Olive oil

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF OLIVE OIL are in a class of their own. The following claims are SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN.

Olive oil is high in healthy monounsaturated fats
- Olive oil is obtained from olives, the fatty fruit of the olive tree. About 24% of the oil is saturated fat and omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. But the majority (73%) of the fatty acids in olive oil are monounsaturated fat, oleic acid, which is very healthy.
Oleic acid is believed to reduce inflammation and have beneficial effects on genes associated with cancer. The monounsaturated fats in extra virgin olive oil can also withstand very high heat, making it a healthy option for cooking.

Olive oil is high in antioxidants
- Extra virgin olive oil is quite high in nutrients. In addition to its beneficial fatty acids, it has small amounts of vitamins E and K. But olive oil is packed with powerful antioxidants. These antioxidants are biologically active and may help fight serious diseases.
This also means antioxidants that prevent inflammation and help prevent the oxidation of blood cholesterol – both key factors in the development of heart disease.

Olive oil has strong anti-inflammatory properties
- Chronic inflammation is considered one of the leading causes of many diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and even obesity. Olive oil can reduce inflammation, which may be the main reason for its health benefits.

Antioxidants mediate the main anti-inflammatory effects, the most important of which is oleocanthal, which has been shown to work in a similar way to ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory drug. Some scientists estimate that oleocanthal, found in 50 milliliters of extra virgin olive oil, is as effective as 10 percent of an adult dose of ibuprofen.

Olive oil may help prevent strokes
- A stroke is caused by a blockage in the blood supply to the brain, either due to a blood clot or a hemorrhage. In developed countries, stroke is the second leading cause of death, after heart disease.
The link between olive oil and stroke has been studied extensively. A large review of studies that included more than 841,000 subjects found that olive oil was the only source of monounsaturated fat that was associated with a reduced risk of stroke and heart disease.

Olive oil protects against heart disease
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world. Observational studies conducted a few decades ago showed that heart disease was rare in the Mediterranean region. This led to extensive research into the Mediterranean diet, which has since been shown to significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.
Extra virgin olive oil is an essential part of the diet, and protects against oxidation, strengthens the lining of blood vessels, and may help prevent unwanted blood clotting.

Olive oil may help fight Alzheimer's disease
- Alzheimer's disease is the world's most common neurodegenerative disease. One of its key features is the accumulation of plaque inside brain cells. One study conducted on mice showed that a component of olive oil can help remove this plaque from brain cells. Another study, this time conducted on humans, showed that olive oil in the Mediterranean diet has beneficial effects on brain function.

Olive oil may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
- Olive oil seems to be very protective against diabetes. Several studies have linked olive oil to beneficial effects on blood sugar and insulin sensitivity. A randomized clinical trial of 418 non-diabetic subjects recently confirmed the protective effects of the oil.
In this study, a Mediterranean diet with olive oil reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than 40%.

Olive oil does not cause weight gain or obesity
- Eating fat does not make you fat, and olive oil is no exception. Numerous studies have linked a characteristic of the Mediterranean diet, the high consumption of olive oil, to beneficial effects on weight. A 2.5-year study of more than 7,000 Spanish students who consumed a high amount of olive oil found no association with increased weight.
In other words, high consumption of olive oil has not been associated with weight gain or obesity in observational studies. A three-year study of 187 participants showed that a diet rich in olive oil increased blood antioxidant levels and caused weight loss.

Antioxidants in olive oil have cancer-fighting properties
- Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. People living in the Mediterranean region have a lower risk of certain cancers, and many researchers believe that olive oil has something to do with it.