Spanish Scientists Cheer For Virgin Olive Oil:
A. Spanish scientists have examined this question. They found that virgin olive oil consumption boosts good HDL cholesterol .; In addition, people at high risk of cardiovascular problems also have better HDL function when their diets contain plenty of legumes, whole grains, fish and nuts.
A review of the research on HDL cholesterol found that virgin olive oil consumption improves the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of this natural blood fat . The phenols in virgin olive oil improve HDL function; thyme phenols also contribute .People with high levels of good HDL cholesterol activity are less likely to develop atherosclerosis.
How To Measure Changes In Heart Health
One of the big problems in trying to pin down particular factors that influence diseases like heart disease is that they take years, or decades, to develop and so it is difficult to do an experiment in which you give one group of people a food and deprive another group and measure the effects. Studies instead tend to be either looking for associations between health outcomes and certain habitual diets , or looking at things that change more quickly such as cholesterol levels which are themselves thought to be associated with disease.
However, a team at the University of Glasgow have developed a new way of measuring subtle changes in heart health that can happen over only a few weeks, by looking at changes in the patterns of proteins excreted in peoples urine: a technique known as proteomics. The changes they are measuring are of the disease itself, which they can pick up before there are any physical symptoms so it is far more accurate a method than measuring something that is just supposed to be associated with the disease, such as cholesterol levels.
Do Nuts Have Cholesterol
Fact Checked
If you’re worried about your cholesterol intake, you’ve likely made a conscious decision to increase your awareness of how much cholesterol is in the foods you eat. If this is the case, you’ve made a wise decision because excess cholesterol consumption is linked to an increased risk of heart disease. In small amounts, cholesterol helps your body function properly, but if you consume too much, it can accumulate in your blood, stick to your arteries and put your heart at risk.
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Are Olives Good For Lowering Ldl Cholesterol
September 23, 2017 by ModernMom Staff
Your body needs some fat to function properly. While some types of fat, such as trans fat and saturated fat can be harmful, other types of fat, such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, can actually help you. If you have high cholesterol, you may be able to lower it by adjusting your diet and eating more foods that contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as olives and olive oil.
Truth: The People On Earth With The Longest Life Expectancy And The Least Heart Disease Do Not Eat Diets Rich In Olive Oil Or Any Other Fat They Do Eat A Diet Rich In Whole Natural Foods Like Vegetables Fruits Whole Grains And Beans
Yes, in the 1950s Ancel Keys and fellow scientists observed that people living in the Mediterranean, especially on the isle of Crete, were lean and heart disease-free. And true, their diet consisted of olive oil, but it also had an abundance of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, coarse whole-grain breads, beans, and fish. And they walked about nine miles daily, often behind an ox and plow.
But much has changed on Crete and throughout the Mediterranean since then. Today, the people of Crete still eat a lot of olive oil, but their intake of whole, natural foods has gone way down, as has their physical activity. The islands new staples are meat, cheese, TV, and the Internet. Today, more than 60% of Cretes adult population and an alarming 50% of its children are overweight.
And has maintaining an olive oil-rich diet saved them from disease? Not at all. In recent years, rates of heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension have skyrocketed.
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What Are The Best Oils To Cook With
High temperature cooking methods can cause the oil to break down and produce chemicals like peroxides and aldehydes which are potentially harmful to our health.
Oils that are rich in polyunsaturated fats like flaxseed oil and sunflower oil are particularly unstable when heated at high temperatures. Therefore, when shallow frying, barbequing or stir-frying at home, it is best to use an oil that is lower in polyunsaturated fat and saturated fat. The best choices from a nutrition, affordability and availability perspective are olive, rice bran and canola oils.
You can be a lot more flexible with the type of oil you use for salad dressings, sauces or for drizzling over pasta because the oil isn’t being heated. Good choices include olive oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil and avocado oil choose an oil that you can afford and like the taste of, for these dishes.
How Can I Get All The Benefits Of Polyphenols
Making extra virgin olive oil a key part of your daily diet is a powerful way to expose your body to all the nutritional benefits found in polyphenols, decreasing your levels of bad cholesterol while increasing the good levels. By consuming extra virgin olive oil daily, youll effectively move excess cholesterol out of your arteries and liver.
Other ways to naturally reduce bad cholesterol in your body include following a healthy diet, reducing alcohol consumption, not smoking, and exercising at least three times a week. Maintaining a healthy weight is also key.
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What Are The Dangers Of High Ldl Levels
Having too much bad cholesterol in your body and bloodstream is dangerous – especially if your cholesterol levels are 240>.
Dangerously high cholesterol levels like this put you at risk of things like heart disease, heart attack, strokes, Angina , or even Arteriosclerosis .
