Despite the health benefits of oils and fats being quite controversial in the health community, there are definitely some undeniable health benefits that come from Olive Oil.
Olive oil.
Olive oil is extracted from the olive plant, and is quite commonly used in cooking. It’s also popular in countries like Italy, where bread is dunked into olive oil, often as an appetiser.
Being an oil, it’s quite high in saturated fats, which make up about 14% of the oil. 11% is polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, but, in fact, the fatty acid that makes up 73% of olive oils mass is a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid.
Oleic acid is said to reduce inflammation in humans and some animals, and may even have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer.
There are also many antioxidants in olive oil, which protect genes from damage. These antioxidants also seem to play a role in protecting the consumer from heart disease, by protecting blood cholesterol from free radicals, and oxidation damage.
Inflammation is said to be a huge contributing factor to diseases such as cancer and diabetes, and as we briefly touched on before, olive oil seems to have a considerable anti inflammatory property!
Scientists have estimated in the past that around 50ml of extra virgin olive oil has similar anti inflammatory effects as 10% of the adult dosage of ibuprofen – which is quite considerable if you think about it.
One study also noted how chemicals in the oil can stop genes and proteins that cause such inflammation from working properly, just as some pain killers are believed to do.
On top of all of this, it has antibacterial properties too. A study conducted suggests that 30 grams of extra virgin olive oil, taken daily, can eliminate a Helicobacter pylori infection in 10–40% of people in as little as two weeks. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a bacteria that causes stomach ulcers and increases the risk of stomach cancer in some people… pretty cool oil huh?
At the end of the day…
Everything in moderation! You shouldn’t start taking in huge amounts of olive oil, because that’s not good for you either. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to implement a bit into your diet here and there though!
Compared to other fats and oils it’s incredibly healthy, considering it has antioxidants and other properties which protect all different parts of your body, from your heart, to your brain, and even your bones. It’s even said to protect against strokes and alzheimer’s.
But, as we say at the end of every one of these articles, we’re not medical professionals! So do your own research (like we did to publish this article) and make your own choices about your lifestyle and diet.
