AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living Section, June 4, 2023
Story and photos by Gail G. Collins
The happiest diet discovery is something that is both delicious and nutritious. Olive oil—it’s been around for thousands of years, and with the promise of an olive tree, which lives to be 500 years old, those who consume its fruit, can also extend the quality of their lives.
Olive trees originate from the Mediterranean Basin, where some of the longest living populations reside. It’s no coincidence; their diets are abundant with healthy oils, nuts and fatty fish. Packed with potent polyphenol compounds, olive oil protects against chronic and degenerative diseases, boosting immunities while fighting inflammation. It can guard against certain cancers, strengthen bones, promote cardiovascular health and improve memory and mood. Further, olive oil can balance our blood sugar as well as the microbiome in our guts.
Extra virgin olive oil is particularly packed with antioxidant properties. Polyphenols combat oxidative stress that resides as deep as our DNA. A Mediterranean diet consumes four-plus tablespoons of olive oil daily, but studies by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration support the claim that one-and-a-half tablespoons can improve heart health.
It was just such hope that drove Scott McPeak to reclaim his health. At 57, he had been diagnosed with weight-related diabetes, requiring critical lifestyle changes. He ate plentiful salads and vegetables with a desire to dress them in a nourishing way, finding that in first-rate olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Healthy progress spurred McPeak on to lose 80 pounds within four months.
That was three years ago, and alongside the change in health, came a change in business. Scott McPeak and son Scotty owned an H & R Block in Nebraska, but had their eyes on the West. “When the previous olive oil business went up for sale, we swooped in and bought it in 2018,” says Scotty. “We sold the tax business, looking for one with expediential growth.”
The McPeak families revamped the shop, honing the product line and focusing on superiority for Olive the Best Olive Oils & Vinegars of Flagstaff.
Continue reading “Olive the Best invests in quality oils and vinegars for the health of its customers”