So, we now know the difference between bad and good cholesterol. But – how can you make sure youre consuming and absorbing the latter?
Well, thats where extra virgin olive oil comes in, which is rich in something called monounsaturated fats. These work to naturally boost your good cholesterol levels in your body and bloodstream, while reducing the prevalence of bad cholesterol – found in foods with high amounts of saturated fat like meat and full dairy products.
Mono Vs Saturated Fats
What is even more surprising is that the monounsaturated-fat-rich diet and saturated-fat-rich diet were equally damaging. The monkeys fed monounsaturated fat developed equivalent amounts of coronary artery atherosclerosis as those fed saturated fat, wrote Dr. Lawrence Rudel and colleagues at Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University in WinstonSalem, North Carolina.
The point here is, weve got to look beyond blood lipids. Weve got to examine exactly what happens to our arteries, asserts Kimberly Gomer, MS, RD, LDN, Director of Nutrition at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Miami, Florida.
As this very important long-term study on monkeys demonstrates, better blood lipids do not necessarily lead to better arteries. Though the monkeys on the mono-fat-rich diet had lower LDLs and higher HDLs than the monkeys on the sat-fat-rich diet, they ended up with the same amount of damage to their arteries.
In a review, Dr. Rudel warned that the science supporting claims that monounsaturated fats are heart protective is weak, based largely on population studies, not controlled trials. Moreover, these claims are questioned by the demonstrated detrimental effects on atherosclerosis in animal models.
Is olive oil better than butter? Yes, foods rich in monounsaturated fats like olive oil may be better than foods full of saturated and trans fats, but just because something is better does not mean it is good for you.
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Why Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil Good In The Fight Against Cholesterol
Because extra virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats.; These are the fats which; increase good cholesterol and reduce the bad type contrasting with other foodstuffs which are full of saturated fats, responsible in part for the increase in cholesterol.; Among these foods, we have dairy products and meat.; These foods can be eaten but always in moderation so as not to increase the level of bad cholesterol.
If you want to know more about saturated fats, you can read this interesting article. And if you want to have more information about monounsaturated fats,;
How To Fry An Egg With Olive Oil
My favorite way of having eggs is fried. I dont have them all too often , but an egg fried in olive oil along with a tomato salad is a perfectly balanced meal and so satisfying.
Eggs were a typical evening meal along with a tomato salad at our home and everywhere else in Greece. Both my grandmothers would make fried eggs at night as a quick meal. Tasty eggs from my grandmothers chickens were the best. Every morning we were sent to the chicken coop in the morning to check if the hens had laid any eggs and bring them to her.
Frying in olive oil results in a flavorful egg with crispy browned edges. Once it is ready sprinkle some salt and pepper and serve with a simple cucumber/tomato salad and a slice of whole wheat bread.
How many?
Weve all heard the advice of avoiding eggs because of their cholesterol content, but actually it looks like the cholesterol in the yolk will likely not increase the cholesterol levels in your body.
Research on large groups of people has shown that eating one egg a day did not affect heart health negatively. ;We now know that cholesterol in food is not necessarily associated with raising blood cholesterol. However, individuals who need to control their cholesterol levels should watch their intake. Generally three eggs a week should be fine. Putting cholesterol aside, eggs are rich in protein, a good source of vitamin D and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, necessary for eye health.
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Does Olive Oil Lower Triglycerides
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The call from your doctor informing you that you have elevated triglycerides means that you need to make some changes to your diet, and soon. Elevated triglycerides are linked to a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. Olive oil, which is an excellent natural source of monounsaturated fat, may help to lower your triglycerides, but only when you consume it as part of a healthy diet.
Triglycerides And Your Body
The fat in your body circulates in the blood as triglycerides, which enter your body in the form of calories from the food you eat. The calories that are not used immediately are converted to triglycerides and then transported to your fat cells for storage. As your body needs additional energy, hormones release triglycerides from the fat cells for use. Triglycerides become elevated when you consume more calories than you can burn or when you have a health problem such as untreated diabetes. According to the the National Cholesterol Education Program, a normal triglyceride level is under 150 milligrams per deciliter. The American Heart Association recommends a level under 100 milligrams per deciliter, which the AHA considers the “optimal” level associated with a healthy heart.
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Polyphenols In Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil contains a phenolic compound called oleocanthal that may have potential therapeutic effects against many chronic inflammatory diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative and joint degenerative disease, according to a review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences in July 2014.
The study reported that oleocanthal shares unique anti-inflammatory characteristics with ibuprofen, which could make it effective for reducing pain and inflammation. Researchers suggested that the oleocanthal content in 3.4 tablespoons, or 50 milliliters, of virgin olive oil taken daily, would have a similar effect as 10 percent of the adult dosage of ibuprofen.
