Who achieved to obtain more abundant, less bitter, bigger and oily olive berries by fertilizing this wilding and to use it in daily life by squeezing its oil thousand years before? Definitely, nobody knows this scientifically. Only assumptions exist apart from legends. Jose M. Blazquez- the world-wide prestigious writer of The World Olive Encyclopedia- argues that “olive cultivation began in Anatolia approximately six thousand years ago” and points out that only Assyrians and Babylonians did not have any knowledge on olive cultivation among the peoples that lived in this region in ancient times. However, the people who domesticated the olive for the first time must be those that lived on the curve where Syria and Iran intersects in Asia Minor, the cradle of civilizations where many fruit trees like grape, fig, punica, date palm were grown: Persians, Mesopotamians and most probably Syrians and Palestinians who spreaded until Mesopotamia through the eastern part of Mediterranean. The fact that the oldest remnants with regard to olive cultivation in the Near East dates back to the chalcolitic period (bc 3700-3200) in Israel and Jordan supports this argument.

These peoples fertilized wild olive tree thanks to their aptitude for agriculture and trade and skills. They turned these trees into a culture plant that has more leaves and that yields more oil by taking care of them well, reproduced them, developed them along the Mediterranean coast line and then spreaded them to other regions. Olive turned into a culture plant around B.C. 4000s. However, its fruit was squeezed and oil was obtained after approximately 1500-2000 thousand years. In fact, the fact that olive growing became more widespread in the Mediterranean in Bronze Age is not only inferred from artistic works that are reflected to olive seeds but also from oil presses, kept containers, vases and frescos

…After many centuries, olive tree has transcended oceans. Following the big discoveries made in 16th century, it was grown in Northern and Southern America through Spanish missionaries coming from Europe. In 15th century, olive seedlings brought from Sevilla were first planted in Western Indian Islands by the Spanish and was later spreaded through America. To Mexico in 1560 and later to Peru. In second half of 19th century, seedlings brought by Italian immigrants were planted in California, Chile and Argentina. After that, thanks to immigrants of Italian, Spanish and Greek origin, olive groves were established in Australia and South Africa. Even, olive tree that can only be planted and grown in certain micro climates in Japan and China stayed Mediterranean in essence again.

Anatolia in Ancient Period
Anatolia, extension of Asia Minor to the West, getting acquainted with olive dates back to very old eras. Perhaps the ship of Noah did not land on Mount Ararat when the pigeon gave the good news that the flood had ended with olive branch in its mouth? In fact, even today the skirts of Toros Mountains that lie in parallel to the Mediterranean beginning from Mersin towards the west is covered with thick wild olive trees that is called ryegrass For example, along Mersin, Silifke-Erdemli coasts and to the west in Antalya between Serik and Manavgat, very regular ryegrasses that seem like they were planted by hand can be found. Nuri Benlioğlu says that “…These may be olive groves that were cultivated 2000 years ago and were afterwards abandoned. However, one thing is certain: we can encounter the densest ryegrasses f the world in this part of our country”. She cannot be deemed unjust. Thus, wild olive trees that disappeared by themselves in the Aegean region, easily prove that this geography is one of the homelands of olives.

Olive Oil in Mythology
We see that olive, olive oil and oil tree are mentioned in mythological stories frequently. All of them highlight the importance of this tree and its fruits. Here is one of them:
Virgin Minevra (Latin name of the Goddess Athena) which is goddess of Wisdom, Enlightenment, skill and handcrafts and God of the Sea Neptune (Poseidon) take part in the contest organized by Jupiter (the God of Olympus) to be the goddess of the city of Athens. Jupiter declares that it would grant the city of Athens to the one presenting him the useful present that incorporates mankind. Neptune forms a salty lake (sea) on the Athens acropolis while Minevra forms an olive tree. Minevra says that this plant is an ointment that can heal wounds of mankind, a delicious nutrient that includes lots of energy and a flame that can lighten up the darkness. Jupiter grants administration of Athens to Minevra who presents it the olive tree which is more useful than the sea. Persians burn down the olive tree on the acropolis when they attack Athens. However, the tree proves its immortality by sprouting overnight. Greeks have deemed olive as the rescuer and protector and worshipped it.

