Written by Dr Paul Mason

World Olive Day celebrates a tree older than writing, and it’s a tree worth safeguarding. Olives have played an important role in cultures of eating around the globe for thousands of years (1), and now the benefits of their chemistry and molecular composition are coming to light. Grandmother’s cooking wisdom, it turns out, was jam-packed with chemistry in disguise.

The health effects of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) are often attributed to its fats. However, science reveals something far richer. EVOO contains a complex mixture of bioactive compounds including, squalene, tocopherols, and a diverse family of active biophenols that work synergistically to protect cells and reduce inflammation (2). Bioactives are health-modulating compounds found in plant foods that influence biological processes such as antioxidant defence, inflammation, and metabolism (3). In EVOO, these molecules act in concert rather than isolation, offering protective effects that extend well beyond what any single nutrient could deliver (4,5).

If you eat olives, you already know they’re special. The deep, peppery sensation of fresh, cold-pressed EVOO is a sign of active biophenol richness, the compounds that make EVOO one of the healthiest fats on the planet. If EVOO has ever made you feel like coughing, that may be oleocanthal (6), a natural anti-inflammatory similar in action to the synthetic compounds found in ibuprofen. Many of EVOO’s benefits depend on context: how the oil is produced, how it’s stored, and how it’s used in combination with other foods. High-quality EVOOs preserve their bioactive profile through gentle cold-pressing, early harvest, and protection from light and heat (7,8). EVOO is also instrumental in unlocking the bioavailability of bioactives in other foods, helping the body absorb fat-soluble compounds such as carotenoids in tomatoes and leafy greens.

Bioactives: More Than the Sum of Their Parts

Most of us think about nutrition in terms of individual nutrients: vitamin C in oranges, calcium in milk, iron in spinach. Thinking about food in terms of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins (9) is not actually that old, but this scientific paradigm has come to dominate contemporary thinking. Melbourne University scholar Gyorgy Scrinis calls this mindset nutritionism (10), and his work reminds us that food is more than just a collection of isolated nutrients. The real magic happens, as science is discovering, when different foods interact, enhancing each other’s bioactive potential.

Bioactive compounds are naturally occurring molecules in fresh produce that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. They influence how our cells communicate, how our immune systems respond, and how our bodies manage inflammation and oxidative stress. Take carotenoids, for example, which are compounds that give carrots, tomatoes, and capsicums their vibrant colours. These antioxidants support eye health and help reduce inflammation (11,12). But here’s the twist: carotenoids are fat-soluble, meaning your body absorbs them better when paired with healthy fats like those in EVOO (13). That’s why roasting carrots, dressing a tomato salad, or grilling capsicum in plenty of EVOO isn’t just delicious, it actually makes the bioactives more bioavailable, enhancing how much your body can absorb and use. So, in addition to delivering its own health-promoting bioactives, EVOO also acts as a catalyst for the nutritional potential of other foods.

The Culture and Science of Smart Pairings

Long before the value of food was measured in calories and modern laboratories isolated molecules like oleocanthal or oleuropein, communities understood EVOO as a food of healing and endurance. Ancient Greeks crowned their athletes with olive branches as symbols of honour. Romans anointed emperors with its oil. In Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the olive tree embodies peace and renewal. For thousands of years, families across southern Europe and the Middle East have passed on harvest traditions, the guardianship of groves, and the joy of sharing meals together.

Careful harvesting, cold pressing, minimal refinement, and storage in cool dark cellars away from light are long-held traditions that marry culture and chemistry. The timing of the harvest (14), extracting the oil at cold temperatures (15), and dark storage conditions (16) all help to preserve the bioactive compounds in EVOO. Furthermore, pairing EVOO with plant foods can enhance the uptake of other bioactives in our bodies (13).

These time-honoured practices preserved flavour and freshness and also safeguarded the molecules that make EVOO extraordinary. What tradition achieved through observation and care, science is now attempting to explain in molecular terms. We can use those same lessons from tradition and science to help unlock the hidden potential of other plant foods.

Some of the most powerful bioactives aren’t fully available to our bodies unless they’re properly prepared. Glucosinolates, a lesser-known class of bioactive compounds found in cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and brussels sprouts, have been linked to anti-cancer properties (17). However, light cooking and the presence of fat helps to transform them into their most beneficial forms (18). 

