As an olive oil producer, you might wonder why I spend time talking about sports science, cellular stress, or nutrition for athletes. Here’s why: Personal Purpose Meets Performance Nutrition
I am on a personal journey to become the best freediver I can be a pursuit that forces me to listen, find and understand the body’s limits, its vulnerabilities, and its incredible ability to adapt.
I believe in sharing what I learn, with Family with friends, with clients, with anyone interested in health high performance, whether in sport, work, or simply life.
The olive oil I produce is high in biophenols by design, crafted to deliver measurable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits not just flavor.
And last but not least, I am Italian; For us, culinary excellence is central, and I believe a technical, high-performance diet doesn’t have to exclude pleasure. In fact, it should enrich it. We crave for beauty and pleasure, no reason to deny it to our souls.
This isn’t marketing. It’s an experiment. It’s real food, used with purpose. And olive oil when made a certain way belongs at the very core of that.
Culinary Nutrition for Athletes: Where Food Meets Function
Freediving, like any high-performance sport, pushes the human body through cycles of effort, damage, adaptation, and recovery. Nutrition is not just fuel it can become software for your cells.
The right foods:
- Support mitochondrial function (the body’s energy engines)
- Reduce inflammation and oxidative stress
- Enhance mental clarity under pressure
- Preserve tissue resilience, especially muscles, nerves, and joints
This is culinary nutrition: not just eating clean, but eating intentionally, using natural compounds found in real food to optimize performance.
The Key Elements of a Performance-Oriented Diet
1. Color-rich, natural carbohydrates
Fuel glycogen stores – Regulate immune response – Support the gut microbiome
2. Complete proteins with easy digestion
Muscle repair – Hormonal stability – Tissue rebuilding
3. Functional fats – and here’s where my olive oil comes in
Not all fats are equal. In a high-performance diet, it’s critical to eliminate or drastically reduce:
- Saturated fats from industrial meats and processed dairy
- Refined oils (palm, soybean, sunflower under high heat)
- Trans fats and hydrogenated oils in ultra-processed food
These fats need to be ousted because, they: Increase systemic inflammation – Impair vascular elasticity – Slow metabolic recovery. We need to focus on functional fats like:
- Cold-extracted high-biophenol olive oil
- Raw nuts and seeds
- Fish or Micro Algae Omega 3 – not fish Oil (unsustainable and very rare to find quality)
- Avocado and flax
These provide anti-inflammatory and membrane-supportive lipids critical for athletic output and long-term health.
4. Antioxidant and polyphenol density
From plants, herbs, spices and from high-biophenol olive oil
What Makes our High-Biophenol Olive Oil Different?
Its simple, we engenieer it differently, most commercial olive oil is mild and stripped of polyphenols the very molecules that give it its health benefits. Our oil is the opposite: thanks to Early harvest, Cold-pressing, it is made from cultivars known for polyphenol density, and we lab-tested for oleocanthal, hydroxytyrosol, and oleuropein
These are not just antioxidants:
- Oleocanthal: Natural COX-inhibitor (like ibuprofen), reduces soreness and joint stress
- Hydroxytyrosol: Protects mitochondria, supports energy production
- Oleuropein: Cardioprotective, immune-regulating, anti-inflammatory
So Why Does Nutrition Matter in Freediving – And in Any Demanding Sport?
When we are diving, in apnea, we face:
- High oxidative stress
- Pressure-induced inflammation
- Hypoxia-reperfusion cycles
- Cognitive fatigue
In this context, every nutrient matters and olive oil, when crafted at the right standard, becomes more than a fat. It becomes a microdose of cellular protection.
Italian Food Meets Precision Nutrition
I refuse to believe that performance food has to be bland or boring. We have a culinary heritage that is rich, complex, and fundamentally functional if used correctly, so Eating for Performance Should Still Be a Joy
A performance diet should not feel like punishment. If it’s all boiled chicken and supplements, you’re doing it wrong, and you’ll eventually quit. As an aspiring athlete and a food producer, I believe pleasure and precision can coexist.
Culinary nutrition is not a restriction it’s a refinement. Imagine:
- A warm bowl of farro with roasted vegetables, drizzled with green, grassy fresh peppery olive oil
- A slice of grilled sourdough rubbed with garlic, topped with sardines, lemon zest, and a touch of sea salt
- A fresh tomato and fennel salad, lifted by the richness of raw grrn olive oil and a drop of aged balsamic
These are not just meals. They are tools for recovery, fuel for focus, and moments of joy in a demanding life.
The goal is to eat like someone who loves their body and their food.
Final Words
Reducing inflammation and enhancing energy through diet isn’t about deprivation it’s about intention.
When you remove the fats that harm you and replace them with bioactive oils, precision-sourced produce, and real ingredients, you feel the difference not just in your numbers, but in your mood, recovery, and resilience.
Whether you’re chasing a record underwater or managing recovery from a heavy training cycle, your food is your first tool and your most personal form of medicine.
I produce this olive oil not only for taste, but because I use it myself, every day, in my training.
And I believe that sharing it is part of the journey a way of extending what I learn, and of making health and performance taste like something real.
APPENDIX
Scientific Validation of Olive Oil Polyphenols
Oleocanthal: Natural Anti-Inflammatory Agent
Oleocanthal, a phenolic compound found in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), exhibits anti-inflammatory properties similar to ibuprofen. It functions as a non-selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes, which are pivotal in the inflammatory process.
Source: Wikipedia
Hydroxytyrosol: Mitochondrial Support
Hydroxytyrosol, another potent antioxidant in EVOO, has been shown to enhance mitochondrial function. Studies indicate that it promotes mitochondrial biogenesis and improves oxidative metabolism, which are crucial for energy production and endurance.
Source: MDPI
Oleuropein: Cardioprotective and Neuroprotective Effects
Oleuropein, abundant in olive leaves and EVOO, has demonstrated cardioprotective effects, including anti-ischemic and hypolipidemic activities. Additionally, it exhibits neuroprotective properties by forming non-covalent complexes with amyloid-beta peptides, potentially mitigating neurodegenerative processes.
Sources: Allergy Research Group, ResearchGate, PMC
Implications for Athletic Performance
The consumption of high-biophenol EVOO can offer several benefits for athletes:
- Reduced Inflammation: Oleocanthal’s COX-inhibiting action can alleviate exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness
- Enhanced Energy Production: Hydroxytyrosol’s support of mitochondrial function can improve endurance and reduce fatigue
- Cardiovascular Health: Oleuropein’s cardioprotective effects can support heart health, crucial for sustained athletic performance
Incorporating High-Biophenol EVOO into the Diet
To maximize the benefits:
- Use Raw or Lightly Heated: To preserve polyphenol content, use EVOO in dressings or add to cooked dishes after removing from heat
- Daily Intake: Consuming 2–4 tablespoons daily can provide a substantial amount of beneficial polyphenols
Source: Verywell Health
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