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Abstract
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Olive oil is an integral component of the dietary pattern known as 'Mediterranean diet', which was first acknowledged almost 40 years ago. Over the years, many investigations (both epidemiological and laboratory) indicated that this diet may be associated with lower levels of systematic inflammation, and lower rates of diseases such as cardiovascular, coronary heart disease, certain types of cancers, diabetes, and others. As a result, olive oil, a staple food for thousands of years for the inhabitants of the Mediterranean region, is now becoming popular among consumers all over the world.
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