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Dried Figs from north evoia greece Figs have been a staple of the human diet for at least 3000 years. For the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean, the fig was a staple. It was usually left to dry in the sun and was considered such an integral part of the local diet that it sometimes even replaced bread. Fig trees even existed in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. More nutritious than all foods, the fig was the basic diet for the athletes of the Olympic Games in ancient times, before the competitions. It is rich in vitamins A, B, C, minerals such as calcium, copper, manganese, selenium, zinc, phosphorus, potassium and iron as well as antioxidants. Dried figs are a storehouse of energy while at the same time they are valuable for our health: They reduce blood pressure as they are rich in potassium. They strengthen our bones thanks to their calcium content. They fight constipation because they contain soluble fiber. They contribute to hormonal balance thanks to the amino acid arginine. They protect our body from various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, various degenerative diseases, premature aging, etc. due to phenols. They are beneficial for health because they increase energy, have tonic properties, protect the skin, have a digestive and diuretic effect, relieve asthma, bronchitis, pharyngitis, etc. The fig is as nutritious as it is symbolic. Filled with all those tiny seeds, it came to symbolize fertility and prosperity, unity and knowledge. For some northern people, the fig is another exotic fruit and they taste it like a RARE delicacy. But for all of us, the fig is part of our heritage.

Olive oil is the oil that comes from the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europea). Virgin olive oil is produced by mechanical processing of the olive fruit in olive mills. It is a key element of the Mediterranean diet and is considered a healthy food product due to its content of monounsaturated fats, antioxidants, etc. Physical and chemical characteristics Crude virgin olive oil is a mixture of various ingredients. These can be distinguished into three categories: Glycerides, fat-soluble substances and water-soluble substances. They can also be distinguished into saponifiable and non-saponifiable components. Glycerides, which are also saponifiable components, are mainly triglycerides, i.e. esters of glycerol with fatty acids. The latter are mainly: oleic, palmitoleic, linoleic, stearic and palmitic. The first three are unsaturated fatty acids, and the other two are saturated Historical data In the Greek area, presses for the production of oil from olives and containers (jars) for oil storage dating from the Mycenaean era have been found. According to the excavations carried out in the Proto-Cycladic II (2,700-2,300 BC) cemetery of Spedos in 1903 by Klonos Stefanos, among the other finds, he mentions a silver-plated clay vessel which contained traces of spoiled olive oil. The careful research in the chemistry of the National University under Professor K. Zengeli proved, beyond doubt, the existence of olive oil. Klonos Stefanos (in the Proceedings of the Archaeological Society PAE 1906) notes that together with the silver-plated clay vessel, a triple clay oil lamp was found. Olive oil is referred to on a Linear B tablet from Knossos as erawo (oil) and on others with a special ideogram. Olive oil and health Olive oil contains high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) as well as an abundance of bioactive components. Of these, the phenolic components are the most extensively studied. Regarding the benefits of MUFAs in human health, the US Food and Drink Administration authorized qualitative health claims (health claims), for the first time in 2004, regarding the protection offered by monounsaturated fatty acids of olive oil against cardiovascular risk diseases. Overall, the benefits of olive oil fatty acids were summarized at the first International Conference on Olive Oil and Health, in 2005. But olive oil is more than a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids. Its phenolic components have shown anti-inflammatory and chemo-protective properties. Oleocanthal in olive oil has been found to have a similar effect to the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen. In none of the studies in which the role of phenolic components of olive oil has been examined, cytotoxicity has been shown.