DR. WALKER

Is Olive Oil King among oils?

The fact cannot be stated any clearer; in the land of oils, Olive Oil is king, and it is not even about its rich golden color. We owe much to the Mediterranean people who have kept olive oil as a main part of their diets; long enough for us to observe its resilience against cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and cholesterol. In fact, we can witness the power of olive oil in numerous pharmacopoeias and historic records, especially with the early Greek doctors, their reliance on olives and its oil for the treatment of many maladies.

A measure of greatness is always with content and not looks, and that is just what olive oil possesses. About 72% of mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), 11% poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and only 17% saturated fatty acids ensure that there is really no close second to this almost-flawless oil. If you are thinking it could not get any better, there is its polyphenol and antioxidant profile, reaching up to 500mg/L and almost comparable to some of the richest exotic fruits like blueberries and pear.¹

In any case, if you are consuming some good olive oil, your heart is at peace, literally. It has been shown in studies that olive oil independently protects you from cardiovascular diseases, just like some fruits and vegetables would. The FDA even agrees to this claim, having approved a similar statement since 2004.⁴ This is as a result of its MUFA and PUFA contents, that are the main building blocks of HDL, the good cholesterol. Hence, unlike other oils, olive oil specifically increases your HDL, and not the LDL even slightly, a double whammy on “bad cholesterol”.

Antioxidants in the oil also help prevent CVDs to an extent, due to the role they play in reducing hypertension. Additionally, olive oil plays a key role in subduing overall inflammation. Inflammatory response, is not all gloom as it is the body’s response to tissue injury or foreign invasion, however, chronic inflammation usually runs into chronic diseases. The protein responsible, CRP, is greatly subdued and removed by antioxidants in olive oil. This was seen in one study that fed 3 tablespoons of olive to patients with coronary heart disease, and in another study that fed the same to HIV patients.⁵

These antioxidants arise again in your body’s prevention and fight against cancers. A review points out that these antioxidants actually increase the death of some cancer cells (osteosarcoma and neuroblastoma) in some patients, as well as prevent the activity of carcinogens from the environment.¹ Several studies point out that you are generally at a lower risk of cancers, especially breast cancer and cancers of the digestive system when you consume good amounts of olive oil.⁶ The MUFA, oleic acid is also in the mix of cancer prevention as it is less likely to be oxidized into cancer precursors, unlike many other PUFAs from other oils.

Olive oil also assists in maintaining normal blood sugar level. It has been observed that introducing olive oil into the diet of patients with coronary heart disease reduced their risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 40%, whereas another population study confirmed that people who consumed this golden oil had less risk of impaired glucose malfunction, a precursor to Type 2 Diabetes.⁶

Olive oil is however often targeted for adulteration so that cheaper oils can mimic its value. That is why the US published its standards for olive oil and olive-pomace oil to check for fraud.² As a result, you would find classifications like “virgin” and “extra virgin” to indicate the fact that no heat or chemical agents were involved in the oil extraction. These are the two highest grades, containing the most quantities of antioxidants, but also free fatty acids. Other terms like “pure” or “classic” refer to the fact that it is a mixture of heat-extracted and “virgin” olive oils.³ The goal of this mixture, normally is to modify its flavor.

Regardless of its benefits, oil is oil and should never be drank like water. In fact, the FDA warns that the true goodness of olive oil can only be obtained if it comes to replace the other “unhealthy” oils rather than add to it. A maximum of 2 tablespoons or 6 teaspoons is all what the FDA recommends, although Mediterranean diets incorporate as much as 4 tablespoons. You should remember that fats and oil in total are supposed to cater for only 25% of your total energy needs for the day so there is absolutely no need to binge on olive oil. When it comes to delicate nutrients as these, they are only as good as their right amounts.

Olive oil started out as king and remains so. When you consider its ability in preventing CVDs, cancers, inflammation, and its antioxidant profile, it beats all other oils making it a wonderful addition to a balanced diet. Truly, olive oil is gold in both appearance and substance.