Nutrition: Health Benefits of Olive Oil
Even in ancient Greece, people were aware of how valuable it is olive oil can be. The cooking oil has been described as the “elixir of youth and health”. Centuries later, research provides diverse evidence for the health benefits of olive oil in our daily nutrition.
Consuming more than half a tablespoon olive oil per day may lower your risk of heart disease, one says Study from 2020. And earlier this year, researchers reported in the “Journal of the American College of Cardiology‘ found that people who consumed more than half a tablespoon of this oil per day had lower rates of premature death from cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other causes than people who never or rarely consumed olive oil.
Important part of the Mediterranean diet
“Olive oil is the hallmark of the mediterranean diet, and an association with lower mortality is well documented in southern European countries. But this is the first long-term study showing such a health benefit here in the US.”, will Dr. Frank Hu, senior author of the study and professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston in a news cited by the American Heart Association.
Improves cholesterol levels and lowers blood pressure
Of all edible vegetable oils, olive oil has the highest proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids, which are the “bad” LDL cholesterol lower and increase “good” HDL.
It has been shown to lower the blood pressure and contains botanical compounds that offer anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties known to reduce the risk of disease, including heart disease.
Extra virgin olive oil
Different types of olive oil can be found on the market. “Extra virgin olive oil‘ (‘Extra Virgin Olive Oil’: EVOO) is the main source of fat for the Mediterranean diet, considered one of the healthiest eating patterns and highlighted by the American Heart Association for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
“First pressed” and “cold pressed” are terms that emphasize that EVOO is an unrefined natural product that has undergone a single, simple grinding process without altering its quality. Regular olive oil, on the other hand, has been refined, bleached, deodorized, and then blended with 5% to 15% EVOO.
More research needed
In the above study by researchers led by Dr. Hu did not differentiate between olive oil varieties. However, European studies have shown better health outcomes with EVOO, which has a higher amount of botanicals and antioxidants than other edible oils.
As the scientist announced, future researches compare the different qualities of olive oils for beneficial effects.
Good substitute for unhealthy fats
When cooking, olive oil can be a healthier Ersatz for butter, margarine and other fats. For example, in Hu’s study, replacing unhealthy fats with olive oil was associated with a lower risk of death. “Olive oil is a much healthier substitute for dietary fats, especially animal fats”so Dr. Hu.
Other vegetable oils that are heart-healthy benefits may accompany are soybean, canola, corn, safflower and sunflower oil.
However, according to Christopher Gardner, director of nutritional research studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center in California, no single food and no single has nutrient as big an impact on health as the overall dietary pattern.
“A moderate amount of vegetable fat and a reduced intake of refined grains and sugars are important goals for any healthy diet dietary pattern“says Gardner.
“Extra virgin olive oil” can be more expensive than other vegetable oils. Because EVOO has a fragrant aroma and a strong taste has, it can best be used to enhance salads or vegetables.
Canola oil is virtually tasteless, so it works well in baked goods. Other vegetable oils can be used for frying, marinades and more. (ad)
Author and source information
This text corresponds to the requirements of medical specialist literature, medical guidelines and current studies and has been checked by medical professionals.
Sources:
- American Heart Association: The benefits of adding a drizzle of olive oil to your diet, (Abruf: 01.10.2022), heart.org
- Martha Guasch-Ferre, Yanping Li, Walter C. Willett, Qi Sun, Laura Sampson, Jordi Salas-Salvado, Miguel A. Martinez-Gonzalez, Daeg, Meir J. Stampfer, Frank B. Hu: Olive Oil Consumption and Risk of Total and Cause-Specific Mortality Among US Adults; in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology, (published: 10.01.2022), Journal of the American College of Cardiology
- Martha Guasch-Ferre, Gang Liu, Yanping Li, Laura Sampson, JoAnn E. Manson, Jordi Salas-Salvado, Miguel A. Martinez-Gonzalez, Meir J. Stampfer, Walter C. Willett, Qi Sun, Frank B. Hu: Journal of the American College of Cardiology; in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology, (published: 05.03.2020), Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Important NOTE:
This article contains general advice only and should not be used for self-diagnosis or treatment. He can not substitute a visit at the doctor.