Health Benefits of Olive Oil
Please note, this is not medical advice but simply a self summarised version of our knowledge collected over the years.
There are many health benefits of fresh extra virgin olive oil, including the potential to help prevent heart disease and reduce the chance for developing Alzheimer's disease.
Olive oil contains antioxidants to reduce aging related health problems such as cardiovascular diseases and fight against cancer and other serious health conditions by slowing down the process that damages cells in your body.
Health benefits of fresh extra virgin olive oil
Olive oil is a health promoting substance because it contains antioxidants known as polyphenols. The health benefits of olive oil are due to its antioxidant content, especially the powerful polyphenol oleocanthal that stimulates the release of endorphins in your brain that block pain without blocking other receptors or nerve fibers like other analgesics do.
Olive oil health benefits include weight loss and improved health conditions linked to over-weight people. In addition to its health enhancing antioxidant properties, olive oil is also an excellent source of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids that help in losing weight because it increases the feeling of fullness by suppressing appetite and improves metabolism so you can burn more calories.
The health benefits of olive oil come from its quality as a monounsaturated fatty acid, so you can achieve health benefits in your diet just by adding this oil to your food. Olive oil health benefits include also lowering cholesterol levels increasing the heart health and preventing many cardiovascular diseases thus being an effective weapon against high blood pressure (that is caused by increased cholesterol levels and obesity).
Olive Oil and heart disease
Olive oil cuts triglyceride levels in the blood thus reducing the risk of heart disease, it can also prevent arteriosclerosis and hardening of arteries. It's because olive oil contains a powerful component called oleocanthal that has proven health benefits for preventing diabetes.
The consumption of olive oil is helpful in reducing the risk of some cardiovascular diseases such as strokes by the reduction of blood cholesterol levels. According to a study, oleocanthal could be up to 10 times stronger than ibuprofen in terms of pain relief and anti-inflammatory effects.
The antioxidants provided by extra virgin olive oil have powerful health benefits for preventing heart disease and arteriosclerosis by preventing oxidation of the LDL cholesterol particles in your blood that can cause plaque formation.
Polyphenols are very powerful antioxidants that help protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation so it does not contribute to hardening of arteries and affect blood circulation. This process is known as atherosclerosis and this condition damages small arteries due to accumulation of plaque and can lead to heart attack and stroke.
How Extra Virgin Olive Oil helps weight loss efforts
Extra virgin olive oil is a healthy choice for people trying to lose weight because it increases the feeling of fullness by suppressing appetite and improves metabolism so you can burn more calories.
Besides its powerful antioxidant content, extra virgin olive oil also contains oleic acid that boosts your body's thermogenesis process which is responsible for burning fat for fuel.
Oleic acid also positively affects your hunger hormones by increasing the release of leptin, which is a hormone that suppresses appetite. Furthermore, oleic acid can reduce levels of ghrelin, another important hormone for regulating your appetite.
Another key factor in weight loss is the monounsaturated fatty acids that extra virgin olive oil contains. Research has shown that substitution of carbohydrates with monounsaturated fatty acids can promote weight loss.
The health benefits of olive oil are more than just weight loss because it also helps prevent many diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.