Health Benefits Of Olive Oil

olive oil each day can be beneficial to your health and wellbeing. In addition to strengthen the immune system and helping to protect against viruses, olive oil has also been found to be effective in fighting against diseases such as Cancer: The phytonutrient in olive oil, oleocanthal, mimics the effect of ibuprofen in reducing inflammation, which can decrease the risk of breast cancer and its recurrence. Squalene and lignans are among the other olive oil components being studied for their possible effects on cancer.


Heart Disease:Olive oil helps lower levels of blood cholesterol leading to heart disease.


Oxidative Stress: Olive oil is rich in antioxidants, especially vitamin E, long thought to minimize cancer risk. Among plant oils, olive oil is the highest in monounsaturated fat, which doesn’t oxidize in the body, and its low in polyunsaturated fat, the kind that does oxidize.


Blood Pressure: Recent studies indicate that regular consumption of olive oil can help decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.


Diabetes: It has been demonstrated that a diet that is rich in olive oil, low in saturated fats, moderately rich in carbohydrates and soluble fiber from fruit, vegetables, pulses and grains is the most effective approach for diabetics. It helps lower “bad” low-density lipo-proteins while improving blood sugar control and enriches insulin sensitivity.


Obesity: Although high in calories, olive oil has shown to help reduce levels of obesity. Rheumatoid Arthritis: People with diets containing high levels of olive oil are less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis.


Osteoporosis: A high consumption of olive oil appears to improve bone mineralization and calcification. It helps calcium absorption and so plays an important role in aiding sufferers and in preventing the onset of Osteoporosis.


Olive Oil Keeps the Heart Young: A diet rich in olive oil may be able to slow down the aging of the heart. It is a known fact that as we grow older the heart also goes through a normal aging process. The arteries may not function as well as they did and this can lead to a number of health problems. However, recent study, has discovered that a diet rich in olive oil or other monounsaturated fats could improve the arterial function of elderly individuals.