This year marks a breakthrough moment for LEPUR Olive Oil. Laboratory analyses from the University of Split – Faculty of Chemistry and Technology confirm that the 2025 harvest achieved an extraordinary milestone: every LEPUR oil contains more than 1,000 mg of total phenols per kilogram, with several batches exceeding 1,300 mg/kg. These values place LEPUR among the most polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oils produced anywhere in Europe.
To understand the significance of this achievement, it helps to know the benchmark. The European Union grants a health claim (EU 432/2012) only to olive oils containing at least 250 mg/kg of polyphenols, recognising their scientifically proven role in protecting blood lipids from oxidative stress. LEPUR oils exceed that threshold by four to six times, entering the category of exceptionally potent high-phenolic EVOOs.
What Polyphenols Are — and Why They Matter for Your Health
Polyphenols are natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds found in olives. They shape the flavour profile of authentic extra virgin olive oil — the pleasant bitterness, the peppery finish — but they also drive its most important health benefits.
Scientific research links high-polyphenol EVOO with multiple protective effects. The most documented is its ability to protect blood lipids from oxidative stress, a mechanism closely tied to cardiovascular wellbeing. This is the only authorised health claim for olive oil in the EU, and it is supported by strong scientific evidence.
Polyphenols also act as natural anti-inflammatory agents. Oleocanthal, one of the dominant compounds in premium EVOO, has a mechanism of action similar to ibuprofen in reducing inflammatory pathways, though much more gently. In long-term dietary studies, high-polyphenol olive oil has been associated with improved cognitive function, better vascular elasticity, healthier cholesterol ratios, stronger metabolic balance and enhanced cellular protection through its antioxidant activity.
Simply put: the more polyphenols, the greater the scientifically recognised benefits — and LEPUR consistently delivers levels far above the standard.
Why LEPUR Oils Are Naturally So High in Polyphenols
LEPUR’s exceptional results are the outcome of a rare combination of natural conditions, organic cultivation and careful, science-driven production. Our olives grow in a certified organic regime on land that has never been previously farmed, treated or exposed to chemicals. This untouched soil lies on the outer edges of Dalmatian Bukovica, an area known for its pristine air quality, strong natural ventilation and abundant sunlight — conditions that naturally stimulate olive trees to produce higher concentrations of polyphenols.
The LEPUR estate covers around 20 hectares, a small, spaciously planted grove where each tree has the freedom to develop fully in its natural environment. The terrain’s open exposure to sun and wind, combined with wide planting distances, creates an ideal microclimate for the formation of antioxidant compounds. These natural stressors — rocky soil, powerful bora winds, temperature contrasts and dry conditions — prompt the olives to increase their phenolic content as part of their own protective mechanisms.
We harvest early, when the fruit is green and at its highest natural potency. Because LEPUR has its own cold-controlled mill directly on the estate, olives are processed within minutes, ensuring that delicate bioactive compounds such as oleocanthal and oleacein are preserved at their peak levels.
Every batch is verified through accredited laboratory analyses at the University of Split, ensuring transparency, consistency and scientific precision.
LEPUR’s philosophy is rooted in sustainability, natural purity and New European Bauhaus principles — a commitment to beauty, harmony with nature and local identity. The result is an extra virgin olive oil that unites exceptional nutritional value with the character of the wild Dalmatian landscape.
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