Additional research published in Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders – Drug Targets in 2018 reviewed scientific evidence that associated regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil to a reduced risk of chronic inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, lupus and psoriasis. The report attributes these beneficial effects to phenolic compounds that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune-assisting properties.
In addition to polyphenols, olive oil contains vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect from disease by neutralizing harmful free radicals in your body. Free radicals are byproducts of metabolic processes, such as digestion, or result from environmental sources, such as pollutants.
Lower Ldl Levels Are Better
In a JAMA editorial accompanying the study, Christopher P. Cannon, MD, of Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School wrote that aggressive LDL lowering is the ideal lower is better.
The JAMA studys findings echo those of another large 4,162-patient study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It concluded that LDL cholesterol levels of 62 were even better than levels of 95 at preventing death, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular-related problems in people with heart disease.
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Choose The Right Cooking Oil
All oils are fats, and will have some composition of saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. So, while one tablespoon of any oil will provide about 120 calories, the quality of these calories is not equal, said Kary Woodruff, registered dietitian at the Salt Lake Intermountain LiVe Well Center.
Some types of fats, for example, may increase our risk for heart disease, while others may provide a protective benefit, Woodruff said.
Saturated fats can be found in butter coconut oil and hydrogenated oils. The fat can increase your LDL cholesterol level in your blood stream. Unsaturated fats, which olive oil has, can help with HDL good cholesterol levels.
Extra virgin olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fatty acid and has shown to help reduce ones risk for heart disease, Woodruff said.
Olive oil also helps with giving antioxidants that can protect red blood cells from damage otherwise that damage could lead to heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.
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Is it safe to fry with olive oil?
Olive oil is limited with what you can do with it in food preparation. Olive oil is not the best option when frying food because it has a lower smoke point. To heat the oil up high enough for frying it creates an over-heating and excessive smoke danger.;;
Extra virgin olive oil cannot be heated to high temperatures like canola oil, so is recommended for salad dressings, drizzling on roasted vegetables, and other lower heat cooking methods.
Truth: Olive Oil In And Of Itself Does Not Lower Ldl Cholesterol
In just about every study purporting to show that people or animals lowered their LDL bad cholesterol levels after starting to use olive oil, the subjects used olive oil in place of other dietary fats, often saturated fats like butter, coconut oil, or lard. Well, of course LDL cholesterol is going to be lower when olive oil replaces butter. The total amount of saturated fat and/or cholesterol in the diet takes a tumble when butter is removed.
But the fact is: If you replace the olive oil in your diet with beans , your olive oil-enriched diet would end up producing significantly higher LDL cholesterol levels than your bean-enriched diet. Does that mean olive oil raises LDL cholesterol? Well, yes, compared to beans, but it lowers LDL cholesterol compared to butter.
The point is: Its not the addition of olive oil to a diet that is lowering LDL cholesterol levels when it replaces butter, Crisco shortening, or coconut oil. Rather, its the subtraction of arteryclogging fats and LDLcholesterol raising saturated fats, trans fats, and/or cholesterol.
Thats precisely what the official health claim allowed by the Food and Drug Administration states. Here are the claims exact words :
Unfortunately, though, what we usually hear in the media and see on olive oil bottles are only the words heart healthy. Gone are the FDAs many qualifiers. Gone, in effect, is the truth.
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Olive Oil And The Cardiovascular System
Olive oil is the main source of fat in the Mediterranean diet. People who consume this diet appear to have a higher life expectancy, including a lower chance of dying from cardiovascular diseases, compared with people who follow other diets. Some experts call it the standard in preventive medicine.
A 2018 study compared the number of cardiovascular events among people who consumed a Mediterranean diet, either with olive oil or nuts, or a low-fat diet.
People who consumed the Mediterranean diet, whether with olive oil or nuts, had a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease than those on the low-fat diet.
According to the authors of one 2018 review, the Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority recommend consuming around 20 grams or two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil each day to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and inflammation.
Results of a 2017 suggested that the polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil may offer protection from cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, brain dysfunction, and cancer. Polyphenols are a type of antioxidant.
Will Olive Oil Raise Your Good Hdl Cholesterol
Many medications can lower cholesterol. but not all cholesterol is the same. One type, HDL carries cholesterol to the liver so it can be eliminated. Scientists think high levels are protective. Sadly, doctors who want to raise their patients good HDL cholesterol levels dont have many options. Drugs that have been developed to increase HDL have failed at their main task, preventing heart attacks. Are there non-drug approaches that can raise HDL and improve heart health?
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