Olive Oil Nutrition

• What is the "Mediterranean Diet" and what are its benefits?
  
• Can olive oil prevent heart attacks?
  
• Is olive oil healthier than margagine?
  
• What are the health benefits of anti-oxidants and polyphenols?

What is the "Mediterranean Diet" and what are its benefits?

The following information is excerpted from the Olive Oil Source. For more information on the health benefits of olive oil visit the "Ask the Dr." page at the Olive Oil Source.

"Olive Oil and the Mediterranean Diet" Olive oil is an integral part of the "Mediterranean diet," which is associated with sensible tasty portions and slower, more enjoyable eating. People who eat a "Mediterranean diet" have been shown to have a remarkable variety of health benefits. Olive oil can quickly satisfy hunger and lead to fewer total calories ingested at mealtime. Studies suggest that olive oil decreases rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

It is unclear if any single component of olive oil is responsible for these health benefits, or if it is a combination of olive oil and a diet high in vegetables, fruit and fish. Extra virgin olive oil is one of the few oils that can be eaten without chemical processing. (Nearly every other vegetable oil has been detoxified and refined with steam and solvents). Fresh pressed olive oil can be eaten immediately and retains the natural flavors, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other healthy products of the ripe olive fruit. Most doctors advocate lowering total fat and calories in your diet, and substituting butter, margarine and tropical oils with healthy fats like olive oil.

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Can olive oil prevent heart attacks?

The following information is excerpted from the Olive Oil Source. For more information on the health benefits of olive oil visit the "Ask the Dr." page at the Olive Oil Source.

A recent study looked at the basic disease process behind heart attacks; the development of blood clots which block the coronary arteries. Several studies in Mediterranean countries have shown that the incidence of heart disease is lower than would be expected by blood cholesterol levels.

Many feel that this discrepancy can be explained by the high amount of olive oil in the diet in this region. But what is it in olive oil which lowers heart attack risk?

Researchers Larsen LF, Jespersen J, and Marckmann P at the Centre for Advanced Food Studies, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Denmark decided to see if it was due to olive oil affecting the blood's basic ability to form clots. Less effective clotting would mean fewer heart attacks.

The researchers compared the effects of virgin olive oil with those of rapeseed and sunflower oils on blood coagulation factor VII, which is a key factor in blood clot formation. In this study eighteen healthy young men consumed diets enriched with olive oil, sunflower oil, or rapeseed oil for a period of 3 weeks. Levels of Factor VII were significantly lower in those who ate olive oil compared to sunflower or rapeseed (canola) oil.

The study's conclusion was that olive oil may lower the pro coagulant tendency of fatty meals which could explain the low incidence of heart attacks in Mediterranean countries. 3/2000

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Is olive oil healthier than margagine?

The following information is excerpted from the Olive Oil Source. For more information on the health benefits of olive oil visit the "Ask the Dr." page at the Olive Oil Source.

Studies Suggest Margarine as Bad as Animal Fats in Artery Clogging Potential by John Deane M.D.

Greenbrae, Ca. - What is a person to do about conflicting diet advice on avoiding heart disease? Recent studies suggest margarine is worse than animal fats in its artery clogging potential. Doctors have known for some time that saturated fats, the ones that stay solid at room temperature, are not as good for you as unsaturated fats such as vegetable oils.

Americans like spreading solid fats on their toast and bread rather than using liquid oils as the Mediterranean cultures have done with olive oil for centuries. To produce vegetable oils that stay solid at room temperature, the oils must be hydrogenated, a process whereby hydrogen gas is bubbled through the oil, "saturating" it with hydrogen.

Both saturated animal fats (butter) and plant oils (margarine) have been shown to be unhealthy for the heart. The solution? Well, your best bet is to dip or drizzle unsaturated or monosaturated oils like olive oil on your food instead of spreading margarine.

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What are the health benefits of anti-oxidants and polyphenols?

The following information is excerpted from the Olive Oil Source. For more information on the health benefits of olive oil visit the "Ask the Dr." page at the Olive Oil Source.

Olive Oil is rich in Antioxidants like Polyphenols

The Antioxidant Activity of Polyphenols Has Shown Promising Results with Respect to:

Atherosclerosis (Heart Disease)—Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL) contribute to the progression of human atherosclerosis. Antioxidants have been shown to prevent LDL modification. The beneficial effects of a Mediterranean diet may be defined by the unique antioxidant properties of its phenolic compounds.

Antimicrobial Activity—Olive polyphenols have been demonstrated to inhibit or delay the rate of growth bacteria such as Salmonella, Cholera, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Influenza in vitro. These data suggest a potential role of olive water polyphenol antioxidants in promoting intestinal and respiratory human and animal wellness, and as an antimicrobial food additive in pest management programs.

Cancer—There is a growing body of evidence that reactive oxygen species are involved in the etiology of fat-related neoplasm, especially in patients suffering from predisposing inflammatory conditions where high quantities of reactive oxygen are produced. Recent studies have shown that the abundant phenolic antioxidant fractions of olive oil have a potent inhibitory ability on reactive oxygen species associated with colon and breast pathologies.

Oxidative Stress from Passive Smoking—Recent studies which involve administration of the phenolic fraction from olive water in rats exposed to oxidative stress from secondary smoke, show a dramatic reduction of stress and protective activity by polyphenols in the diet.

Skin Damage and Photoprotection—The skin damage produced by overexposure to sun rays and environmental stress is related to the destructive activity of free oxygen related radicals produced by skin cells. Polyphenolic components of olive oil have been compared to traditional antioxidants, such as tocopherols, used by the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry to prevent skin damage. Results show polyphenols as having the highest activity as radical scavengers.

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