Now, let’s discover the benefits and secrets of capers which have been told since ancient times...

      The benefits of capers are countless. Bu let’s try to count them. Being used for the purposes of treatment and nutrition since ancient times, capers plant is used in dye and cosmetics industry today.

      As its buds in the dimensions of pea are very reach in terms of protein, vitamin, minerals, rutin and mustard oil glycoside, it is very filling nutrition source. The source of its appetizing smell, which arises on its pickle, is mustard oil glycoside. You can find not only the smell of the mustard oil, but also the taste of it in pickled capers.

     Caper buds, of which rejuvenation and “aphrodisiac” -potency-enhancing- effect is also discovered, are among the indispensable pickles of European and American tables. It is considered to be a quality appetizer especially in West European countries. Capers buds are processed by olive oil and lemon after it is corned, and becomes a delicious appetizer and high esteem of the tables.

      Especially, Germans loves these buds very much. They use it as garniture and sauce on dishes, salads and pizzas. »«Not only as garniture or sauce, its pickled and corned shape is also loved. They find both taste and health & liveliness...

      Apart from the buds of capers, its offshoots and fruits are also used as nutrition as long as they are kept in vinegar and corn. Especially in Cyprus and Spain, offshoots are gathered while they are fresh. Again it is consumed after it is seasoned wit vinegar and salt. Because the bitterness –this bitterness is originated from the mustard oil glycoside in it- of it is removed in this way and it obtains its original taste.

While people are consuming the capers as a food, they are also immunized against diseases. For example; it prevents bleedings in capillary vessels thanks to its rutin in it.

     When animals eat it, the result is unbelievable. Milk and egg yield is notably increased.

     Capers are important nutrition sources for birds, ants and bees as it contains aromatic substances in its flowers and fruits.

     Every part of capers is important; no part of it is thrown away. Its offshoots, buds and fruits are used in food sector, and its hard offshoots and roots are used in medicine, dye and cosmetics sector.

       Capers are cure-all… It ensures health and liveliness, gives energy. Best friend of old people and patients.

     Spanish people made medicine from the roots of capers and used this medicine on the treatment of hemorrhoid, removing the hip disorders, regulating the menstruation periods of women and removing their pains; and they used its vinegar in order to remove toothaches and also made antidote from its roots against poisonings in the 15th century.

Root skin of capers, fresh or dried, is used in India for years as a purge, tannic, expectorant, anthelminthic and painkiller. The ones who have rheumatism, or spleen, which is enlarging, problems or are paralyzed find the cure in the medicine which is prepared from the roots of capers. The used it as a drop in order to remove ear parasites or pains after they boiled its root skins. They used the gel which is prepared from its fruits as a antidote against snake bites and in the treatment of rheumatism.

In Europe, its fruits and flower buds are considered to be purge and diuretic, stimulating and anti-scurvy. Poultice, which is obtained by beating its leafs, is used on the treatment of gut disease. Moreover, it is used to remove blood disorders.

     In Turkmenistan, six materials which are polyphonel are obtained from the variations of capers.

     In the studies carried out in the International Cancer Institutions, caper is among the plants which are used in the preparation of the “extract” which ensures anti-tumor activity.

Capers have more benefits than the abovementioned ones, as we said before “they are countless”.

It is a Capsicum anuum L. kind of Capsicum and family of Solanaceae just like pepper, tomato and eggplant. The homeland of pepper is accepted to be South America and it was spread to world from here.  American Indians are known to grow pepper in the vicinity of Mexico, Chile and Peru during the discovery of America (1493).  South America, especially Brazil, is the origin center of pepper kinds and forms.

According to date of the year 2004, Turkey is placed 3rd in the vegetable production in the world with the share of 3,06% with 25 671 517 ton.   Pepper production of the world in 2004 was 24 million ton and the first three places were shared by China with 12 million ton, Mexico with 1,85 million ton and Turkey with 1,76 million ton, and the total share of them was 7,44%.

