriot plant, is part of a performance revolution, thanks to its high concentration of inflammation-busting polyphenols, according to a Reuters report.
According to olive oil producer Nick Schizas, a former FIFA-licensed agent, players are convinced this unique supplement aids in faster recovery and enhanced performance.
Schizas was quoted in the report:
They were coming back with much more energy. They were recovering quicker between their games, between their training and without me pushing them they were coming back asking for more.
Collaboration
Collaborating with soil engineer Nicolas Netien, Schizas has launched Oleaphen, a small business that markets oil pods.
Their clientele includes athletes such as English Premier League football players and a cycling team competing in the Tour de France.
Harvesting olives before ripening ensures a high polyphenol content, which is responsible for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
The production of these oils by Netien and Schizas comes at a compelling moment.
This year, researchers from two Cypriot universities are set to begin clinical studies.
These studies will assess the impact of high phenolic olive oil on the performance of Cypriot football players, to expand the existing evidence regarding its health benefits.
The benefits to the gut microbiome will also be measured.
Oleocanthal
Netien, known for producing oil with the highest recorded polyphenol content, meticulously oversees the extraction process at an olive mill in the Larnaca district.
The mechanical process of churning, commonly associated with the creation of dairy products like butter, yields a remarkable byproduct: a unique polyphenol known as Oleocanthal.
This naturally occurring compound has garnered significant attention from researchers and health enthusiasts alike, primarily due to its potent anti-inflammatory properties.
Often referred to as “the most natural, powerful anti-inflammatory in the world,” Oleocanthal’s efficacy rivals that of conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but without the associated side effects often observed with pharmaceutical interventions.
The discovery of Oleocanthal has opened new avenues for understanding the therapeutic benefits of certain dietary components.
It is predominantly found in extra virgin olive oil, particularly when the oil is cold-pressed, a process that preserves its delicate chemical structure and maximises its health-promoting constituents.
Innovation
Oleaphen’s early harvest oil boasts 30 times more polyphenols and 100 times more Oleocanthal than extra virgin olive oil.
To preserve these compounds, the oil is packaged in single-dose seaweed-based pods, which prevent oxidation and reduce waste, rather than traditional bottles.
According to Netien, their actions represent a contemporary resurgence of an ancient custom.
“There’s a tradition in the Mediterranean, especially in Greece and Cyprus, of doing some olive oil really early in the season … and this oil was kept at home to be used as a medicine,” he was quoted in the report as saying.
It’s not new. It’s thousands of years old.
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