Benefits & Cautions
of Olive oil
Olive oil is a staple in the diet of Mediterranean countries. It is used not only in cooking, but also used liberally mixed with vinegar as a dressing, and even with cracked black pepper as a dipping sauce for foccacia bread. While researching the Greeks living on the island of Crete, researchers where amazed to find that despite the high fat content in the traditional Greek diet, the residents of the island had an exceptionally low occurrence of heart disease. This led researchers to examine the diets of the Greek people to try to figure out what factors contribute to this low rate of heart disease.Pssst!
Their conclusion?
Olive oil! The Greeks do not eat much butter or margarine, substituting olive oil instead.
By replacing the saturated fats in your diet with monosaturated fat, such as olive oil, the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level is lowered. However, the beneficial high-density proteins are left alone, thus the dangerous, artery clogging fat does not continue to accumulate. The benefits of this are long reaching. In a scientific project called the Seven Countries Study determined that 46 percent of middle aged deaths in American men were due to heart disease, while the percentage of deaths in Crete were only 4 percent-over 10 times lower. In addition to the benefits of the monounsaturated fats in olive oil, there are several other compounds that can benefit your health.
These can stop damage in your arteries before it starts. Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants found in olive oil. These antioxidants disable the free radical oxygen molecules produced naturally by your body. This keeps the free radicals from attacking the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) which lowers the chances that they will stick to artery walls, clogging them and causing heart disease. The conclusion? Adding olive oil to your diet can help to keep your arteries clear.
In addition to being beneficial to your heart, there is evidence that it may also be able to help protect your breast as well. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Athens School of Public Health studied the effects of olive oil on more than 2,300 women. They discovered that women who consumed olive oil more than once a day had a 25% lower risk of breast cancer, and in fact the female population of Greece is much less likely to die from breast cancer than woman in the United States. They believe the high concentration of vitamin E, which has been proven to slow or stop cell damage, found in olive oil , as well as, the polyphenols mentioned earlier contribute to this benefit.To get the most benefit from olive oil, make sure to look for "Extra Virgin Olive oil". This oil comes from the very first cold press of the olive and contains the highest and purest amounts of disease fighting polyphenols. Also, unlike other oils, olive oil should be kept cool, either in the refrigerator or other dark cool spot. This will make sure your olive oil maintains its protective qualities, as well as its great taste.
Olive oil labeled "Pure Olive Oil" is made using a heating process
Olive oil has numerous health benefits because it is low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fat. There are conflicting reports on the safety of olive oil. The following will explain the benefits and cautions you should take when consuming olive oil.
Olive oil has mostly unsaturated fat. Studies show that diets high in unsaturated fat has a lower chance of heart disease. Saturated fats are linked to heart disease. These fats may cause your cholesterol to increase.
The fat in olive oil is monounsaturated fat. This is responsible for lowering your cholesterol level. This lowers that bad cholesterol in your body. High cholesterol is linked to strokes, hardening of the arteries, and heart attacks.
Studies show that olive oil (extra virgin) is helpful in lowering your blood pressure as well. The substance responsible is called polyphenols. Polyphenol is an antioxidant. Antioxidants prevent damage to blood vessels and cells by attacking free radicals that may be in your body.Olive oil can also be effective in lowering your chance of rheumatoid arthritis. The exact mechanism has not been identified yet. However, in recent studies it has been shown that people who ate a significant amount of olive oil had a significantly lower chance of getting this diseased that characterized joints by the stiffening over you.
There have been recent studies that claim eating olive oil can be destructive by narrowing your blood vessels after using it. But this can be counteracted if you consume plenty of fruits and vegetables. The antioxidants present in these foods cancel out the narrowing affect.
Although olive oil is healthy, "don't eat too much". It is still fat. All fats contain the same amount of calories, meaning that if you consume too much you can still gain weight.
Learn about a Calorie vs. a calorie vs. a kilocalorie ---==== Click Here ====---
Try replacing saturated fat such as butter and lard with olive oil.
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