Health Advantages Of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil, the purest form of olive oil, contains healthy fats and substances that contribute to your well being and may protect you against diseases. Olive oil in general provides benefits, but extra virgin oil has the fewest additives for the best results. You can easily substitute extra virgin olive oil for other ingredients when preparing food, cooking or adding flavor to salads and breads.

Quality

Extra virgin olive oil maintains the highest quality of olive oil because it goes through the least processing of all olive oils. Methods of production simply consist of washing, pouring, separating and filtering. Extra virgin olive oil, taken solely from the olive, has the characteristics of a natural product, according to the Olive Oil Source. Virgin olive oil, also produced from the olive, is slightly more processed and has greater acid concentrations than extra virgin olive oil, but has more quality than ordinary olive oils.

Heart Health

MayoClinic.com recommends extra virgin and virgin olive oils as the most heart healthy because of the way they are processed. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fat to reduce unhealthy cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of heart disease. Olive oil makes a healthy alternative to saturated and trans fats contained in butter, animal fats or partially hydrogenated oils that can increase cholesterol and contribute to clogging the arteries.

Boosts Immunity

Substitute extra virgin olive oil for other fat sources to strengthen the immune system and lower the risk of high cholesterol and obesity, Northwestern University advises. The antioxidant polyphenols in olive oil may repress gene activity that promotes high blood pressure, increased cholesterol and type-2 diabetes, according to a study of 20 patients with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The subjects consumed virgin olive oil-based breakfasts during the study, which was published in the April 10, 2010 issue of "BMC Genomics."

Breast Cancer

Research suggests olive oil may provide protection against breast cancer because of its polyphenol activity, ScienceDaily reports. Spanish researchers found that the antioxidants may inhibit activity in breast cancer. Scientists might be able to design anti-cancer compounds based on the actions of the polyphenols. The study was published in the Dec. 18, 2008 issue of "BMC Cancer."

Degenerative Disease

The Mediterranean diet may lower the risk of disease in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea where people typically eat this kind of diet in which olive oil is the primary source of dietary fat. As reported by ScienceDaily, a research group working with the University of Granada studied the effects of olive oil in the Mediterranean diet. Researchers found that consuming extra virgin olive oil may improve the lives of people with oxidative stress and may help prevent cell aging and osteoporosis.The polyphenols in olive oil may be responsible for these benefits.