Extra Virgin Olive Oil And Cholesterol
The Mediterranean diet, in which olive oil is the primary source of fat, is associated with a low mortality for cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the term for all types of diseases that affect the heart or blood vessels, including coronary heart disease , which can cause heart attacks and stroke. CHD is a major cause of death worldwide. It’s the term that describes what happens when your heart’s blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries. Over time, the walls of your arteries can become furred up with fatty deposits. This process is known as atherosclerosis and the fatty deposits are called atheroma.
There are many scientific studies that suggest that olive oil helps prevent and treat heart disease. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL cholesterol levels while raising HDL cholesterol levels. But do we really know what is cholesterol?
Setting And Study Population
This study was conducted at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. The study protocol was approved by the Ethical Review Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Thailand, and was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and Good Clinical Practice.
Inclusion criteria for volunteers were healthy male or female, age from 18 to 25, no history of allergy to coconut oil and/or carboxymethylcellulose , not taking any medications, having all related biomedical parameters in the normal range, ability to provide informed consent and willingness to take VCO and 2% carboxymethylcellulose solution as per protocol, and agreement on follow-up for the duration of the study. Exclusion criteria included volunteers unwillingness to have their biomedical parameters assessed and being pregnant. A total of 35 Thai healthy volunteers were recruited. The participants were free to decide whether to volunteer for the study and written informed consent was obtained from all volunteers before starting the study.
Olive Oil For Blood Pressure
A small August 2012 study published in the A_merican Journal of Hypertension_ found that a key part of the olive oil nutrition profile involves antioxidant compounds called polyphenols, which can lower blood pressure. While the study had only 24 participants, it was a double-blind, randomized, crossover clinical trial, which is considered the gold standard in research.
The scientists compared the effects of consuming polyphenol-rich olive oil with polyphenol-free olive oil. Results showed that the polyphenol-rich variety reduced blood pressure and improved the function of the lining of blood vessels in women with mild hypertension.
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Although a February 2014 study featured in theProceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences dealt with rats, the interesting results are worth mentioning because they show what happens when the oil is eaten with healthy foods.
The researchers discovered that consumption of the monounsaturated fat in extra virgin olive oil with vegetables plentiful in nitrogen compounds generated nitro fatty acids. These acids lower blood pressure. The authors stated that following a vegetable-rich Mediterranean diet augmented with extra virgin olive oil can offer protection from high blood pressure.
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Why A Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil Can Help You Tackle Ldl Cholesterol
If you are looking to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol in your arteries and arm yourself against heart disease, including a quality olive oil in your diet is a great place to start. By substituting saturated fats for healthier unsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats you are contributing to a reduced risk of the health complications caused by high levels of LDL cholesterol.
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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Protection Against Specific Cancers
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world, and your diet can play a huge role in determining if youre vulnerable to it.
However, Mediterranean countries tend to have lower cancer patients, especially in areas where olive oil is used in large quantities. People in these areas had a lower risk of breast cancer and cancers of the digestive system.
Reduced oxidative damage due to free radicals with the help of antioxidants like oleocanthal plays a role in reducing risk factors of cancer.
While there are many studies to do before the benefits of extra virgin olive oil against cancer are fully confirmed, you should still consider it.
Olive Oil And Cholesterol Your Questions Answered
In the title of this article, we use two terms that seem to go hand in hand, those of olive oil and cholesterol. But, as you will see from this article, olive oil and cholesterol are linked but only in that olive oil destroys bad cholesterol and increases levels of good cholesterol. But, first of all, we should define what cholesterol is. So lets begin:
What is cholesterol? What do we mean by good and bad cholesterol? What can happen to your health if you suffer from high levels of cholesterol? Is extra virgin olive oil good for reducing cholesterol? Is it better than other types of oil? What habits should you change to have a correct level of cholesterol? If you are interested in the answers to all of these questions, continue reading because we are going to answer all of them.
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The Importance Of Olive Oil
Extra virgin oil produces the greatest results in lowering cholesterol. This happens thanks to processing of production of oil. Indeed it is made by crushing the olives and not refining them. In this way the oil retains a great number of antioxidants that benefit the cardiovascular system. But at the same time we have to be carefull with it becasue olive oil is high in calories, we suggest do not consume more than the recommended serving. The bast way to consume it is to incorporate olive oil into your diet as a replacement for butter and other fats. Instead of using vegetable oils for baked goods, you can use olive oil. You can use it for sauté vegetables, but you should not use it for frying. Here there are several reason that explain why the olive oil is a good product for your health. Now enjoy it!
