You may prefer olive oil as the best option when it comes to healthy cooking. It sure is a nutritional powerhouse but do you know that its waste product also has a chock-full of health benefits?

In a recent study, researchers have found that olive fruit water, a natural byproduct created from the extracts of olives while producing the oil, can bump up your energy levels during routine workouts.

Scientists at Anglia Ruskin University say the fruit water has antioxidant properties that can benefit recreationally active people. A commercially available olive fruit water, known as OliPhenolia, reportedly yields the same benefits as olive oil as it contains phenolic compounds and is rich in hydroxytyrosol.

The findings of the study, published in the journal Nutrients, showed that the fruit water is rich in hydroxytyrosol and its consumption can give a boost to several respiratory markers of running performance.

The study was conducted on 20 participants, who were given either OliPhenolia or a placebo for 16 consecutive days. The result showed those who consumed OliPhenolia had their energy levels at the peak while starting the workout regimen, and the condition lasted during relatively low-intensity workouts.

It didn't have any impressive effects on the respiratory levels during high-intensity exercise. But, perceived exertion – meaning how hard the participants believed their body worked – improved and so did acute recovery following incremental workouts.

"For a long time, I've been interested in the exercise benefits of polyphenols, such as those derived from cherries and beetroot. To gain similar benefits from olives you would have to consume large quantities daily, which isn't realistic, so we were keen to test this concentrated olive fruit water," said study lead Justin Roberts, associate professor at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), in a media release.

However, Roberts noted that they still have a long way to go with the research.

"Ours is the first study to investigate the use of this olive fruit water in an exercise setting and we found that 16 days of supplementation could have a positive influence on aerobic exercise, most notably at submaximal levels," he said. "We found that reduced oxygen cost and improved running economy, as well as improvements in acute recovery, indicate it could potentially benefit those who are undertaking regular aerobic exercise training."

"We now intend to carry out further research at Anglia Ruskin University to corroborate these findings. We are also looking to investigate whether this product can be used for marathon training and recovery, as well as test its effectiveness in suppressing inflammation associated with exercise," the researcher added.

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