 Olive oil's health benefits
The greatest
exponent of monounsaturated fat is olive oil, and it is a prime component of the
Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste,
aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only
vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit.
The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content
of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances.
Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by
controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good"
cholesterol) levels. (1-3) No other naturally produced oil has as large an
amount of monounsaturated as olive oil -mainly oleic acid.
Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective
function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates
the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than
prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.
Olive oil
and heart disease
Studies have shown that people who consumed 25 milliliters (mL) - about 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.(4)
But while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, EXTRA
VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels
of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less
processed.
Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the healing fats. Most people
do quite well with it since it does not upset the critical omega 6 to omega 3
ratio and most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually an omega-9 oil which
is monounsaturated.
Olive oil and colon cancer
Spanish researchers suggest that including olive oil in your diet may also
offer benefits in terms of colon cancer prevention (5). Their 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 studies have already linked to a reduction in colon cancer risk.
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.
Varieties include:
Extra virgin - considered the best, least processed, comprising
the oil from the first pressing of the olives.
Virgin - from the second pressing.
Pure - undergoes some processing, such as filtering and
refining.
Extra light - undergoes considerable processing and only
retains a very mild olive flavour.
When buying olive oil you will want to obtain a high quality EXTRA VIRGIN oil.
The oil that comes from the first "pressing" of the olive, is extracted without
using heat (a cold press) or chemicals, and 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".
What is pure and light olive oil? "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.
"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.
How to care for your olive oil
Resist the temptation to place your beautiful bottle of olive oil on the
windowsill. Light and heat are the #1 enemy of oil. Keep olive oil in a cool and
dark place, tightly sealed. Oxygen promotes rancidity. Olive oil is like other
oils and can easily go rancid when exposed to air, light or high temperatures.
You can of course buy extra virgin olive oil in any grocery store.
Olive oil versus canola oil
Do not fall into the hype which is put out by traditional medicine regarding the
promotion of canola oil (rapeseed) as superior due to its concentration of
monounsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil is far superior and has been around for
thousands of years. Canola oil is a relatively recent development and the
original crops were unfit for human consumption due to their high content of a
dangerous fatty acid called euric acid.
If the taste of olive oil is a problem, or if you are frying or sautéing food,
then you should consider coconut oil. Many nutritionally misinformed people
would consider this unwise due to coconut oil's nearly exclusive content of
saturated fat. However, this is just not the case. Because it has mostly
saturated fat, it is much less dangerous to heat. The heat will not tend to
cause the oil to transition into dangerous trans fatty acids.
Related Links:
Paths to better health
Super Foods: The Top 10 Healthiest Foods
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Food Pyramid -
Healthy
Eating for Lifetime
Complete Guide to HEALTH ==>>
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