Greenhouse pepper production is 315 108 ton in the year 2003 in our country and this constitutes approximately 18% of the total pepper production. Antalya made a contribution of 11% to national pepper production by the total production of 181 000 ton. 127 000 ton of it was greenhouse production and the remaining 54 000 ton was open field production.  In our city, pepper is grown in Kumlucu, Finike and Demre more than other vicinities. The share of pepper cultivation in the greenhouse vegetable cultivation is nearly 15%.

Its profit rate is higher than the other kinds as the ecological requirements are ensured, heating is provided in winter and high-efficient hybrid kinds are used, and its profit/cost rate may be up to 60%. It is a kind which has the second highest export potential after tomato.  Pepper export of Turkey was 50.110 ton and 44,5 million USD in 2004.  Countries to which we export more are Russia, Germany, Poland and other European countries.

Pepper, among the edible vegetables, is the one which is consumed in many different ways. As well as it is consumed as fresh, pickle, grilled, frozen, sauce, pepper paste, conserved, pepper extract and spice, it is also used in medicine and dye production.

It is an important vegetable in terms of health and nutrition. It is good for nerves, stomach and adenos. It works up an appetite and is helpful to digestion. It is diuretic. It is used for sea sickness, muscle pain and rheumatism. It regulates bloodstream and blood pressure.

As well as the various minerals and vitamins it contains, its bitter kinds has capsaicin alkaloid which gives the bitter and burning taste and has the anti-oxidant feature.   It’s a vegetable kind which is rich in C vitamin.

The most consumed and appropriate traditional pepper kinds within country are long green pepper, Charleston, sweet bell pepper and capia (oil pepper). In the production intended for export, yellow, whitish hungarian type and big sweet bell peppers are preferred.  High-efficiency and quality, resistance to diseases and pests, tolerance to low temperatures, early riser, appropriateness to market requirements, long shell life, appropriateness to time when it is growth are the demanded criteria in kind selection.   Its ability of adaptation to different climate and soil conditions should be high.

Grape vinegar is a real medicine. The benefits of grape vinegar that is added into salads and pickles as appetizer can be listed as follows:
 

• Drinking water with vinegar in it before going to bed against fatigue and insomnia,
• In case of sore throat, gargling with vinegar.
• Putting bread soaked with vinegar onto callus and hard part of skin.
• Doing good against headache, asthma and skin flecks when it is boiled in water and its vapor is subject to,
• Spreading over sun burn,
• Losing weight regularly if water with vinegar and honey in it is drunk every day,
• Vinegar is poured onto warts onto which baking powder is sprinkled and after the powder is shaken off after 15 minutes,
• Spreading vinegar onto the itching parts and cracked skin. -
• When the rag that is soaked into vinegar is put onto the stomach, it prevents nausea and vomiting,
• Rag soaked into vinegar is put onto varicose,
• Vinegar being also used in second-degree burns
• Adding vinegar into rinse water for scurfy and dull hair.

Apple vinegar and its benefits:

Apple vinegar is obtained when apple or apple concentration is first subjected to alcohol and then to acetic acid fermentation. It has a more special aroma and taste when compared to wine vinegar. It is used in salads and soup in cases where people do not want the smell of the vinegar to be very dominant. Besides this, it brings about remedy for many problems. We can list the therapeutic properties of it as follows:
 

• It ensures that nutrients are used efficiently, the metabolism runs in a healthy way, and acid-alkali balance of the body is kept. For example, on one hand it ensures that calcium is used more efficiently and on the other hand it helps the bones to absorb the necessary amount of calcium again and breaks the calcium accumulation on the joints.
• It protects from hypertension by neutralizing the effect of sodium.
• It decreases cholesterol. The natural acids and enzymes it contains ensure that the blood remains healthier and thinner.
• It detoxifies the body, notably vessels, liver and kidneys. It breaks down fatty mucus remnants.
• It helps the cells grow thanks to the potassium it contains.
• It can be inhaled or drunk in cases of cold, throat infections and bronchitis
• It is used in cases of urinary tract infections, digestion disorders, cramps, wasp stings, scurf, sleeping disorders and tinnitus.

