Olive Oil gets a bad wrap. If you were just to listen to what most people say about it, you’d think that it’s fattening, unhealthy and high in calories. But if that were the case, everyone in the Mediterranean would be overweight, and you wouldn’t have doctors everywhere recommending the Mediterranean diet.

The truth is that recent studies have shown that Olive Oil has a lot of health benefits. In this post, we are going to cover 6 of the most surprising so that we can finally put to bed all of those misconceptions that you’ve heard of and go some way to repairing its reputation –  at least in your eyes.

Enjoy.

What is Olive Oil?

Olive Oil is a staple of Mediterranean cuisine, so it’s no surprise that it is extracted from the Olive Tree (Olea europaea), which is common across the region. It’s made from pressing Olives, which are the fruit of the tree, and extracting their natural oils through a process called Malaxation. 

There are typically 4 different types of Olive Oil, which are classified based on the process and quality of extraction. They are:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This is the highest quality of oil that is cold-pressed and unrefined.
• Virgin Olive Oil:  This is still cold-pressed but is of lower quality and grade than Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
• Refine Olive Oil: This oil has been refined to remove impurities. 
• Olive Pomance Oil: This is made from the by-products of the production process and is then refined and mixed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

Not all of the above Oils have the same nutritional value, with Extra Virgin Olive Oil having the most health benefits.

The 6 Surprising Health Benefits of Olive Oil

1. Promotes Heart Health

If you want a nice, healthy heart, including a little Olive Oil in your diet can go a long way. Because it is rich in unsaturated fats, it reduces the levels of bad cholesterol and increases the good cholesterol, which promotes a healthier heart. 

2. It’s High In Oleic Acid Which Reduces Inflammation

When you tell someone that a food is high in acid, it usually has them reaching for a packet of rennies or just looking to avoid that food outright. But oleic acid is something that you absolutely want to have in your diet. It has been shown to reduce markers of inflammation like C-reactive protein (CRP), which is linked to chronic inflammation and various diseases.

3. Anti-Cancer properties

Countries that follow the Mediterranean diet appear to have the lowest Cancer Rates due to the higher level of Olive Oil used in their diet. This could be because of the anti-oxidants which can reduce the Oxidative damage caused by free radicals. This is believed to be the main driver of Cancer. So following a Mediterranean diet and adding more Olive Oil into your diet could make you 31% less likely to develop cancer.

4. Reduces stress and improves Mental Health

Due to the production process, Olive oil is considered to be the healthiest oil from being extracted from the fruit. It’s predominantly made up of a fatty acid called Oleic acid, this is what can reduce stress. Also the high levels of Omega-3 help to support the Central Nervous System helping the nerves function correctly,  which will increase your serotonin level. Olive Oil could be a natural way to make your life slightly more stress-free, and we all want that. 

5. Can protect your joints

Having Arthritis means your joints can get very swollen and painful, this is massively impacted with what you eat. Olive Oil is packed full of Vitamin E and antioxidants which helps as it can stop the pain between the cartilage and joint, it’s also a natural anti-inflammatory.

6. Contains antibacterial properties

Stomach ulcers and stomach cancers in recent years have become more apparent. Studies have now shown that Olive Oil could help fight against certain strains of Bacteria, fixing overall gut health. When you develop an infection your body relies on the immune system to fight it, having olive oil can prevent and treat infections.  

Bon Appétit

So Olive Oil could be the way forward to improving your overall health and isn’t as bad as you initially thought. It lowers your heart health, even helps to make you a bit less stiff and boosts your serotonin. 

If this sounds like something you’d like to try then why not take a look at our Olive Oils? It’s important to note that even though it has some amazing benefits, it is still calorie dense so be mindful of how much you use.