Special interview with Eutychis Androulakis, founder of Pamako olive oil at the biggest newspaper in Greece Kathimerini at "K" magazine! Photo: © Region of Crete
Awarded by the University of Athens as one of the three highest phenolic olive oils in Greece, the Cretan Pamako olive oil stands out for its beneficial effect on health problems of the human body. "Since 2014, I have been hunting for olive oil with a distinct organoleptic character, which can stand worthy on the tables of restaurants with Michelin stars. And this is something we have already conquered in Switzerland, France and Germany. The olive oil tasting space had questioned the possibility of creating a gourmet and highly phenolic olive oil, just as it had questioned the potential of the Tsounati olive. It is difficult, but not impossible, to achieve both. Details that make the difference are harvesting only with electric sticks that do not emit pollutants, being careful not to damage the fruits during transport and completing the oiling within two and a half hours of harvesting. Out of the 35 tons we produce each year, only five achieve this combination of characteristics," explains Euthychis.
The harvesting process involves climbing hard-to-reach slopes and 10 to 15-meter tall trees (some even over a thousand years old) and carrying 50kg sacks on the back to the truck where they are emptied into special transport crates. The words of Eutychis about the "play of nature" come to mind. His cultivation philosophy is that of minimal interventions: he does not spray, he does not fertilize, he does not water, he only prunes his olives. As he typically says, "the terrifyingly difficult – but also beautiful – thing is to accept the different conditions of each year and adapt to them". This is exactly the reason why he sees his olive mill as a "playground" in which he tries and experiments with new techniques until he achieves the desired result.
From cholesterol to chemotherapy
But let's start with the basics. Olive oil is certified as polyphenolic when it contains more than 250 mg of phenols per litre. The corresponding values for a simple olive oil are from 50 to 200 mg, while Pamako exceeds 1,500 mg. And its benefits for the body vary from reducing bad cholesterol and blood pressure to strengthening the immune system after surgery and drastically increasing the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Its connection with medical procedures of this gravity is not at all accidental, since Pamako is the only olive oil in the world that can be administered with a doctor's prescription. Its certification as a dietary supplement came after six and a half years of research conducted by Nutrilogics, one of Europe's largest dietary supplement companies. Many different categories of patients participated in these studies and approval was given by the respective EOFs of France, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Equally impressive is the effect that polyphenolic olive oil has on children with autism, as shown by research. Through psychometric and biochemical tests carried out by doctors and psychologists, an improvement was found in the quality of the children's sleep and eating habits and – mainly – in their communication and interaction with their environment. Among the hundreds of emails he receives from parents, Eutychis singles out one that particularly moved him. It is the message of a mother who wanted to share with him something her son told her: "Mom, I love you. I want to go to the park to play. I liked it". It was the first time he had said "I love you" to her, combining the feeling with the expression of a desire.
