Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Eat olive oil and anoint yourselves with it, for it comes from a blessed tree.” (Al-Tirmidhi, no. 4221) The olive tree has been cultivated for its edible fruit, since before the dawn of civilization. The Sumerians in South Iraq are said to have cultivated the olives some 5,500 years ago. The common olive is known as the Zaitoon in Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu languages. Olive oil and table olives are the two main products widely used. Majority of production – both olives and olive oil – comes from the Mediterranean region. Spain, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Italy, Greece and Turkey are the world's largest producers of olives. Medical research has trumpeted the beneficial effects of olive oil, especially for the human heart. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed that regular consumption of oil reduces the risk of coronary heart diseases. The North American Olive Oil Association has included 88 publications to back its claim for the heart-healthy benefits of olive oil. The global demand for olive oil has been on the rise every year. The olive-pulp that remains after the oil has been extracted, an organic waste, is not suitable for use as an animal feed due to its fibrous nature and it is also dangerous for the environment, if flushed into rivers. To come out of this problem, Spain's biggest power company, Ende-sa, came up with a solution. It plans to turn the pulp into electricity. According to the director of Endesa, Jesus Garcia Toledo, it is the ideal use of the residue. For cosmetic use olive oil has been used in cleansing sensitive skin and protecting dry and aging skin. It is also used in face packs, rich creams, shampoos, foam baths and bath oils. It has its own importance in the soap industry. According to Japanese research, reported in British weekly New Scientist, rubbing virgin olive oil on skin is a protection against skin cancer. The olive oil was widely used by ancient Assyrians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Moreover, Olive-wood is ideal for carving utensils liks spoons and bowls. The leaf of a bitter olive tree is heavily coated by almost pure oleanolic acid, which forms a part of the multi-chemical defense against fungal attack.
