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Olive Oil: Your Daily Dose Against Deadly Diseases
14 Mar
Summary
- Extra virgin olive oil may lower risks of heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
- Mediterranean diets high in olive oil showed significantly less heart disease.
- A 2018 study linked olive oil to reduced heart disease, stroke, and breast cancer.
Extra virgin olive oil, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, is being recognized for its significant health benefits, including a potential reduction in the risk of developing deadly conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Health expert Professor Tim Spector champions the inclusion of this healthy fat in daily regimens.
Historically, observational studies in the 1960s noted lower heart disease rates in Mediterranean countries, where olive oil consumption was high. This challenged earlier beliefs that all fats were detrimental to health.
More recent research, including a large 2018 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, supports these findings. The study, which involved thousands of participants in Spain, showed that those consuming significant amounts of extra virgin olive oil experienced notable decreases in heart disease, strokes, and breast cancer.
The benefits are partly attributed to the high polyphenol content in extra virgin olive oil, which offers anti-inflammatory effects and promotes healthy gut bacteria. However, it is advised to consume olive oil sensibly due to its calorie density.
