What we eat, what it costs and what the science says about it.
Spanish extra virgin olive oil now sells at origin for about €3.17 a kilo, around 65% below its January 2024 peak, according to European Commission data. A large 2026/27 harvest pushed prices down, and Spain has ordered mills to hold back 12% of output.
Home fermentation is safe when you follow tested methods: the right amount of salt, vegetables kept under brine, steady temperatures and clean equipment. Official US guidance also says to discard anything mouldy, foul-smelling or in a bulging container.
Randomised trials link the Mediterranean diet to roughly 30% fewer heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths in high-risk people. Evidence on longevity and dementia is promising but mostly observational, and some headline effects shrink once lifestyle is accounted for.
