Olive oil is commonly used in the Mediterranean diet (one of the most recommended for a healthy lifestyle) and you may have heard of the olive oil brings many benefits. You may have also heard that Extra Virgin Olive Oil is even better for your health. However, I can tell you that even in those household where this great natural resource is regularly used, people may not know what the main benefits of olive oil are. Olive oil benefits - Driking fresh olive oil Olive oil is probably one of the oldest oils to be used by many civilisations and its use dates as far back as the Egyptian Empire! These archaic societies discovered the benefits of olive oil by using it over the centuries but recent research has proven olive oil health benefits in the following areas:
1) Olive oil reduces the of risk of cardiovascular diseases In those Mediterranean countries where olive oil is consumed a lot, (such as Greece, Italy, and Spain), there is a low incidence of cardiovascular disease. The mild vegetable mucilage in olive oil helps protect your body’s digestive tract.
2)Olive oil has shown beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis Using olive oil as main dressing oil helps preventing constipation and in general maintains the digestive tract in good health.
3) Olive oil helps to reduce blood pressure A study was done in 2002 that showed that Virgin Olive Oil might help with lowering cholesterol. (See: Effects of an onion-olive oil maceration product containing essential ingredients of the Mediterranean diet on blood pressure and blood fluidity). The results? After one week of taking olive oil daily (minus any “good foods and drinks… or fatty foods), the blood tests showed that the participants had higher levels of phenol and Vitamin E in their bodies. The study shows you how powerful olive oil can be and how it can help control healthy cholesterol levels.
4) Olive oil eases or prevents diabetes Olive oil provides a diet high in monounsaturated fat. Researchers in Spain published an article in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in September 2003 has shown calorie-controlled diabetic diets high in monounsaturated fat do not cause weight gain and are more pleasing to eat than low-fat diets.
5) Olive oil lessens the severity of asthma or arthritis Regular use of olive oil has been associated with lower rates of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. The monounsaturated fats in olive oil are used by the body to produce substances which are relatively anti-inflammatory. By reducing inflammation, these fats can help reduce the severity of arthritis symptoms, and may be able to prevent or reduce the severity of asthma
6) Olive oil can possibly help in the prevention of colon cancer While most other fats are associated with an increased risk of colon cancer, olive oil is actually associated with a reduced risk of this disease. Olive oil contains 77% monounsaturated fatty acids, 14% saturated fatty acids, and 9% polyunsaturated fatty acids, plus vegetable mucilage and Vitamin E. Monounsaturated fatty acids are far less easily damaged by oxygen than other types of fat. They are therefore less likely to produce free radicals, which damage cell membranes and can cause Cancer.
7) Olive oil moisturizes skin and slower aging process Olive oil is rich in vitamins A, B-1, B-2, C, D, and Iron. Most importantly, olive oil helps the body to maintain strong levels of vitamin E, which is a great helper in delaying the aging process. You can also use olive oil as face moisturizer since the healthy fatty acid existing in olive oil encourage soft and suppler skin. Conclusive notes Suggestion: Please remember, though, that heating the olive oil and ingesting it that way will most likely not benefit you much. The olive oil needs to be ingested right from the bottle. Otherwise, it would not benefit you much… if any. Curiosity: You might not realize the other significant olive oil uses such as its power to restore shine in your shoes, help with a stuck zipper on a bag or clothing, and yes, in doing away with squeaky hinges. If you are worried that your garden scissors will eventually rust while in storage, try to coat the blades with olive oil. It’s an capable agent in preventing the build up of rust. This goes the same way with your razor, just swab a cotton ball with olive oil then apply on the blades .*