Throughout the history olive has represented peace and hope in different cultures and for some others olive tree and its fruit have been accepted to be holy. It is for this reason that things other than olive were capable of attracted human life more than olive very little. Olive that has a history 10 thousand years to present has been the source of many legend by way of being considered holy from Greek athletes, saints and first medical doctors to gods and goddesses of old history.

Before his death Adam begged for mercy from god and appointed his son Sit for this. Sit took three seeds from the tree of good and evil in the Garden of Eden and placed them inside the mouth of his father. When his father was buried the seeds sprout out and grew into an olive tree, cedar tree and cypress tree.

When we look into the traditions that come along from past to present, the leaves of the olive tree have symbolized victory, wisdom and peace; the dove returning back to Noah’s Ark with a branch of olive tree has been considered a sign indicating the end of that great big flood disaster. Other than the geography that we are in, it is rather impossible to see the historical traces of olive in terms of its place whether in the past or in the present daily life.

There are two opinions on the subject of the origin of olive: first one is that olive made its first appearance in the Aegean and Mediterranean Parts of Anatolia and Syria and Lebanon and second opinion on the other hand argues that its origin is Egypt and the parts of Atlas Mountains of North Africa. Mesopotamia civilization which was created by Assyrians and Babylonians were familiar with olive they even considered it as trading tool. It is seeing from the pots and pans that have been found in the excavations carried out in Urla and Çeşme that they have been used in producing olive and products of olives and that they go all the way back to the 3rd century Before Christ (B.C.). Another conclusion arrived from the excavations is that the olive has an industry of at least five thousand years. In the Hellenistic era olive tree used to be considered holly and people who cut olive trees down used to be punished with death or sent into exile.

Coming across with the amphora that have been used for the purpose of storing and carrying olive found in Urla also in colonies at Black Sea and other set of locations indicates that olive was an importing and exporting product at the same time. Special vessels were being assembled at Mediterranean in order to perform trading. Olive business expanded in time and spread into areas, where climate and soil were suitable such as Australia, South Africa and China.

It is stated in Koran that olive tree comes from Mount Sinai and oil is obtained from its fruits and that this oil is used to give flavor to food. It is rather hard to grow, look after and maintain an olive tree but the tree pays for this back in return with generosity. Perhaps this is the reason why the olive is the symbol of peace.

Olive oil which forms the source of Vitamin E which can melt only in oil and basic fatty acids that can not be synthesised and necessary has a very important place in human nutrition with special colour, odour, taste and aroma (16 ml olive oil consists of 120 cal).

Olive oil has important functions on digestive system bone structure, brain and nerve tissues.

Olive oil doesn’t change HDL compound which is useful and protective and reduces LDL compound which causes embolism of cholesterol, the main risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. It is the most suitable oil in terms of heart health with this feature.

It reduces coagulation risk in blood vessels by affecting against factors that take role in blood cell aggregation.

Olive oil reduces gastric acid when it is consumed cold or hot and protects against gastritis and duedonal ulcers.

Olive oil reduces bladder stone formation risk by boosting the gall secretion, regulating the gall composition and providing the gall discharge and helps to melt gall stones.

It is the best absorbed oil by intestines and regulates the intestine passage.
It has the most balanced chemical position among all kinds of oils, therefore provides bone mineralization recovery and helps normal bone development.

The oleic acid which is in olive oil about 80% is the most important fatty acid in human milk and have a basic function for providing nerve tissue development of the baby just after the birth.

Also, linoleic-linolenic acid ratio which is required as 6/1 in newborn babies in olive oil, so it is the most suitable oil for pregnants and lactating mothers.

Olive oil prevents tissue aging and reduces abrasive affect of aging on brain functions.

