The ancient Greeks were on to something when they referred to olive
oil as an "elixir of youth and health." Centuries later, research offers
evidence about the benefits of olive oil in our daily diets.
Consuming more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day may lower heart disease risk, a 2020 study found. And earlier this year, researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology
that people who ate more than half a tablespoon per day had lower rates
of premature death from cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and
other causes compared to people who never or rarely consumed olive oil.
"Olive
oil is the hallmark of the Mediterranean diet, and its link to lower
mortality is well established in southern European countries. But this
is the first long-term study to show such a health benefit here in the
U.S.," said Dr. Frank Hu, the study's senior author and a professor of
nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
in Boston.
Among all edible plant oils, olive oil has the highest
percentage of monounsaturated fat, which lowers "bad" LDL cholesterol
and increases "good" HDL. It's been shown to lower blood pressure and
contains plant-based compounds that offer anti-inflammatory and
antioxidant properties known to reduce the disease process, including
heart disease.
Olive oil is derived from the fruit of the olive
tree, cultivated mainly in the Mediterranean for over 5,000 years. Spain
is by far the largest producer of olive oils in the world, followed by
Italy and Greece. In the 18th century, Spanish missionaries brought
olives to California and planted them along the coast. Today, over
40,000 acres of olive trees grow exclusively for oil in California,
Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Oregon and Hawaii. Just 5% of the 90 million
gallons of olive oil consumed annually in the U.S. are produced here,
according to the American Olive Oil Producers Association.
Several
grades of olive oil are found on store shelves in the U.S., from
regular to extra virgin olive oil – commonly known as EVOO. EVOO is the
staple fat source for the Mediterranean diet, considered one of the
healthiest dietary patterns and a diet emphasized by the American Heart Association for preventing cardiovascular disease.
EVOO
is the fatty fraction of olive juice extracted only by mechanical and
physical processes without any refinement. It's the lack of refinement
that maintains both its sensory and health properties. "First-pressed"
and "cold-pressed" are terms that emphasize the EVOO is an unrefined,
natural product that has undergone a single, simple milling process
without any processing to alter its quality.
Regular olive oil,
on the other hand, has been refined, bleached, deodorized and then
blended with 5% to 15% EVOO. "Pure" or "light" are marketing terms used
for olive oil that has been refined and mixed with a small amount of
EVOO to yield a product that's lighter in flavor, aroma or color.
Hu's
recent study did not differentiate between grades of olive oil, but he
said European studies have shown better health results with EVOO which
has a higher amount of plant compounds and antioxidants than other
edible oils. Hu said future research may compare the different grades of
olive oils for beneficial effects.
When cooking, olive oil can
be a healthy substitute for butter, margarine and other types of fat. In
Hu's study, for example, replacing unhealthy fats with olive oil was
associated with a lower risk of dying. "Olive oil is a much healthier
replacement for dietary fats, especially animal fats," Hu said.
Other
liquid vegetable oils make good substitutes, too. Strong evidence
demonstrates the heart-healthy benefits of soybean, canola, corn,
safflower, sunflower and other plant oils.
According to
Christopher Gardner, director of nutrition research studies at Stanford
Prevention Research Center in California, no single food or nutrient has
as much health impact as the whole dietary pattern.
"A moderate
amount of plant-based fat and reduced intake of refined grains and
sugars are important goals for any healthy dietary pattern," said
Gardner.
EVOO can be more expensive than other vegetable oils, so
it works well to keep several healthy plant oils on hand for different
uses.
Since EVOO has a fragrant aroma and strong flavor, its best
uses may be to dress salads or vegetables, in place of butter on
whole-grain bread, or in Thanksgiving's mashed potatoes. Canola oil is
virtually flavorless, so it tends to work well in baked goods. Other
plant oils can be used for sauteing, marinades and more.
https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/09/28/the-benefits-of-adding-a-drizzle-of-olive-oil-to-your-diet