10 Amazing Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Your Health and Wellness
Extra virgin olive oil is a staple in the Mediterranean diet and has been used for thousands of years for its health benefits. It’s rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds, making it an excellent addition to any healthy diet. Here are 10 amazing health benefits that you should know about.
- Promotes heart health: According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. (Source: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303)
- Reduces inflammation: A review published in the journal Nutrients suggests that the phenolic compounds in olive oil have anti-inflammatory properties. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6330525/)
- Lowers blood pressure: According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consuming a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil can lower blood pressure in individuals with hypertension. (Source: https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/101/3/505/4564383)
- Helps with weight loss: A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil was associated with reduced body weight and waist circumference in overweight individuals. (Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/ejcn2010200)
- Protects against Alzheimer’s: According to a study published in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, the consumption of extra virgin olive oil may help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. (Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acn3.380)
- Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis published in the journal Clinical Nutrition found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil was associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. (Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026156141730034X)
- May improve bone health: According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, the consumption of olive oil may improve bone turnover markers and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. (Source: https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/92/4/1181/2597349)
- Fights against cancer: According to a study published in BMC Cancer, the bitter principle in olive oil can reverse acquired resistance to trastuzumab, a medication used to treat HER2-overexpressing breast cancer. (Source: https://bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12885-020-07564-6)
- Protects skin from damage: According to a review published in Nutrients, the phenolic compounds in olive oil may protect the skin from damage caused by UV radiation. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6073482/)
- May improve fertility: According to a study published in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, a high-monounsaturated fatty acid diet, which includes olive oil, may improve clinical pregnancy rates in subfertile women undergoing IVF. A cross-sectional study published in Human Reproduction found that consuming more than two servings of olive oil per week was associated with a higher likelihood of achieving pregnancy through IVF. (Sources: https://rbej.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12958-019-0505-5 and https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/32/5/1018/2916571)
Extra virgin olive oil is a powerful ingredient that can improve your health and wellness in numerous ways. By incorporating it into your diet, you can enjoy its delicious flavor and reap the benefits of its many health properties. So go ahead and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to your salad or use it for cooking to experience its amazing benefits for yourself!
