I want to start off by coming clean and saying that I get very upset when people, especially “health conscious” people, maintain that fat is bad.
First off, let us acknowledge that not all fat is created equally. Using the word “fat” in reference to every kind of fat on the planet is ridiculous. Partially hydrogenated oil (aka trans-fat) does not behave in your body the same way high quality olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil do. Period.
To prove my point, here’s an FUN FAT FACT:
Why different words? Because not all fats are the same!
Second, the idea that fat makes you fat is old science, and was actually a plain old lie. Did you read the New York Times article exposing those scientists who, in the 1980s, were bribed by the sugar industry to shift the blame for heart disease from sugar to saturated fat (thereby kicking off decades of a low-fat/high-sugar food craze that has contributed significantly to our current diabetes-obesity epidemic)?
Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, here are five fantastic reasons to incorporate high quality extra virgin olive oil into your diet:
1. CANCER
Studies show that OC (OLEOCANTHAL – a phenolic compound found in extra virgin olive oil) can induce rapid death in cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact. Researchers from Hunter College, Rutgers University, and the Monell Chemical Senses Center investigated the effect of OC on prostate, breast, and pancreatic cancer cells. They found that OC induced the loss of cell adhesion within as little as 30 minutes. Within 24 hours 100% of the cancer cells were non-viable. To read more, click here.
2. HEART DISEASE (ATHEROSCLEROSIS)
The polyphenols in high quality extra virgin olive oil have been shown to turn off, or deactivate, genes associated with heart disease and inflammation. Researchers from Spain were able to identify 98 genes which behaved differently based on the amount of high quality virgin olive oil a person consumed. So, if your parents gave you some bum genes in the heart disease department, consuming high quality olive oil might keep those genes quiet, which is good news for you.
3. INFLAMMATION
Loaded with polyphenols, antioxidants, and oleic acid (an omega-9 fatty acid), high quality olive oil may be one of the key contributors to the success of the Mediterranean diet in lowering systemic inflammation. As you’ve probably heard, chronic inflammation is thought to be among the leading drivers of modern disease, including autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis & multiple sclerosis. Turns out, oloecanthal in EVOO reduces inflammation and helps protect joint from degeneration by working similarly to ibuprofen, or NSAIDS—without the negative effects on gut mucosa. Read more about this here.
4. ALZHEIMER’S
The compounds found in EVOO have been shown to disrupt processes vital to the formation of brain tangles seen in the common lesions that are observed in neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. This neuro-protection has been confirmed in vitro. There is also a plethora of research showing up to a 40% decrease in Alzheimer’s disease in populations consuming a Mediterranean style diet [63], of which EVOO is a main component. To read more, click here.
5. SKIN
Since ancient times, olive oil has long been associated with youthful, positive effects on the skin. Jeanne Louise Calment, a French supercentenarian (she lived to be 122) credited olive oil with her youthful appearance. Hippocrates (the father of modern medicine), Diocles, and Galen touted its benefits for wrinkle reduction, moisturizing, repairing skin trauma, and disease and wound healing. Read more here.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The research seems to indicate that regularly consuming good quality extra virgin olive oil leads to less inflammation, reduced risk of disease, and overall better health. Know that you can substitute extra virgin olive oil for almost any oil that a recipe calls for. For additional recipes ideas, visit the Recipes section of my website.