Bioactive-rich recipes don’t have to be elaborate to be powerful. The right ingredients, prepared the right way, can unlock a wealth of health benefits—without requiring specialised equipment or hours in the kitchen. At Macquarie University, the Fresh Produce Bioactives project is building Bioactive Master Files to help make sense of the science behind these ingredients and translate laboratory findings into simple, practical ways of cooking at home. Drawing on these principles, here are three simple but effective ways to make the most of nature’s bioactives: 

• Roasted Broccoli or Brussels Sprouts with EVOO and Lemon: A generous drizzle of EVOO and a squeeze of lemon can do more than enhance flavour—this combination helps maximise the conversion of glucosinolates into potent, health-boosting compounds. Light roasting brings out the natural sweetness of these vegetables while preserving their powerful bioactive potential. 
• Sautéed Kale or Cabbage with Garlic and EVOO: Dark leafy greens are packed with bioactives, but their full potential is only realised when paired with healthy fats. Sautéing kale or cabbage in EVOO with a touch of garlic not only enhances their nutrient absorption but also adds depth and warmth to their earthy flavours.
• Cauliflower with Turmeric and EVOO: This golden-hued dish is a bioactive powerhouse. EVOO improves the absorption of cauliflower’s natural compounds, while also making turmeric’s bioactive compound, curcumin, more bioavailable. Since curcumin is fat-soluble, pairing it with EVOO ensures you get the most out of its anti-inflammatory benefits. 
• Carrots cooked with EVOO: When you cook carrots with 10% EVOO, 80% of their beneficial carotenoids become easier for your body to absorb, including the provitamin A carotenoids α-carotene & β-carotene.

With just a few simple tweaks in the kitchen, these everyday ingredients can work together in ways that go far beyond basic nutrition. By combining the right foods, you’re creating a powerful synergy of bioactives in your meal that supports long-term health. At the centre of that synergy stands EVOO, a bridge between ancient practices and modern science, reminding us that nourishment is both cultural and molecular.

How You Store and Prepare Food Matters

Just like EVOO, many healthy foods can lose their bioactive punch if they’re not stored or cooked properly. The way we handle fresh produce, and the EVOO we pair with it, can mean the difference between unlocking their full potential or letting those powerful compounds go to waste. 

Take tomatoes, for instance. Many people instinctively stash them in the fridge, but this dulls their flavour and slows the natural ripening process that enhances their bioactive content. Left at room temperature, tomatoes continue to develop lycopene (19), a potent antioxidant linked to heart health and protection against prostate cancer. Even better – cooking tomatoes with EVOO dramatically boosts lycopene absorption, turning a simple tomato sauce into a bioactive powerhouse (the kind of everyday alchemy long practised in Mediterranean kitchens). 

Leafy greens like spinach and kale are packed with vitamin C and active biophenols, but their delicate nutrients begin to slowly degrade the moment they’re harvested. Storing them in the crisper helps retain their freshness, but when it comes to getting the most out of them, a quick sauté with EVOO does wonders. The healthy fats in EVOO enhance the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and bioactives, ensuring your greens work harder for your health. 

And then there’s EVOO itself, the liquid gold of the Mediterranean diet. Exposure to heat, light, and air can cause oxidation, degrading the precious biophenols that give EVOO its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Storing it away from the stovetop in a cool, dark place and keeping it in a tightly sealed container helps preserve the potency and peppery bite for longer. The same care that ancient producers took in their cellars still applies in our kitchens today.

When it comes to cooking, think of bioactives like a symphony: some are delicate high notes, easily lost with too much heat, while others are deep, rich tones that become more vibrant when given the right conditions. Overcooking can destroy fragile compounds, but this isn’t about perfection. Even if your cooking isn’t ideal, simply including fresh vegetables and a big splash of EVOO will deliver meaningful benefits when using any common household cooking technique. Bioactives accumulate over time, and getting some — even imperfectly — is far better than missing out altogether.

Surprisingly, not all bioactives need protection. Some actually thrive with a little exposure. Mushrooms, for example, can supercharge their vitamin D content if left in direct sunlight for just an hour before cooking, increasing their levels nearly eightfold. It’s a reminder that the way we handle food can transform its health benefits in unexpected ways. 

By understanding how storage, preparation, and cooking methods influence bioactives, we can make small, simple changes that have a profound impact on our health. It’s not just about eating fresh, it’s about eating intelligently, guided by both tradition and science. 

The Art of Eating Well

Does healthy eating begin on your plate or the soil? In the kitchen, healthy eating is about how you combine ingredients to get the most out of them. The way we prepare, pair, and consume fresh produce and EVOO can amplify or mute their health benefits. Food pairing matters. Cooking techniques matter. Storage matters.

From the groves of the Mediterranean to the tablelands of Australia, the olive industry has expanded around the globe. By supporting local growers, and using their oils thoughtfully in our kitchens, we help sustain not only a thriving agricultural sector but also a living link between culture, science, and the land.

Eating well, then, becomes an art of awareness: of how ingredients work together, how traditions evolve, and how every drop of EVOO carries centuries of knowledge in its golden hue.

Published 26/11/2025

Acknowledgement:

Dr Paul H. Mason is a chief investigator on the Fresh Produce Bioactives initiative at Macquarie University. If you’d like to learn more, please contact: engage@freshproducebioactives.com.au 

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation using the onion and vegetable research and development levies, Hort Innovation Frontiers, and contributions from the Australian Government.

Photos by Áedán O’Donnell

View article references