Olive oil is a staple food of the Mediterranean diet. Nowadays, science is beginning to uncover
it’s untold truths, as olive oil is full of natural wonders to help you lose weight,
stay young and stave off disease. Endorsed by UK Chef Jamie Oliver and Jeanne Calment
(the oldest woman ever) as the secret to remaining youthful, could olive oil really be the elixir
of life? Well let’s find out as we uncover the top 10 untold truths of olive oil.
Olive oil is full of antioxidants
Olive oil contains a cocktail of antioxidants including Vitamin E, carotenoids (naturally
found in carrots, corn and other healthy foods) and phenolic compounds (found in fresh fruit
and veg). These antioxidants are found in higher quantities in Virgin olive oils. Olive
oil is an oil from fruit, which means that it has vitamins that you can’t get from
other oils. Olives have a characteristically high antioxidant content as they grow in air
and must defend themselves from oxygen as it is broken down into damage-causing free
radicals. This natural ability is conferred to the oil when it is manufactured, which
means that the antioxidants can then protect your cells from harmful oxygen radicals. Free
radicals have been linked to aging, as they can affect DNA and proteins in your cells.
It seems Italy may have cracked the code to aging, as they have one of the highest centenarian
populations in the world. Although it isn’t just the olives, researchers have found that
these centenarians have higher levels of antioxidants than the average Joe. So, if you’re looking
to live longer, a Mediterranean diet full of olive oil might be the way to go!
Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties
Inflammatory issues are often associated with diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer,
diabetes and arthritis. Inflammation can be associated with diet, and anti-inflammatory
foods are recommended to manage inflammatory diseases. Olive oil is a great source of phenolic
compounds, which have been identified as potent anti-inflammatory chemicals and can protect
against chronic inflammation. One particular compound is called oleocanthal and is found
mainly in olive oil, and scientists say it has similar anti-inflammatory powers to ibuprofen.
This could be an alternative treatment for some people who take ibuprofen regularly as
it has fewer side effects and can be incorporated into food easily. As inflammation is a key
stage in cancer development, these properties are now being investigated as a ‘compound
of interest’ in cancer research. Research on cancer cells in the lab has shown oleocanthal
can reduce cancer growth and increase cancer cell death, although this hasn’t been tested
in people yet. While olive oil alone won’t cure cancer, a diet enriched with anti-inflammatory
compounds may contribute to some alleviation of the symptoms of inflammatory diseases.
It seems that the benefits of olive oil may go beyond just reducing fat as it might actually
improve your overall health and reduce disease.
Olive oil may prevent strokes and heart disease
Heart disease and strokes are huge killers in developed countries, representing the first
and second most common causes of death. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats, especially
oleic acid, which are much healthier than the saturated fats normally found in lard
and fatty red meats. A review of studies with over 800,000 subjects found that oleic acid
in olive oil can lower overall mortality, especially from cardiovascular and stroke
events. Olive oil is therefore strongly correlated with a lower risk of strokes and heart disease.
The lowered risk of these diseases from making the change to olive oil is also coupled with
the anti-inflammatory properties, which means it doesn’t just lower your risk but can
actively help you to make your heart healthier. As it protects bad cholesterol (LDL) from
oxidation, it improves cardiac health in the long-term by preventing your arteries from
hardening. If you’re interested in getting a healthier heart, switching to extra virgin
olive oil could be a great start to improve your diet. Olive oil? More like Alive oil!
Using olive oil in baked goods prolongs shelf-life
Olive oil has a large amount of vitamin E, which is well known as a preservative and
is often used in makeup to extend its shelf-life. Olive oil can also be used in baking as an
alternative to vegetable oil, and is especially tasty in breads. For recipes with butter,
use 3 tablespoons oil for every 1/4 cup butter, as long as it’s not for creaming with sugar.
Recipes with oils can be substituted without any quantity conversion. If you’re using
it for brownies or other sweet goods, however, you might want to use half olive oil and half
whatever oil you like, as olive oil does tend to have a savory tang to it. As well as vitamin
E, olive oil contains biophenols which have also been catching the attention of scientists
as a potential alternative to traditional preservative chemicals. The ability to increase
shelf life comes from their natural anti-oxidant properties which are good for protecting the
food and for your body. Other benefits of making the switch are the lower saturated
fat content and health properties such as lowered reduced heart disease risk. Being
healthier can be as easy as switching your oil, so you can have your cake and eat it
too!
Olive oil can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's
It has been reported recently that olive oil may reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's
disease, a leading cause of dementia. As seen in other experiments, olive oil is really
good at decreasing inflammation, which is good, as brain inflammation is one of the
characteristics seen in brains with Alzheimer's disease. Research has also found that extra
virgin olive oil increases autophagy, which is when your cells destroy excess materials
that build up. The build up of small proteins called ‘amyloid-beta’ proteins causes
plaques in Alzheimer's disease, which kills brain cells. Tau proteins also cause tangles
in the brain which can damage the cells. Tests in mice have shown that extra virgin olive
oil prevents tangles and lowers the amount of harmful amyloid-beta protein in their brains.
They found that the olive oil group had improved memory and lower inflammation in the brain.
This means that stimulating your body to clear away these proteins by autophagy before they
build up may help to prevent Alzheimer's from developing. Although mice are not humans,
there is also an association with people eating a Mediterranean diet and lowered risk of Alzheimer's disease.
So apparently, a bit of olive oil could definitely help to keep your body AND your mind healthy
as you age.