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Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil Healthier Than Other Oils
Yes! Whether youre cooking, frying, baking, or simply want to spice up your lunch salad, keep a bottle of extra virgin olive oil at arms reach. This particular oil is much more beneficial than any other kind of oil on the market, owing to its high levels of monosaturated fats – even higher than that found in virgin olive oils.
Extra virgin olive oil should be your first port of call for cooking and dressing meals, especially over healthy oils like palm vegetable counterparts or coconut oil. In fact, oils like that can cause more harm than good!
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Help Reduce The Risk Of Strokes
A stroke is induced because of a disturbance of blood flow to your brain the disturbance can be caused by bleeding or a blood clot. As a result, strokes are the second most common cause of death in most developed countries, after heart attacks.
Many studies have found that using olive oil may reduce the chances of a stroke by up to 40%. The primary reason is that people who use extra virgin olive oil are essentially increasing the use of heart-healthy fats in their monounsaturated diet.
The combination of healthy fats, reduced oxidative stress, and a healthy diet always leads to better cardiovascular health and a reduced risk for strokes.
Decreases The Risk For Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease such as coronary heart disease is one of the top leading causes of death. But consumption of extra virgin olive oil can improve heart health and decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. A research study conducted by Estruch et al. found that participants with a high risk of cardiovascular disease, who adhered to the Mediterranean diet supplemented with either extra virgin olive oil or nuts, resulted in significantly reduced incidence for cardiovascular disease . The two intervention groups, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with EVOO and one with nuts resulted in a 30% reduced risk for cardiovascular events. Participants assigned to the Mediterranean diet supplemented with EVOO consumed 50 grams of EVOO, and those who adherence to the Mediterranean diet with nuts consumed 6 servings of nuts per week. Dietary changes can provide protective effects against cardiovascular diseases by incorporating 50 grams of extra virgin olive oil or 6 servings of nuts per week to decrease cardiovascular diseases.
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Olive Oil And Alzheimers Disease
Alzheimers disease is the worlds most common neurodegenerative disease and a leading cause of dementia.
One feature of Alzheimers is a buildup of protein tangles called beta-amyloid plaques in certain neurons in the brain.
A study in mice observed that a substance in olive oil can help clear these plaques .
Additionally, a controlled study in humans showed that a Mediterranean diet enriched with olive oil improved brain function and reduced the risk of cognitive impairment .
Summary
Preliminary evidence suggests that olive oil can help fight cancer and Alzheimers disease, although human studies need to confirm this.
During cooking, fatty acids can oxidize, meaning they react with oxygen and become damaged.
The double bonds in fatty acid molecules are mostly responsible for this.
For this reason, saturated fats, which have no double bonds, are resistant to high heat. Meanwhile, polyunsaturated fats, which have many double bonds, are sensitive and become damaged.
Olive oil contains mostly monounsaturated fatty acids, which have only one double bond, and is fairly resistant to moderate heat.
In one study, researchers heated extra virgin olive oil to 356°F for 36 hours. The oil was highly resistant to damage .
Another study used olive oil for deep-frying, and it took 2427 hours for it to reach damage levels that were deemed harmful (
Olive Oil Use Recommendations
The Food and Drug Administration says research supports but doesn’t prove conclusively that daily consumption of about 1 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil may lower coronary heart disease risk. In addition, according to the University of California Davis Olive Center, 2 tablespoons per day can reduce blood pressure. So, getting 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons daily may be a good idea.
Olive oil has many culinary uses. Harvard Health Publishing suggests using it in place of butter for scrambling eggs or sauteing vegetables. The University of Virginia Health System School of Medicine suggests pouring it over ripe tomatoes or using it as a base for a homemade salad dressing by mixing it with balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard.
Other ideas include adding it to vegetable soups, drizzling it over roasted chicken or cooked fish or using it as a bread-dipping sauce combined with herbs and Parmesan cheese.
