Olive oil is a fat obtained from the fruit of the Olea europaea
(olive tree), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean
region. Whole olives are pressed to produce this distinctive
oil.
The
oil is used in cosmetics, medicine, cooking, and soaps, and was
also used as a fuel for traditional lamps. Olive oil originally
came from the Mediterranean, but today it is used
worldwide.
In the diet, olives can be eaten whole or chopped and added to
pizzas and other dishes.The oil can be used as a dip for bread,
for frying, or as a salad dressing.