A bit of olive oil a day could keep the doctor away. The health benefits of olive oil are nothing particularly new. People have been using and benefiting from the oil for years and years. However, the benefits are becoming more concrete. A study has found that a small amount of olive oil daily is linked to lower cardiovascular disease risk, among others.
The study looked at health data from around 90,000 people for 30 years. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire every four years. They tested approximately 60,000 women and 30,000 men. Everyone was free of cardiovascular disease or cancer as it started. Once the study was completed, the conclusion was that a higher olive oil intake was associated with a lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality. When margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fat were replaced with olive oil, there was an 8%-34% lower mortality risk. That is a significant breakthrough.
Additionally, when half a tablespoon of olive oil was eaten a day, it showed a 19% lower risk of dying from any type of cause than those who rarely consumed olive oil. Furthermore, they observed that there was also a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer mortality, neurodegenerative disease mortality, and respiratory disease mortality. This study was published by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The health benefits of olive oil have really seemed to capture scientists. Many studies have been done observing the Mediterranean diet. This focus on the Mediterranean diet is because it uses a lot of olive oil. Researchers are also interested in how olive oil can support the immune system, gut health, bone strength, mental health, brain functions, and weight loss.
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It seems that the benefits of olive oil are endless. As scientists continue to research and learn more about the oil, they will continue to build a case for the many benefits that the consumption of olive oil provides.