Olive oil reduces mortality by a quarter and heart disease by almost half.
Followers of the popular Mediterranean diet have long known that eating fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and plenty of olive oil is good for your health. Recent studies have confirmed this. Olive oil helps digest heavy fats from meat and other foods.
Scientists in Spain have discovered that monounsaturated fats found in olive oil work synergistically with essential fatty acids such as omega-3 fats and DHA. Scientists found an association between olive oil consumption and a reduced risk of death by an average of 13.4 years.
The researchers analyzed data from surveys of 40,622 men and women living in Spain, aged 29 to 69, who were recruited for a cancer and nutrition study. The questions asked about detailed diet, number of calories and olive oil intake in the diet. In the follow-up period, there were 416 deaths from cardiovascular disease, 956 deaths from cancer, and 417 deaths from other causes.
The study found that those who consumed olive oil improved their chances of living longer by 26 percent. There was a 44 percent lower risk of death from heart disease compared to those who did not consume olive oil. The risk of mortality from other causes was reduced by 38 percent. The authors noted that there is evidence that olive oil may be protective against certain types of cancer, especially breast cancer.
Researchers have found that monounsaturated fats, vitamin E and phenolic compounds in olive oil work synergistically to protect against heart disease. So 2 tablespoons of olive oil a day will help you a lot. And since these fats are healthy, they can be consumed by athletes.
