Why ‘pick’ Olé olive leaf extract?
Whether it is the fresh-picked origin of the leaf, the history of expertise pertinent to the growers of Olé olive trees, or the branch-to-bottle processing… the reasons for choosing Olé are as wide as the benefits you derive from making that choice.

• International genetic bank: The olive trees used to create Olé are scientifically selected based on DNA identification and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) selection. The growers of Olé’s fresh olive leaves tested 60 different olive varieties from 12 countries to identify the variety that is most perfectly suited to fresh leaf extract production.
   
• Halal Certified: Olé is processed, prepared and packaged in a Halal-Certified Facility.
   
• Selected from the world’s best... Grown in Australia: Egypt, Morocco, Chile, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Australia, Argentina, USA and Tunisia.
  
   
   
• Branch-to-bottle processing: Olé leaves are freshly picked during a sunrise harvest and then immediately processed and bottled, meaning there is no storage, drying, or damage of leaves.
   
• Using only fresh-picked, alive olive leaves: When the leaves that are used to create olive leaf extract are freshly picked, the potency of the extract is considerably higher in strength and is more readily bioavailable than olive leaf extracts reconstituted from artificially adjusted olive leaf extract powders or from dry leaves.
   
• The world’s largest olive leaf grove: 550,000 Olea europaea trees grown solely for fresh leaf.
   
• Natural properties maintained: The branch-to-bottle processing of Olé also means the natural properties of the olive leaf are protected and maintained, resulting in fresh, alive leaves that retain their full range of polyphenolics in a synergistic effect.
   
• Critical processes combined to ensure the highest quality and potency: The olive trees grown to produce Olé are only farmed naturally on virgin land using vermiculture (worm-created) fertilisers and pristine irrigation water.
   
• Up to 40 times more polyphenols than extra-virgin olive oil: The use of fresh olive leaves means a synergistic effect that retain the full range of polyphenolic antioxidants (not just oleuropein).
   
• Over 500% more TAC than the leading fruit juices: The Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) of Olé is 500% greater than the leading antioxidant ‘super juice’.
   
   
   
• Pure and natural ingredients: Olé contains no artificial flavours, colourings, preservatives, alcohol, sugar, lactose, starch, yeast, gluten, or animal products.
   
• 100% Australian grown: The Australian climate, prime agricultural soils, and geographical location make the country one of the world leaders in the cultivation of fresh produce.
   
• Quality control recognition: Recognition, listing and/or certification by a number of governing bodies, including:
  - Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
  - Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG)
  - WHO Guidelines on Good Agricultural and Collection Practices of Herbal Medicines (GACP)
  - Halal-Certified Facility by Gold Coast
  - Halal Certification Services

Antioxidants and the Fight Against Free Radicals
Just by breathing we can do damage to our bodies. This is because when we inhale oxygen, our body’s cells use that oxygen to produce energy, which produces free radicals as a natural by-product. Free radicals are molecules that have lost one of their electrons, therefore rendering them unbalanced and highly reactive. These free radicals then cause damage to our bodies, called oxidative damage. On top of this, poor diet, excessive exposure to the sun, pollution, and substances such as alcohol and cigarettes also create free radicals that further damage cells.

Antioxidants prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body and also repair cell damage. This is because antioxidants act as ‘free-radical scavengers’ to fight these cell-damaging free radicals. Many health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, infections, hypertension, cancer, immune system dysfunction, etc are contributed to by oxidative damage. Antioxidants can also help prevent the signs of aging by reducing cell degradation and by assisting in the prevention of a number of degenerative diseases.

Olive leaf extract is a significant source of antioxidants, and is scientifically proven to contain five times greater antioxidant capacity than Vitamin C and has almost double the power of Green Tea Extract and Grape Seed Extract, which are both well known as popular sources of antioxidants. Further, fruits that are generally associated with being high in antioxidants, such as cranberry and raspberry, contain only a minute fraction of antioxidant power when compared to fresh-picked olive leaf extracts.

Polyphenolic Antioxidants and Flavonoids
Olive leaf extract contains a broad spectrum of polyphenolic antioxidants, which have very strong free radical-fighting properties. The main phenol in olive leaf extract, oleuropein, has been found to strengthen the immune system, and research shows it has a positive hypotensive effect in vivo (in body) and displays strong antioxidant activity. Combined with the many phenols in olive leaf extract are flavonoids, the most active being the antioxidant-strong rutin, catechin and luteolin.

When combined, as occurs naturally in the olive leaf, the many phenols, flavonoids and the high oleuropein content show a naturally synergistic behaviour. It is this natural synergy that makes the extract from olive leaves so powerful. When the leaves that are used to create the extract are freshly picked, the potency of the extract is considerably higher in strength and is more readily bio-available than dry leaf or reconstituted powder.

Antimicrobials
Among the many phenols found in fresh-picked olive leaf extract is hydroxytyrosol, which is a catechol derivative of oleuropein. Both oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol are powerful antimicrobial agents against a variety of viruses, bacteria, yeasts and fungi. Hydroxytyrosol in particular is known for its wide spectrum of antimicrobial effects.

Getting the Most Out of Olives

While olive products are known for high concentrations of antioxidants and phenolic compounds, not all olive products contain the same concentration level. Of all olive products, only olive oil that is labelled as extra-virgin (acidity <1%) and olive leaf extract are considered superior sources of phenols. When comparing olive oil and olive leaf extract, it is the leaf extract that contains considerably higher concentrations of phenolic compounds - up to 40 times greater. According to one test conducted by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries’ Agricultural Institute, olive leaf extract was found to contain 6360-8190 mg/L of phenol levels, compared to 200-800 mg/L in extra-virgin olive oil. As well as higher phenol levels, olive leaf extract also has the advantage of providing higher antioxidant levels without the high fat content of extra-virgin olive oil.
 

The synergistic effect of the full range of polyphenolic antioxidants (not just oleuropein) provides increased cell protection, increased antimicrobial effect and greater cardiovascular protection.