Photo: Food & Wine / Getty Images One man’s trash is sometimes another man’s treasure, and when it comes to the murky brown liquid left after pressing olives into olive oil, that, my friend, is a treasure. So much so that the bitter byproduct, officially known as olive mill wastewater (OMW), is touted as a superfood.
Historically, OMW was discarded due to its strong taste and unpleasant smell, but a recent scientific analysis out of Sapienza University in Rome identified the liquid’s exceptionally high levels of beneficial compounds as a hero for fighting harmful pathogens (microorganisms that cause disease) and boosting overall health. The analysis also showed that the wastewater contains oligogalacturonides, which can protect plants from infections.
So, should you stock up on OMW? And what are the health benefits, exactly? Here’s what experts really think. What is olive mill wastewater?
OMW is the leftover liquid from pressing olives to make olive oil. “For years, it was seen as a waste product, but it’s now getting attention for potential health benefits since it’s packed with antioxidants and bioactive compounds that don’t make it into olive oil,” says Pamela Tambini , MD, an internal physician and medical director at Engage Wellness.
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Mediterranean cultures have long used OMW as a natural remedy, but it wasn’t until researchers dug deeper into the substance’s bioactive compounds — such as flavonoids, hydroxytyrosol, and oleuropein — that they realized we should all take advantage of its perks.
“ Studies found that OMW is loaded with polyphenols, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds, and though these compounds are also present in olive oil, they’re in much smaller amounts,” Tambini says. “Scientists essentially realized that what was once considered waste could actually be a super-concentrated health booster.” Is olive mill wastewater healthy?
You bet. At its core, OMW is rich in polyphenols, plant compounds known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which help the body fight oxidative stress (an imbalance in free radicals and antioxidants that can lead to cell damage) linked to aging, heart disease, and other […]
Why Scientists Are Calling This Olive Oil Byproduct the Next Big Superfood
