The Health Benefits of Olive Oil

 

The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidants. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) levels while raising HDL (the good cholesterol) levels. No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated fat as olive oil - namely oleic acid of which olive oil contains 55-83%!

Olive oil and heart disease

In a study written up in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in April of 2002 it was shown that people who consumed 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.

While all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, extra virgin olive oil, which comes from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is processed less than the lighter olive oils. Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the ‘healing fats’. Most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually Omega-9 oil which is monounsaturated.

Olive oil and colon cancer

From research done in Spain in 2000, it is suggested that including olive oil in your diet may also offer benefits in terms of the prevention of colon cancer. The study results showed that rats fed diet supplemented with olive oil had a lower risk of colon cancer than those fed safflower oil-supplemented diets. In fact, the rats that received olive oil had colon cancer rates almost as low as those fed fish oil, which several known studies have already linked to a reduction in colon cancer risk.

 Olive Oil and the Stomach


Olive oil is tolerated very well by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective nature has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. This is because that olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.

Types of olive oil

Generally, olive oil is extracted by pressing or crushing olives. Olive oil comes in different varieties, depending on the amount of processing involved and include:
Extra Virgin – Considered the purest and best because it is processed the least. The oil that comes from the first "pressing" of the olive, is extracted without using heat (a cold press) or chemicals, and that 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".
Virgin – Pure olive oil is made by adding a little extra virgin olive oil to refined olive oil. It is a lesser grade oil that is also labeled as just "olive oil" in the U.S. Next to Extra Virgin is the best grade and comes from the second pressing.
Pure – Undergoes further processing that just a simple pressing. This includes further filtering and refining.
Extra Light – Light or Extra Light olive oil is a marketing concept and not a classification of olive oil grades. It is completely unregulated by any certification organizations and therefore has no real precedent to what its content should be. Sometimes, the olive oil is cut with other vegetable oils.

Storing Olive Oil

Resist the temptation to place your bottle of olive oil on the windowsill. Light and especially heat is the enemy of all olive oil. Always keep olive oil tightly sealed and in a cool and dark place. Also, oxygen promotes the decay of oil. Olive oil is like any other oil in the respect that it can easily go rancid when exposed to air, light or high temperatures.