Because of excellent chemical compound and consisting antioxidant (tochoferol), it is resistant to high temperatures according to other oils and it is the most suitable oil to be used in frying vegetables.
 

Olive oil is one of the most valuable foods that was presented to human being. Benedictions of this miracle oil in terms of health is innumerable. Olive oil affects our health positively from childhood to old ages in terms of many ways. Let us review affects of olive oil on our body.

* Olive oil and Cardiac Health

Many studies are showing that olive oil is the primary food for cardiac health. Countries that cardiac diseases are seen minimum is Mediterranean countries where olive oil is consumed intensively. The most important effect of olive oil on cardiac health is reducing the “bad cholesterol” amount in blood. Cholesterol, one of the biggest enemy of our heart causes cardiovascular diseases by accumulating in vessels. Olive oil controls cholesterol amount in blood and helps to prevent the atherosclerosis. But positive affects of olive oil on our cardiovascular health is not limited with these. Olive oil takes important role to control the blood pressure. Olive oil is recommended for cardiovascular health particularly and it provides digestive system regulation and protects against high blood pressure, gastritis and ulcer.
Also it is specified that olive oil is the natural solution for many diseases such as tooth decay and skin care.
*Olive Oil and Vitamin ContentVitamin E which is in olive oil makes a protective affect against cancer and good for hair loss. A, D, E, K vitamins and minerals such as phosphor, potassium, sulphur, magnezium, few ferrum, copper and mangan provides bone development.

Olive oils cleans the LDL, “bad cholesterol” in blood and increases “hdl” which is called as godd cholesterol. It provides reduction in blood sugar for diabetics.

*Olive oil and DigestionFats are digested in intestines. Olive oil is the best digested fat among all kinds. Because differently from other oils, olive oil doesn’t reduce gastric acids which are required for digestion. It is digested in intestines after staying in stomach for a short period. Additionally, olive oil affects secretions which are essential for digestion. It helps for gall bladder to be cleaned from chlosterol. Also it provides intestines working better by protecting the constipation.

*Olive oil and Child HealthNutrition for children is much more important than adults. Because, nutrition affects all life in childhood. Brain developing with a healthy was in first years of life depends on nutrition directly. Oils take a vital role in child nutrition. Olive oil is an essential food because of this. Principal condition of life is cell renewing ability of body cells. Cell renewal which is very fast in childhood and teenage period reduces and slows down by age. It protects children from rachitis. Olive oil precipitate is applied for sciatica, muscle pain. Couple drops of olive oil makes a great contribution to baby development. Olive oil resembles to human milk because of linoleic acid content percentage and if it is put into the cow milk, a value similar to human milk is obtained. Dried mothers can add olive oil to cow milk and can give to the baby. Olive oil can contribute to bone development with Vitamin E and oleic acid content which are also in human milk. It is particularly useful for pregnant women and breast feeding mothers for supporting general nervous system as well as brain in uterus and after birth.

Olive oil and YouthThere is a strong relation between nutrition and aging. When foods are converted into energy in our body, some substances called oxidant occur. Oxidants affect cell development negative and accelerates aging period. Also some substances called antioxidant remove this negative affect of oxidants. Olive oil which contains many antioxidant substances, mainly Vitamin E renews cells, delays tissue and organ aging.
Another problem accompanying to aging is calcification. Some minerals including calcium prevents calcification. Olive oil takes an important role against calcification by increasing affect of these minerals.

Olive oil and DiabetesDiabetes is a disease that causes unbalanced blood sugar due to insulin hormone deficiency and rapid increase and decrease of blood sugar. Some researches carried on recently explained that, olive oil helps to prevent some diseases that diabetes causes in the body. Most important ones are cardiovascular diseases. Due to diabetes, blood cholesterol amount increases. Olive oil controls cholesterol and helps to prevent cardiovascular health.
Another side effect of diabetes is causing more oxidants during digestion. As we said before, olive oil reduces negative effects of oxidants because of antioxidant content. Also olive oil contributes to control blood sugar. Consequently, olive oil is a very suitable oil for diabetics.