EVOO conains a variety of unique anti-oxidants, pro-vitamins and vitamins , collectively called micronutrients. It is these “nutraceuticals” that make EVOO so different to another plant oil, like canola, which is also rich in monounsaturated fat, but lacks this rich mix of protective anti-oxidants.
Anti-oxidants protect the human body from damage. As we grow older the ability of the body to make its own mix of anti-oxidants slowly decreases, and thus there is less protection of cells and tissues as we age. The dietary intake of anti-oxidants to supplement these levels, thus becomes more and more important. Research has shown that this plays a beneficial role in particular in reducing the risk of numerous cancers, including breast, colon and gastric cancers. Studies have shown that if a typical Mediterranean Lifestyle, with a high intake of vegetables, fish and olive oil is followed, there is a lower incidence of cancer.
The rich mix of anti-oxidants in EVOO are also protective against the cognitive decline that occurs with aging. We would all like to maintain optimal function of our brains (computers) and in particular, memory, for as long as possible.
The same anti-oxidants increase the production of nitric oxide in the body – a molecule that is produced in the walls of blood vessels and results in them relaxing a bit, and thus lowering ones blood pressure. In addition, regular use of EVOO protects one from the fundamental risk factors for atherosclerosis and heart disease, by lowering the “lethal” LDL levels in your blood stream, while increasing the “healthy” HDL levels. EVOO is the only plant oil with this combined beneficial effect on both lipoprotein fractions. Triglyceride levels are also decreased with regular use, and a further benefit is the increased insulin sensitivity seen in regular users of EVOO, which results in lower fasting blood glucose levels. All of these effects together allow for healthy blood vessel walls and a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Olive oil also contains a plant sterol, which is similar to cholesterol of animal cells, and this sterol tends to reduce the absorption of cholesterol taken in with our food. The more olive oil we eat with our food, the more bile we make (needed for the digestion of fat in the alimentary canal). Bile is the main route of ridding the body of old cholesterol and this in turn helps lower the LDL levels in the blood stream, as they are the main carriers of cholesterol in your blood.
Another enormous health benefit of EVOO, besides the approximate 72% MUFA it contains and its rich mix of protective anti-oxidants, is that it supplies us with both essential fatty acids (EFA’s), omega-6 and omega-3. These are the only two fatty acids that the human body cannot synthesize, and thus ones diet is the only source. The EFA’s are essential for growth and development and this explains their presence in mother’s milk. More recent research has shown that the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in our daily intake is of vital importance to normal body function, and here again mothers milk provides us with some clues. EVOO has a similar ratio of omega-6 to 3 as mothers milk, and thus is an excellent source of essential fatty acids for breastfed and weaned infants, children and adults throughout their lives.
Obesity is a common and increasing public health problem around the world. It is primarily a disorder of energy balance, with energy intake exceeding energy expenditure. By combining a healthy diet with regular physical activity, one can take control of this energy balance and prevent becoming overweight. The Mediteranean diet has a considerable intake of fat, largely as unsaturated fat in the form of EVOO, nuts, avocados, fish, which all adds to the variety and palatability of the diet. As long as the total intake of calories is controlled, this way of eating, with its low levels of saturated and trans fat, will contribute to the prevention and treatment of obesity.
More recently it has been reported in the media that research conducted by Dr Gary Beaucamp of the Monell Chemical Senses Centre in Philadelphia, together with Dr Paul Breslin, led to the discovery of a newly found compound, oleocanthal, which suppresses the same pain pathway as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents like ibuprofen, although the two chemicals are not related. These researchers suggest that this anti-inflammatory substance present in EVOO is a natural way to control pain and probably contributes to the general well being experienced by people following the Mediterranean eating patterns, where EVOO is the principal source of fat.