Olive oil may reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes causes blood sugar levels to increase to dangerous levels due to troubles
with insulin. As our diets get more and more unhealthy, type 2 diabetes has been steadily
on the rise. Dietary habits can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. For example, eating
large amounts of fried, processed and high-fat foods increases your risk of developing type
2 diabetes. However, the Mediterranean diet has been proven to decrease your risk of diabetes,
and your risk can be lowered more by adding olive oil into the mix. In research, the group
who had olive oil with their food had a 10% chance of diabetes, compared with the 17%
for the normal population. This improvement was seen regardless of any weight lost during
the study, so there’s something kind of magical about the olives. Other studies have
found that it can help you become more sensitive to insulin. A chemical called oleuropein in
olives causes the pancreas to release more insulin and breaks down proteins that build
up to damage the pancreas. In other words, oleuropein can help you to keep your blood
glucose more manageable. So given all this, it seems olive oil can both prevent and help
you to live with type 2 diabetes.
Olive oil does not cause weight gain
So at this point, you might be thinking ‘it does sound good, but i can't just eat oil
all day without putting loads of weight on!’. Actually, if oil is something you use often,
switching to olive oil might actually help you to lose weight, even without cutting down
your usage. Eating a Mediterranean diet has been shown to reduce obesity and lower BMI.
Studies have also shown that even people who consume a large amount of olive oil do not
have a higher risk of weight gain or obesity, and the same cannot be said for people who
eat large amounts of other cooking oils. This is because, while olive oil is high in fat,
the monounsaturated fats release the same amount of energy as the saturated fats but
may prevent body fat from building up. Olive oil is also one of the best sources of monounsaturated
fats, along with nuts and seeds. Diets high in these monounsaturated fats have also been
shown to be at least as effective as low-fat, high-carb diets at helping you to lose weight.
Experts say that, as long as the calories you eat per day isn’t changing, switching
to olive oil can help you to stay healthy and reduce your risk of obesity. When you
consider that weight-related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes are also helped
by olive oil, this is a really incredible food for your overall health. Who would’ve
thought that oil could be so healthy?
Olive oil could be great for your skin
Olive oil can be used on the skin for a range of things from removing makeup to soothing
sunburn. As an after-sun treatment, olive oil not only calms and moisturizes the skin,
but has been shown to protect UV damaged skin against cancer in mice, (although this hasn’t
been tested in humans). Olive oil is also effective at improving wound-healing, as using
olive oil along with routine care dramatically improved ulcers of type 2 diabetes patients.
This might be because olive oil has natural anti-microbial properties, which can help
to keep it clean and prevent infection. Olive oil is also used in natural makeup removers
for this reason, and that the fats help to break down the water-resistant or waterproof
makeup and gently lift them off the skin. If you want to use olive oil on your face,
the recommendation is to use it sparingly and wipe off the excess to prevent clogging
pores. For best results, the higher quality oils should be used as they are purer and
better for the skin. It is also worth saying that this will not work for everyone, and
should not be used on people with sensitive or damaged skin, such as eczema sufferers
or babies. Research has found that in these cases, it can make skin worse and so a patch
test is recommended before you try this natural skincare regime.
Olive oil comes in many forms
Olive oil can either be refined, virgin or extra-virgin, and these can be very different.
Extra virgin olive oil is regarded as the tastiest, most nutritious and is normally
more expensive. To be classified as extra virgin olive oil, the oil must be taken from
the first press of the olives, normally within a day of harvesting. The oil is extracted
from grinding and pressing the olives without heat or chemicals. It also has to adhere to
strict regulations around its acidity and fat content to be certified as top-quality
oil. It has the strongest taste and aroma, but takes the most time to produce and perfect,
which is why it has the bigger price tag. Virgin olive oil is also from the first press
but has less strict rules around acidity and generally has a milder taste than extra virgin.
Refined oil is made by heating the pulp left from the pressing and refining the oil extract
using chemical agents to remove impurities. This is high in fat and is acidic, but loses
the antioxidants and flavor that the extra virgin olive oil has. Manufacturers often
add a splash of extra-virgin olive oil into the mix to make it more palatable. Manufacturers
may label this as ‘pure olive oil’ to make it look more like the extra-virgin olive
oil, but double-check to make sure you’re buying the one you want.
You need to look after your olive oil!
Olive oil has delicate flavors and compounds and loses a lot of its taste and healing ability
during storage. While it can be kept unopened for up to 2 years in some cases, the story
changes once you crack it open, as you have 30-60 days to get the most out of your oil.
To keep it fresher for longer, you should avoid exposing it to sunlight, heat and oxygen,
as the compounds that give its taste and health benefits are very sensitive. Most olive oils
are put into a dark bottle to prevent light from affecting the taste. Due to its sensitivity,
you should also store the oil in a cool, dark cupboard away from the stove or oven. If you
are cooking at high temperatures, the taste of extra virgin olive oil may be affected,
so to save money many people use refined oil instead as there is little taste difference.
Having said that, the nutrient content of refined oil is much lower, so it might not
be ideal if you are looking for a healthier oil to cook with. If you do decide to use
extra-virgin, just like a wine, when you reseal the bottle, make sure it is tightly shut to
keep the oxygen out. This prevents oxidation, which can damage the important and delicate
chemicals in the oil. If you don’t use much oil at a time, my recommendation would be
to buy small amounts often so that you’re always getting the full benefits of the oil.
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