What Are The Benefits Of Eating Olive Oil?

A longtime staple in Italian, Greek and other Mediterranean diets, olive oil is a tasty way to capitalize on natural health benefits. Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties, which can reduce your chances of developing rheumatoid arthritis, and those who eat Mediterranean-style diets also have lower rates of chronic conditions such as cancer and heart disease. Substituting olive oil for animal-based fats such as butter is a straightforward way to up your intake of it.

Antioxidants

Oxidation is a damaging chemical process in which molecules called free radicals alter bodily tissues. Antioxidants counteract that process. Olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, has a high content of antioxidants called polyphenols. According to Dr. Nicholas Perricone, these are "powerful protective antioxidants" that prevent the oxidation of proteins and cellular plasma membranes. Extra virgin olive oil is the only dietary source of a potent polyphenol called hydroxytyrosol, says Dr. Perricone, which slows the aging process in skin and strengthens fingernails and toenails.

Cholesterol

LDLs (low-density lipoproteins) and triglycerides are harmful forms of cholesterol. Higher levels of each contribute to a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. High-density lipoproteins, or HDL's, are "good" cholesterol because they prevent fatty deposits in blood vessels and carry harmful cholesterol to the liver, which expels it. Olive oil lowers both LDLs and triglycerides along with total blood cholesterol, and it does not alter HDL levels.

Digestive Health

Olive oil is beneficial to the digestive tract as a whole. In the stomach, olive oil works to suppress the reflux of food and gastric juices, which can help prevent or relieve heartburn. It stimulates the gallbladder to work more efficiently, helping ward off gallstones, and aids the liver in excreting cholesterol. The pancreas works more efficiently as well, and in the intestines, olive oil both hinders the absorption of cholesterol and fosters the absorption of essential minerals like calcium and magnesium.

Bone Health

Because olive oil enhances calcium absorption, it helps retain bone mass and stave off osteoporosis. It will also give a boost to bone formation and growth in infants and children, especially when the mother has eaten olive oil throughout her pregnancy.

Cognitive Health

The International Olive Oil Council suggests that olive oil's high monounsaturated fat content may help maintain the structural integrity of brain cell membranes. Higher structural integrity of brain cells can protect against different forms of cognitive decline, including memory loss, Alzheimer's and dementia. The council also notes that the more olive oil a person consumes, the greater the protective effect on cognition will be.