Last updated 06/08/2021 by The pain clinics - Interdisciplinary Health

8 Phenomenal Health Benefits By Eating Olive Oil

Do you like olive oil? Olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, is wonderfully healthy for the body and brain! Olive oil has a number of research-proven health benefits that you can read more about here. We hope you are convinced to include more of this wonderful oil in your own diet. Do you have input? Use the comment box below or ours Facebook Page - otherwise feel free to share the post with someone who loves olive oil.

The story behind olive oil

Olive oil is the natural oil extracted from olives. It is an essential part of the Mediterranean diet and has been cultivated in those regions for a long, long time. Spain is the country with the largest production of such oil, closely followed by Greece and Italy.

Eating olive oil can prevent stroke

Stroke is caused by a lack of blood supply to the brain - either due to a blood clot or bleeding. In developing countries, stroke is the second most common cause of death after heart disease.

The connection between the consumption of olive oil and the risk of stroke has been researched in large overview studies. These are studies that are ranked highest in the study hierarchy. They are safe in their cause; Olive oil intake reduces the risk of stroke and heart disease (1).

A study with 841000 participants showed that olive oil was the only monounsaturated source of reduced risk of stroke and heart disease (1). Another research study involving 140000 participants concluded that those who had olive oil in their diet had significantly less chance of getting a stroke (2).

Based on these clinical studies, it can be concluded that eating olive oil can have a positive, long-term impact in the prevention of blood vessels and heart-related disorders.

2. Olive oil can relieve symptoms of rheumatism and arthritis

rheumatism is a relatively common health problem and many often look for ways to relieve symptoms and pain. Olive oil can help with symptoms due to rheumatic disorders. This is largely due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Several studies have shown that olive oil can reduce oxidative stress associated with rheumatism. Something that can relieve symptoms of certain forms of arthritis in the joints (3). Especially combined with fish oil (full of Omega-3) it has been seen that olive oil can reduce rheumatism symptoms. A study that combined these two showed that participants in the study experienced significantly less joint pain, improved grip strength and less rigidity on the mornings (4)

Read more: - This is what you should know about Rheumatism

3. Olive oil can seedecrease the chance of type 2 diabetes

Research has shown that olive oil can be preventive against diabetes (type 2 diabetes). Several research studies have shown that olive oil has a positive effect on controlling blood sugar levels and preventing insulin resistance (5).

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 418 participants confirmed these findings (6). In the latter study, it was found that a Mediterranean diet that included olive oil lowered the chance of type 2 diabetes by over 40%. Great results!

4. Olive oil may prevent and reduce the chance of cancer

Cancer (included bone cancer) is a terrible disorder that affects far too many - and is characterized by uncontrolled cell division.

Epidemiological studies have shown that people living by the Mediterranean have a lower risk of certain types of cancer - and many researchers believe that olive oil plays an essential role. The high content of antioxidants can reduce oxidative damage to cells caused by free radicals - which is believed to be one of the leading causes of the development of cancer (7). Several in vitro studies have shown that Olive oil can fight cancer cells (8)

More and larger studies - human studies - are needed to determine whether nutrition and intake of olive oil can be part of future cancer treatment, but there is already a lot of exciting research in the area that looks positive.

5. Olive oil can prevent stomach ulcers and protect the stomach

Olive oil has a high content of useful nutrients that can fight harmful bacteria in the body with its anti-bacterial properties. One of these bacteria is called Helicobacter pylori - a bacterium that lives in the stomach and can cause both stomach ulcers and stomach cancer.

In-vitro studies have shown that extra virgin olive oil can fight eight different strains of this bacterium - including three bacterial strains that are resistant to antibiotics (9). A human study showed that 30 grams of extra virgin olive oil daily for 2 weeks can fight up to 40% of Helicobacter pylori infections (10).

6. Olive oil can improve brain function and prevent Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. This is due to the gradual build-up of plaque inside the brain cells - which has been linked to high levels of pollution and exhaust exposure, among other things.

An animal study showed that a substance in olive oil can remove such plaque from brain cells (11). Another human study concluded that a Mediterranean diet including olive oil had positive effects on brain function (12).

7. Olive oil contains large amounts of antioxidants

Extra virgin olive oil contains a number of good nutrients - such as antioxidants and vitamins. Antioxidants can fight inflammation reactions (at the same way as Ibuprofen) and prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood - which in turn can lead to a reduced risk of heart disease (13).

8. Olive oil can protect against heart disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death. Abnormally high blood pressure is one of the major risk factors for heart disease and premature death.

Large studies have shown that consuming olive oil in a Mediterranean diet reduces the chance of heart disease (1). Research has also shown that olive oil can lower the need for blood pressure regulating drugs by up to 48% (14).

Choose the right kind of olive oil!

It is important that you choose the right type of olive oil; namely extra virgin olive oil. This is unrefined, not mixed, not heat treated and thus still contains all the good nutrients.

Summary:

Olive oil is probably the healthiest fat there is. These are eight incredibly exciting health benefits, all with the support of research (so you can argue above even the worst Besserwizzer you know!), So you may have been convinced to eat a little more olive oil in your diet? We would love to hear from you on our Facebook page if you have comments on other positive impact methods.

Relevant product - Extra virgin olive oil:

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Also read: - 8 Incredible Health Benefits of Eating Ginger

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons 2.0, Creative Commons, Freemedicalphotos, Freestockphotos, Pexels.com, Pixabay and submitted reader contributions.

Sources / research

1. WHO - World Health Organization - Fact Sheet

2. Schwingshackl et al., 2014. Monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil and health status: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

3. Kremer et al., 1990. Dietary fish oil and olive oil supplementation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical and immunological effects.

4. Berbert et al., 2005. Supplementation of fish oil and olive oil in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

5. Kastorini et al, 2009. Dietary patterns and prevention of type 2 diabetes: from research to clinical practice; a systematic review.

6. Salas-Salvado et al, 2011. Reduction in the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes With the Mediterranean Diet.

7. Owen et al., 2004. Olives and olive oil in cancer prevention.

8. Menendez et al., 2005. Oleic acid, the main monounsaturated fatty acid of olive oil, suppresses Her-2 / neu (erbB-2) expression and synergistically enhances the growth inhibitory effects of trastuzumab (Herceptin ™) in breast cancer cells.

9. Romero et al., 2007. In vitro activity of olive oil polyphenols against Helicobacter pylori.

10. Castro et al, 2012 - Assessment of Helicobacter pylori eradication by Virgin Olive Oil
11. Abuznait et al, 2013 - Olive-Oil-Derived Oleocanthal Enhances β-Amyloid Clearance as a Potential Neuroprotective Mechanism against Alzheimer's Disease: In Vitro and in Vivo Studies
12. Martinez et al., 2013 - Mediterranean diet improves cognition: the PREDIMED-NAVARRA randomized trial.
13. Beauchamp et al., 2005 - Phytochemistry: ibuprofen-like activity in extra-virgin olive oil.
14. Naska et al, 2004 - Olive oil, the Mediterranean diet, and arterial blood pressure: the Greek European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study

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