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 bleed. 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 studies of 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, protecting against oxidation, strengthening 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 percent.
