Olive Oil's Health Benefits

The greatest exponent of monounsaturated fat is live oil, and it is a prime component of the Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit.

The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances.
Studies have shown:

• Helps protect against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. (1-3) No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated as olive oil -mainly oleic acid.
• Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach.
• Olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis.
• Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.

Olive oil and heart disease:

People who consume 25 milliliters (mL) - about 2 tablespoons - of virgin olive oil daily for 1 week showed less oxidation of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of antioxidant compounds, particularly phenols, in the blood.(4)
But while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed.

Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the healing fats. Most people do quite well with it since it does not upset the critical omega 6 to omega 3 ratio and most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually an omega-9 oil which is monounsaturated.

Caring for your Olive Oil

When buying olive oil you will want to obtain a high quality EXTRA VIRGIN oil. The oil that comes from the first "pressing" of the olive, is extracted without using heat (a cold press) or chemicals, and has no "off" flavors is awarded "extra virgin" status. The less the olive oil is handled, the closer to its natural state, the better the oil. If the olive oil meets all the criteria, it can be designated as "extra virgin".
Resist the temptation to place your beautiful bottle of olive oil on the windowsill. Light and heat are the #1 enemy of oil. Keep olive oil in a cool and dark place, tightly sealed. Oxygen promotes rancidity. Olive oil is like other oils and can easily go rancid when exposed to air, light or high temperatures.

Other Olive Oil Facts

• Vitamin E (a natural antioxidant) per tablespoon - 1.6mg, or 2.3 IU (International Units)
• One tablespoon of olive oil provides 8% of RDA for vitamin E.
• Vitamin K:  The richest sources of vitamin K are green, leafy vegetables. One serving of spinach or collards, for instance, or two servings of broccoli provide four to five times the RDA. The greener the vegetable, the higher the content, say the researchers, because the vitamin is associated with the chlorophyll. Vegetable oils--soybean, canola and olive--and dressings containing them are the second best source - USDA
• Fatty Acids:  Olive Oil is a complex compound made of fatty acids, vitamins, volatile components, water soluble components and microscopic bits of olive.  Primary fatty acids are Oleic and linoleic acid. Oleic acid is monosaturated and makes up 55-85% of olive oil.  Linoleic is polyunsaturated and makes up about 9%.  Linolenic, which is polyunsaturated, makes up 0-1.5%
• Antioxidants:  The flavenoid polyphenols in olive oil are natural anti-oxidants which have been shown to have a host of beneficial effects from healing sunburn to lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, and risk of coronary disease.  There are as many as 5 mg of antioxidant polyphenols in every 10 grams of olive oil. Many other nut and seed oils have no polyphenols.

References
1.Keys A, Menotti A, Karvonen MJ, et al.: The diet and 15-year death rate in the Seven Countries Study. Am J Epidemiol 124: 903-915 (1986)
2.Willett WC: Diet and coronary heart disease. Monographs in Epidemiology and Biostatistics 15: 341-379 (1990)
3.World Health Organization: Diet, nutrition, and the prevention of chronic diseases. Report of a WHO Study Group. WHO Technical Report Series 797, Geneva 1990
(4) European Journal of Clinical Nutrition April 2002;56:114-120
(5) Gut 2000;46:191-199.

 

 

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