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Five reasons why olive oil is the ultimate healthy fat

Posted Fri, Oct 26, 2007
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Whether in Rome or at home, do as the Romans do: Make olive oil a staple. If you already eat the Mediterranean way, you know that the oil not only tastes good but that it is good for you. It's an amazing source of antioxidants, capable of dousing inflammation, defending cells from menacing molecules, and more. Here's the latest on this superhero food.

IT CUTS YOUR CANCER RISK
Olive oil's cancer-preventing powers are lab legends. Which substances get the credit? Polyphenols, for one -- these potent plant antioxidants protect against cancer-causing cell damage. But it also looks like the oil's monounsaturated fat has anti-cancer effects, which means olive oil packs quite a one-two punch! Some people-proof: Check the lower rates of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer among Southern Europeans -- whose diets flow with olive oil -- compared to their northern neighbors.

IT HELPS YOUR HEART
There's virtually nothing better than the big "double O" when it comes to your heart. Olive oil ups good HDL cholesterol, lowers bad LDL, and reduces other harmful blood fats (triglycerides). And that's not all. It also reduces inflammation, another contributor to cardiovascular disease.

IT KEEPS YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN
Speaking of your heart, how's your blood pressure? If it's not below 120/80, you need to get it there. And yes, olive oil plays a role. It can help enough to reduce the need for daily meds. Those potent polyphenols appear to dilate arteries, which brings blood pressure down. (Always choose extra-virgin olive oil, by the way -- its minimal processing preserves the maximum number of antioxidants and heat-sensitive vitamins.)

IT HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT
"Great taste, less filling" -- that light beer slogan rings true for olive oil. While ounce for ounce, all oils have the same calories, olive oil has a fuller flavor so less is needed for tantalizing taste. Plus research shows that overweight people who eat a diet with some fat -- including olive oil -- are more likely to shed pounds than those who slash fat. Why? Oil's rich flavor makes it easier to stick with the program.

IT EASES YOUR ACHING HEAD
If you're prone to headaches and wary of overdoing ibuprofen, try routinely dressing your salad or crisp-tender veggies in extra-virgin olive oil. It contains oleocanthal, a natural compound that, like ibuprofen, blocks pain-producing and inflammatory substances -- but without the risk of stomach upset. While daily oleocanthal doses aren't the painkiller's complete equal, they could lower your risk for heart disease, cancer, arthritis and possibly Alzheimer's. Quite a trade-off.

  • 1. Posted by A on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    I was allways using OLIVE OIL in my food;I did not know all these QUALITIES ,it has!!!! Thanks for sharing!!

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  • 2. Posted by Manny Mann on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Good thing I always put 2 in my martini.

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  • 3. Posted by Soleus on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    I hear coconut oil has tons of nutritional benefits ... can anyone vouch for its efficacy?

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  • 4. Posted by alaina on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Ya, if its UNHEATED....as soon as its heated...not so good people. Try cold pressed organic coconut oil instead. Do the research

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  • 5. Posted by EarthAngel on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    does heat destroys the vitamins or nutients in olive oil ? I fry my food wit olive oil.

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  • 6. Posted by just me on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Very true that olive oil is offering many healthy benefits and should be included in any diet. Yes Mediterranean diets are proven to be offering much better protection against cancer and olive oil is most certainly a huge component of these diets. However, to compare Northern and Southern cancer rates and attribute the difference solely to Olive oil is wrong! Another example of North American habit to over simplify things. The fact is that the pillar of Mediterranean diets is fresh ingredients, meaning that fresh fruits and fresh vegetables are a huge part of the diet. See where I am going with that right? Yes Olive oil is great but if one has a diet centered on processed foods, sodium, fats, it won't do much for you. In fact many cultures that are not Mediterranean and use no olive oils whatsoever have much lower cancer rates than we do. why? It's all in the wholesome, unprocessed food. Sure eat olive oil. it's good for you, cook with it, even drink one table spoonful a day, it helps decreasing cholesterol. But the fact of the mater is: If you ate properly in the first place you'd have a lot less to worry about.

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  • 7. Posted by alexandros L on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    mediterranean diet is defined as Cretan cuisine, the Romans were eating roots before 146BC. Anyway, olive oil is correctly the best kind of fat. Also fish fat, especially from *fresh* SMALL fish, like sardines (not the salty cured ones, only fresh!)

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  • 8. Posted by LRV283 on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Yes, cocunut oil (preferablly organic) that has not be subjected to heavy refinement has a number of benefiical aspects... anti-microbial, anti-cancer good for the thyroid function etc.

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  • 9. Posted by M on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    I always try to use it in my dressings and cooking, but I wonder if it is not good to heat olive oil to high temperatures!!! does anybody know about this?

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  • 10. Posted by Bela on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Only regret I have I have't used it for a month without olive oil my body could't take it, plus consuming lot of bacen the penalty what I suffered it was a STROKE!!!

