Extra virgin olive oil has become a fundamental pillar of the Mediterranean diet.

In recent years, recent scientific studies have demonstrated the importance of EVOO in health, more specifically in countries such as Spain, Italy and Greece, among others.

Thanks to the properties of the liquid gold, an increase in life expectancy and well-being has been noted in the different populations mentioned.

And this is just one of the many nutritional properties that extra virgin olive oil provides us with.

Do you want to know the health benefits of olive oil?

Then read on and find out!

Benefits of extra virgin olive oil

Let’s go over the different benefits of EVOO and its importance in the Mediterranean diet.

1. Helps prevent cancer

Thanks to the properties of extra virgin olive oil, such as oleic acid and olecanthal, we can prevent some types of cancer.

There are certain cancers related to the consumption of fats, such as breast or prostate cancer.

That is why scientific studies have shown that EVOO acts as a protector, reducing the chances of suffering from any type of cancer by between 10% and 25%.

2. Reduces cholesterol

In relation to fatty acids, another of its main benefits is that it increases good cholesterol (known as HDL cholesterol) while reducing bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol).

3. Helps with weight loss

Extra virgin olive oil has a high content of healthy fats that can help burn calories.

This is made possible by a substance in the oil called oleylethanolamide, which provides a satiating effect at mealtimes.

Therefore, many nutrition experts always recommend a good diet including EVOO for body weight loss.

4. Promotes children’s development

Good nutrition is always essential for children, as it is of vital importance for their growth.

Thanks to the consumption of extra virgin olive oil, children will be able to enjoy a correct mineralization of their bones that will favour their development throughout the years.

5. It acts as a natural anti-inflammatory

Extra virgin olive oil has numerous nutrients, especially polyphenols that act as a natural anti-inflammatory, reducing different types of pain in our digestive system.

6. It takes care of capillary health

We have already mentioned some beneficial properties of consuming liquid gold, such as its healthy fats and nutrients.

However, not only does it help us in our diets, but it also helps us in the care and maintenance of hair health, which is why numerous products have been developed.

The best thing of all? That these products work, are very effective and have more beauty-related applications.

Read on.

7. Its use in cosmetics

In addition to hair health, the application of EVOO products in cosmetics has been shown to have beneficial properties for our bodies.

If you want to know more about this section, we invite you to discover everything you need to know about the benefits of olive oil cosmetics and its different types.

8. Prevents Alzheimer’s disease

Although it has not been 100% proven, extra virgin olive oil could eliminate beta-amyloid plaques, neuronal plaques whose accumulation causes the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

So far it has only been tested on mice, so its confirmation would be great news and a determining factor in the prevention of mental illnesses.

9. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a natural antioxidant that is abundant in extra virgin olive oils. Thanks to this vitamin, we can protect ourselves against cellular oxidative stress, reducing bad cholesterol and the risk of cancer, as we have already mentioned in previous points.

10. Protection against diabetes

We continue to highlight the benefits of the healthy fats contained in EVOO.

Numerous studies have shown that the consumption of a diet rich in extra virgin olive oil is capable of reducing the risk of type II diabetes by almost 50%.

This is because healthy fats help to maintain blood sugar and insulin levels.

11. Improves the health of the cardiovascular system

In addition to eating a good Mediterranean diet, it is always advisable to combine it with some daily exercise.

If we manage to lead a healthy lifestyle, we will be able to reduce the chances of having a cardiovascular disease, such as heart attacks.

12. Pain reduction

If we eat fish that is high in omega-acids and season it with a good cooking oil, we can reduce joint pain.

We can also alleviate the swelling caused by rheumatoid arthritis by reducing inflammation.

13. Increases pH

Extra virgin olive oil improves the health of our internal organism, acting as a protector by reducing excess acid in the stomach and digestive system.

At the same time, it increases the absorption of calcium and magnesium in our organism, causing an increase in the hydrogen potential (pH).

14. Antibacterial properties

Last but not least, the antibacterial properties of EVOO are essential for eliminating different strains that can cause stomach cancer and ulcers, such as strains of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.

By ingesting a few grams of extra virgin olive oil, we can reduce the infection in just 2 weeks, thus improving our immune system.

Interview with Jorge Nicolás Dominguez

In Aceite de Oliva Online, we interviewed Jorge Nicolás Dominguez, professor of Experimental Biology at the University of Jaén. We asked him about the relationship between olive oil and health, specifically with the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

You can watch the full interview in the following video.

Conclusions

As you have been able to read, there are numerous beneficial effects that we can achieve thanks to the properties of extra virgin olive oil.

Whether on an empty stomach, for breakfast or as part of a Mediterranean diet, the liquid gold will be of immense value to our organism.

Don’t have EVOO at home? Don’t worry.

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