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Virgin Olive Oil Health Benefits

When trying to maintain and promote a healthy lifestyle the number of things one can incorporate into their diet is vast. Of all the items you can add to an already healthy diet, extra virgin olive oil is one of the best. There are a number of ways to incorporate extra virgin olive oil into your diet. No matter how you chose to bring olive oil into your diet, you'll surely reap the benefits of this item.

  1. Lowered Risk of Heart Disease

    • According to Mayoclinic.com, olive oil is a healthy fat choice because it, "contains monounsaturated fat, a healthier type of fat that can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or 'bad') cholesterol levels in your blood." Mayoclinic.com also recommends choosing the extra-virgin olive oil because its the least processed and therefore the most "heart healthy."

    Anti-cancer Properties

    • Studies conducted in 2008 revealed that olive oil can actually reduce your chance of getting cancer and decrease the number of cancer cells in those who already have the disease. An article from Sciencedaily.com discusses the study that was conducted at Catalan Institute of Oncolo, Javier Menendez, who headed the study said in the article, "Our findings reveal for the first time that all the major complex phenols present in extra-virgin olive oil drastically suppress overexpression of the cancer gene HER2 in human breast cancer cells."

    Weight loss

    • According to an article on Prevention magazine's website written by Sarah Robertson, olive oil can help you lose weight. In her article, she cites a study at Pennsylvania State University that was led by Steve E. Specter, Ph.D. In Specter's study, he found that olive oil actually makes one feel less hungry after a meal. Another study described in the article took place by Marshall Goldberg, M.D., an endocrinologist at Thomas Jefferson University Medical College in Philadelphia. This study revealed "that a concentrated dose of olive oil--2 teaspoons on half a slice of bread, eaten 15 to 20 minutes before a meal--helps his weight loss patients, including people quitting smoking, control their cravings too."

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