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Exercising care in storing olive oil can increase the shelf life. Instead of storing it near the stove or a source of heat, keep it in a cool dark cabinet. If you use the oil infrequently, store it in the refrigerator. Wrap a clear bottle of oil in aluminum foil to protect it from light exposure.
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Mediterranean Diet With Virgin Olive Oil May Be Recipe For Good Cholesterol
A Mediterranean diet rich in virgin olive oil may improve the function of good cholesterol in people at risk for heart disease, according to a new study.
A Mediterranean diet is based on the typical eating habits in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. It includes dairy products, fish and poultry more so than red meat. Fruits, vegetables, bread and other cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts, seeds and olive oil also make up a Mediterranean diet, as does low to moderate amounts of wine.
HDL cholesterol — the good cholesterol — eliminates excess cholesterol from the bloodstream, whereas high levels of LDL, or bad, cholesterol and triglycerides, a type of blood fat, increase the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases.
However, studies have shown that HDL doesnt work as well in people at high risk for heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases, and that the functional ability of HDL matters as much as its quantity, said Montserrat Fitó, M.D., Ph.D., coordinator of the Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute in Barcelona and at the Ciber of Physipathology of Obesity and Nutrition.
At the same time, small-scale trials have shown that consuming antioxidant-rich foods like virgin olive oil, tomatoes and berries improved HDL function in humans, Fitó said.
Large Amount Of Antioxidants
The natural extraction method and minimal refinement ensure extra virgin olive oil retains most of its nutrients and antioxidants.
EVOO contains over 30 different types of phenolic compounds powerful antioxidants that protect your body against free radicals. Free radicals are molecules responsible for aging, diseases, and cell damage.
The large amounts of antioxidants fight against inflammation and protect your blood cholesterol from oxidation, effectively reducing the risk of heart disease.
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Protection Against Heart Disease
Being the most common cause of death in the world, people often overlook heart disease by not taking care of heart health.
However, plenty of studies have shown that heart disease is relatively less common in Mediterranean countries, where theres high consumption of olive oil. While it doesnt necessarily mean that olive oil plays the only part, it does play a role in reducing heart disease.
Extra virgin olive oil has active compounds that have cardio-protective properties, such as preventing atherosclerosis and lowering blood pressure, among other things.
Studies have found that people who consume high-quality extra virgin olive oil and have a low-fat diet tend to be at a lower risk of heart disease.
Furthermore, extra virgin olive oil protects LDL cholesterol from oxidation, lowers inflammation, and improves blood vessel linings, helping prevent excessive blood clotting. Most importantly, it helps manage high blood pressure.
Assists In Weight Loss
Some people believe that consuming olive oil can eventually lead to weight gain however, its quite the opposite.
Several studies have shown that diets that include the use of olive oil tend to have favorable results on body weight. Most diets that have extra virgin olive oil eventually lead to weight loss.
The weight loss effects are felt whether you use extra virgin olive oil as cooking oil or just use it for garnishing .
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Olive Oil For Cardiovascular Disease
It’s reasonable to deduce that if olive oil is beneficial for blood pressure and cholesterol, it also has value for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and this is supported by research.
A 2018 investigation featured in Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders Drug Targets states that numerous studies confirm that the Mediterranean diet has heart-protective properties. However, the research team discovered that the most relevant component of the diet that’s linked to prevention of heart disease is olive oil. The oil’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and blood vessel-dilation effects may decrease the risk of atherosclerosis, the depositing of clot-causing plaque in arteries.
In a May 2014 study published in BioMed Central Medicine, scientists explored the difference in the effects on cardiovascular risk of three dietary interventions: a low-fat diet, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts and a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil.
The results showed that approximately each tablespoon-sized increase of olive oil, especially the extra virgin variety, was associated with a 10-percent decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and a 7-percent reduced risk of death.
Make Sure To Get The Right Type
Buying the right kind of olive oil is extremely important.
Extra virgin olive oil retains some of the antioxidants and bioactive compounds from olives. For this reason, its considered healthier than the more refined variety of olive oil.
Even so, there is a lot of fraud on the olive oil market, as many oils that read extra virgin on the label have been diluted with other refined oils.
Therefore, examine labels carefully to ensure youre getting real extra virgin olive oil. Its always a good idea to read ingredients lists and check for quality certification.
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