Evidence of Olive Oil as a healthy food
Olive oil is used daily in many Mediterranean countries. Besides the extra taste it adds to cooking, it is loaded with many health benefits. For decades scientists have looked at the diet of Mediterranean region especially looking at the observations that showed that heart disease is less common in this region. Today there many good scientific studies that concluded the health benefits of the Olive Oil. Here are the top 5 claims supported by many studies as summarized in this article:
- Olive Oil Is Rich in Healthy Monounsaturated Fat
The Monounsaturated fat called Oleic acid makes up 73% of the total oil content. Studies suggest that Oleic acid reduces inflammation and may even have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer (1, 2, 3, 4).
- Olive Oil Contains Large Amounts of Antioxidants
Olive oil is also loaded with powerful antioxidants. These are biologically active and may reduce the risk chronic diseases, fight inflammation and help protect your blood cholesterol from oxidation both lowering the risk of heart disease (5, 6).
- Olive Oil Has Strong Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Olive oil can reduce inflammation. Some estimates show that 4 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil has a similar effect as 10% of the adult dosage of ibuprofen (7).
- Olive Oil May Help Prevent Strokes
A large review of studies in 841,000 people found that olive oil was the only source of monounsaturated fat associated with a reduced risk of stroke and heart disease (8).
- Olive Oil Is Protective Against Heart Disease
It lowers inflammation, protects against the “bad” cholesterol, improves the lining of your blood vessels and may help prevent excessive blood clotting. Interestingly, it has also been shown to lower blood pressure. In one study, olive oil reduced the need for blood pressure medication by 48% (9, 10).