Healthy Benefits
- Antioxidants
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Monounsaturated Fatty Acids
Disease Prevention and Risk Reduction
In 2009, a Swiss researcher published an article in the International Journal of Vitamin Research where he discussed data providing evidence for olive oil’s prevention of cardiovascular disease. He cited the major antioxidant, hydroxytyrosol, as the source of this effect. Hydroxytyrosol is well absorbed and it has the highest antioxidant potency. Studies suggest that it reduces LDL oxidation and improves other markers of oxidative damage in the blood.
The high concentration of antioxidants and phytosterols also suggest olive oil might help protect against cancers, particularly breast cancer. A 2008 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine concluded that their data showed “a previously unrecognized mechanism for extra virgin olive oil’s cancer-preventative effects.”
Resources
Reinhard, Tonia. Superfoods: The Healthiest Foods on the Planet. Buffalo, NY: Firefly, 2010. Print.
Wholeness and Healing 