119 From the olive grove to the table: the evolution of our diet and the nutritional value of olive oil SUSANA DA SILVA GASPAR Office of Planning, Policy and General Administration (GPP) 1. Olive oil in the history of food and the development of the Mediterranean diet Throughout history, olive oil has played a central role in shaping Mediterranean dietary patterns, constituting the main source of vegetable fat in regions where the olive tree thrived. The production of olive oil from olives dates back to the third millennium BC in the Levant, particularly in the regions that today correspond to Syria and Palestine (Flandrin & Montanari, 1998). Although the Phoenicians played a decisive role in spreading olive cultivation and the circulation of olive oil throughout the Mediterranean around the 6th century BC, it is important to note that wild olive trees already existed long before their arrival (Aguilera, 2001; Flandrin & Montanari, 1998). Over time, olive oil, flour (made from cereals) and wine became established as the so-called ‘Mediterranean triad’, forming the structural basis of the region’s food culture. This triad, whose origins date back to the earliest agricultural societies of the eastern Mediterranean, found cultural expression among the Greeks and reached full institutionalisation during Roman rule, establishing itself as an enduring agricultural, economic and symbolic model (Aguilera, 2001; Flandrin & Montanari, 1998). In the Middle Ages (between the 5th and 15th centuries), olive oil remained a central element in the diet and symbolic practices of societies across the Mediterranean basin, in both Christian and Islamic territories, reflecting the continuity of traditions deeply rooted since antiquity. Nevertheless, it did not entirely replace animal fats, particularly amongst rural populations and those with fewer resources, for whom the latter remained more accessible. Olive oil was frequently associated with a product of greater value and prestige, with a status distinct from that of everyday cooking fats (Flandrin & Montanari, 1998; Vossen, 2007). It is important to note that this predominance was not uniform, being strongly influenced by climatic and geographical factors that determined the viability of olive cultivation. Outside regions suitable for olive growing, animal fats quickly gained the upper hand, drawing a clear culinary boundary between the Mediterranean olivegrowing basin and other parts of Europe. In addition to its role as a foodstuff, olive oil was widely used as a fuel for lighting throughout history, notably through oil lamps in domestic and
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