A further positive aspect which olive oil offers in the area of health is the improvement and in part also curing of the stomach and digestive issues. Individuals suffering from gastric ulcers can relieve their condition by regular consumption of olive oil. Digestion is also improved by ingestion, and constipation can be avoided with a daily spoonful of precious oil. Haemorrhoids too can be prevented, and even when these are already present, a noticeable improvement in the affliction can be achieved.

There is strong evidence that oleic acid limits excessive production of stomach acid and the formation of gallstones. In infants, it has been proven that oleic acid is absorbed better than butter fat. And speaking of infants: The fat composition of olive oil is most similar to that in mother’s breast milk.

A far-reaching study into the stomach bacterium “Helicobacter pylori”, which has since become resistant to antibiotics, was carried out by Spanish scientists. They found out that chemical compounds in olive oil may help people who have problems with the bacterium (February 2007 – University of Seville, Spain). The bacterium can inhabit the human stomach and be held responsible for an array of diseases, amongst these, ulcers in the digestive tract and stomach cancer. In controlled conditions, the scientists have shown that virgin olive oil contains a series of compounds that can even kill resistant forms of the bacterium. It was shown in the experiment that the compounds pass from the oil into the stomach juices and can remain stable in their acid environment for several hours. There they exhibit a bactericidal behaviour (that is, killing bacteria) on eight strains of “Helicobacter pylori”, of which three are resistant to antibiotics.