In the extra virgin olive oil the beneficial components for health are the polyphenols that give the characteristic taste to the oil, the more there are and the more it is spicy and fruity the oil be.

Polyphenols are a family of chemical compounds strongly re-evaluated because:: 

• antioxidants, so they fight the "free radicals" of the organism capable of activating anti-tumor forms and other diseases;; 
• they reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL) circulating in the blood, which thus remains smoother and with less risk of heart attacks.

The benefits of polyphenols are summarized above all in the antioxidant action that they carry out. These substances, in fact, protect cells from damage caused by free radicals and in this way they can reduce the effects of cellular aging and inflammatory processes, especially those that are the basis of the development of tumors.

Scientific research has shown that polyphenols are able to intervene in the early stages of cancer development, protecting cells from direct attack of carcinogens. This is why their function is important in the prevention of certain cancers, such as the lung, stomach, esophagus, pancreas, liver and skin.

Italian olives, especially those from the south, generally contain more polyphenols.

UPO Sicily, considering the territorial quality of the olive trees conferred to obtain the extra virgin olive oil Nocerbia, guarantees that its product is rich in polyphenols.

Among other things, polyphenols, with their antioxidant action, extend the life of the oil, whose alteration is mainly due to the action of oxygen.

The other beneficial components of the extra virgin olive oil are unsaturated fatty acids, in particular oleic acid, which is monounsaturated, is present for about 75% and can be defined as the "keeper" of the arteries as it binds to cholesterol in the blood dragging it away.

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