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  • 11. Posted by Csaba on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    I am healthy as you can be and have been using olive oil for the last30 years. The BEST!

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  • 12. Posted by Csaba on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    I am healthy as you can be and have been using olive oil for the last 30 years. The BEST!

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  • 13. Posted by Carol Ann on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Inexpensively make your own pasta sauce with spices(oregano,basil, onion, garlic), a can of tomato paste, 3-4 cans of water, and 1\8-1\4 cup of olive oil. Delicious! Add any cooked ground meat, or beans, or brocolli, etc...

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  • 14. Posted by Carol Ann on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Hey, I am on board with the fresh food diet! Canadian processed, canned and take-out food has way too much salt...not to mention saturated fats...

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  • 15. Posted by fonkvori84 on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Duh.

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  • 16. Posted by ismaouma on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    No wonder God mentionned it in the Holy Quran as a blessed tree (olive tree)!!! The Pophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is reported to have said, "Anoint yourselves with olive oil because it comes from a blessed tree." It's a cure for many more ailments... P.S. coconut oil is good for hair, very nourishing too.

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  • 17. Posted by dsvcapital@rogers.com on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    OLIVE OIL IS VERY GOOD FOR YOU HOWEVER THERE ARE MANY OLIVE OILS THAT ARE MIXED AND NOT PURE VISIT WWW.LOUIANNA.COM YOU CAN BUY ORGANIC D.O.P PURE ESTATE OLIVE OIL

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  • 18. Posted by LLOYD G P on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    There are many kinds of olive oil available. What kind has the capiblities you are suggesting?

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  • 19. Posted by Bernie on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Coconut oil is not heart-friendly.

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  • 20. Posted by RBRMASTER on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Non-Hydrogenated Coconut oil is by far the best oil you can use for cooking. Olive oil, not so much (keep your olive oil room temp)

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  • 21. Posted by stephmillermusic on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Coconut oil is an even better choice, and tastes delicious. I take a tablespoon once or twice a day but could easily take more it is so yummy!

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  • 22. Posted by Qamrul on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    With what has been already said about Olive Oil, I will add my personal experience to it. I have been operated five times for the correction of heart arteries, during the time I developed Irritable Bowl Syndrome (IBS), Boold sugar was fluctuating and so was the Blood pressure. Everyone next to me eradicated fat from life and I was bed ridden almost two years until a day I was fed up and started researching to recover myself as a handsome person. Besides enforced medications, I included Olive Oil as part of my continual diet supplement. With four meals a day, I consumed four table spoon of Olive Oil with each meal one table spoon. Within days, my IBS started reducing and I gave up IBS medicines. My blood pressure normalised though doctor insisted to take minimum dosage of medicine. My diabetes risk reduced by 30% and I walked and talked once again. Although minimum medications, physical exercise, mood corrections helped but Olive Oil supplemented all concurrent elements of health improvements. Today, I have switched to extra virgin Olive Oil, I am much happier and thank Almighty Lord The-God for providing such a Oil which so far most of us ignore. I Canada, we get all types of Olive Oil but I look for the one coming from Italy, Palestine and southern Europe.

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  • 23. Posted by alaina on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    As soon as you heat up olive oil..any oil (with the exception of grape seed oil and cold pressed organic coconut oil) it turns into a trans fat and a carcinogen. Raw olive oil has all the benefits that the article says however

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  • 24. Posted by Oiler on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Heating olive oil will evaporate the alcohol and change the taste. The health benefits remain the same. Eat up and enjoy!

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  • 25. Posted by just me on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Check that out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil

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  • 26. Posted by vellathewench on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Its good for you but the smell makes me sick to my stomach and not so fond of the taste either. Wish i could eat more of it cause its great for you

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  • 27. Posted by Laham on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    I am not so sure olive can do all this amazing things you are talking about. The reason: there has not been any large scale authoritative research carried out to prove this. I suspect this to be a marketing ploy intended to scare people so that they can buy this all.

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  • 28. Posted by Petrica P on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    Yes it is good but you ca not heat it up ! The best oil is macadamian nut oil,tastes great and you can heat it up to 410 C without destroing the monounsuturated fats in it.

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  • 29. Posted by humouristdave on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    A lot of Asian & European diets don't even give disease a chance! They eat the good stuff... It's like getting a lightning bolt down your throat! Every time we see or hear something like this article, we act like someone unlocked a hidden secret... Having a healthy lifestyle is not a secret... because you know when someone's healthy! There's no reason not to use butter WITH olive oil, or to drink red wine & green tea -instead of coffee & beer... or use a bit of exercise to relax! North Americans have the most potential in the world to be healthy, but we eat, drink, & behave like ignorant slobs! -And for most of us, that's the truth!

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  • 30. Posted by cia on Thu, Nov 05, 2009

    I love olive oil i aslo have tried many my favorite is www.olivetreeoil.com All the health benifits are on there site and reciepies. enjoy

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