The olive tree (botanical name: olea europaea) belongs to the evergreen plant family. There are numerous legends known to the nations around the Mediterranean. In 3,000 BC, olive trees were cultivated in ancient Egypt, by the Romans and the Greeks. The olive tree is widespread throughout the Mediterranean region, with a wide variety of very different varieties. In Egyptian mythology, it is reported that the leaf of the olive tree symbolizes divine power. The oil was one of the ingredients used for mummification. At the beginning of the 19th century, during the war between Spain and France, the Spanish brewed a tea made from the leaves of the olive tree. This tea was used to treat feverish soldiers, which quickly made them fit for action again.

The Systematics of the Olive Leaf

The leaves are divided into petioles and leaf widths. The petioles are 2 to 5 mm long, while the leaf width is 1.5 to 10 cm long and 0.5 to 2 cm wide. They are also narrowly elliptical and taper to the front in lancets. The upper side of the leaf is grey-green and the underside is grey. Small hairs grow on the underside of the leaf, which are also called star-shaped scale hairs, as they reduce the tree's loss of water through the diffusion of water vapor from the stomata.

The Forgotten Property of the Olive Leaf

The oleuropein substance

Olive oil is known for its valuable ingredients. In contrast, the olive leaf has been forgotten in the past. What makes the olive leaf so special is the substance oleuropein. It is said that olive leaves contain 3,000 times more of this ingredient than olive oil. This substance primarily acts as a protective agent against pests such as bacteria, fungi and insects. However, oleuropein also has special properties for humans. Through hydrolysis (the splitting of a biochemical compound), oleuropein produces important molecules in the human organism: elenolic acid, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol and rutin.

Preparation of an olive leaf tea

Put 1 to 2 teaspoons of the leaves in a cup, pour boiling water over them and let them steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Please chop whole olive tea leaves beforehand so that the ingredients can develop better.