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‘Extra Virgin’ Olive Oil
Olive oil plays an extremely
important role in the
Mediterranean Diet as it
creates a healthy substitute for commonly
used saturated fats such as butter and
margarine.
The research carried out on
olive oil over the last few years by
respected institutions such as Harvard and
Oxford Universities has had very positive
results.
It has been found that the
most beneficial olive oil is ‘extra-virgin’
olive oil - the oil created by the first
pressing of the olives. Choosing
‘extra-virgin’ olive oil as your main source
of dietary fat is a prime factor in
maintaining good health as this type
of oil can actually lower the risk of
coronary heart disease by reducing blood
cholesterol levels. Saturated fats increase
both blood pressure levels and the
risk of heart disease.
This was proved by a recent
study involving people suffering from
‘hypertension’ whose dietary intake of olive
oil was purposely increased. After a period
of 2 months, the effect that the increased
intake had was significant enough to
decrease their anti-hypertensive drug dosage
by 50%!! Another study concluded that a
person’s risk of a fatal heart attack is
halved in just 2 to 4 years if they switch
to a diet with a higher olive oil
consumption.
Research has also found that
olive oil may influence body fat
distribution meaning less fat is stored
around the stomach and waist. This is
significant as those who store their body
fat around the waist also have a higher risk
of heart disease. Consumption of olive oil
is also thought to lead to a reduced risk of
some cancers and even diabetes.
The most recent findings to
date were reported in the ‘Daily
Telegraph’ newspaper in the United Kingdom.
Scientists from the ‘Morell Chemical Senses
Center’
in Philadelphia found that extra-virgin
olive oil relieves pain in the same way as
some ‘pain-killers’ such as Ibuprofen. They
discovered that the oil contains an
anti-inflammatory compound called
‘oleocanthal’ which suppresses the same pain
pathway as the ‘painkillers’ do.
This is extremely important
as it is the inflammation in the body that
is believed to play a key role in causing
some chronic diseases like cancer.
Which olive oil is the best?
The difference between the
various olive oils is in their acidity
level. The acidity level affects only the
taste of the olive oil that you purchase; it
has virtually no impact on the nutritional
content. For all cooking purposes buy a
medium priced ‘extra virgin’ olive oil from
either Spain or Italy. Never use ‘vegetable’
of ‘sunflower’ oils to cook with as they can
contain ‘hydrogenated’ fats.
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