Olive oil – described in Homer’s work as “liquid gold” Iliad – is known for its health-promoting properties. Not only is it delicious, but it also has anti-inflammatory properties, is good for the gut, is good for the heart and can even help us feel happier and live longer.
But now scientists are turning their attention to the cloudy, brown and previously discarded byproduct of its production – wastewater from olive mills – and have discovered that it may be an even more powerful superfood.
OMW is what remains after olives are ground and their oil separated – a watery residue that is pressed out of the remaining rind.
It was once considered somewhat of a nuisance because of its potential to contaminate surrounding soil and water if not properly controlled, but today it is praised for its protective and anti-inflammatory properties.
When researchers heard reports of olive farmers drinking the beverage for health reasons, they became curious and began studying the waste product.
They discovered that this dark, bitter and cloudy liquid is not useless, but just as – or perhaps even more – nutritious as its source.
OMW is full of healthy plant compounds or phytochemicals, particularly polyphenols, which contribute to gut health, among other things. In fact, OMW is thought to contain at least ten times as many phytochemicals as extra virgin olive oil, which is already considered a rich source.
Italian scientist Adriana Albini, a pioneering professor in the field of cancer research and the first Italian woman elected to the board of the American Association for Cancer Research, has been researching OMW for ten years.
She and her team have conducted studies on OMW extract and found that it may be helpful in both preventing and treating certain types of cancer, including lung, prostate, colon and breast cancer.
Other research has shown that OMW can aid recovery from exercise, improve metabolic markers, and potentially help with cardiovascular and neurological diseases.
“Plants can’t run away,” Albini said. “Their only defense is to produce secondary or tertiary metabolites that repel parasites. Many of these metabolites are poisons, and we know that poisons can be therapeutic at certain concentrations.”
“Arsenic, for example, can be helpful in treating leukemia. So the idea is that these metabolites can help us protect ourselves from cancer. What plants use for their health, we can also use for ours.”
Eating foods rich in these beneficial plant chemicals, such as those found in the Mediterranean diet, reduces the risk of developing disease.
OMW contains at least 30 different types of polyphenols, the most common of which is hydroxytyrosol, Albini said. Hydroxytyrosol, which is also found in olives and olive oil, research has shown may promote brain and heart health and reduce inflammation, which is good for overall health.
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For this reason, Albini wanted to study the wastewater and its consistency. “You can’t drink oil,” she says. “But because it’s liquid, it’s easier to consume here.”
Albini added: “It is important to remember that there is no miracle cure (a healthy product derived from food). The general lifestyle is very important: not smoking, doing physical exercise, eating healthy and drinking alcohol in moderation. It is a complex web of things.”
Fattoria La Vialla, a family-run farm in Tuscany, sells OMW to customers in the UK. It comes in small ‘shot’ glasses and you can choose between sweetened and unsweetened varieties.
Gianni Lo Franco, one of the three brothers who now run the farm, said: “You can think of it as freshly squeezed polyphenol juice.”
His great-grandmother, the matriarch of the family, drank half a glass of what she and the people of Tuscany call “Acqua Mora” twice a day during the pressing season.” or “dark water”.
She swore that this was the reason for her good health until old age; she lived without any ailments until she was 98. The Lo Franco family was curious and sent the liquid for examination and eventually cold filtering so that it would be suitable for sale.
“Have you ever had to rethink, as we have, certain habits of our ancestors and admit that those very habits that we viewed with bewilderment were in fact the result of ancient wisdom?” said Lo Franco.
“Everyone looked at her in surprise because Acqua Mora is extremely bitter, but determined as she was, she paid no attention – and now it turns out that Nonna Caterina was right. A tiny (25 ml) glass contains more polyphenols than a whole liter of good extra virgin olive oil. This shows that nature really does not produce waste.”
