If 2022 is the year that wellness nudges up your priority list, our regular new feature – Wellness Wednesday – will remind you how extra virgin olive oil can help you achieve your wellness goal.
We plan to give you practical hints and tips on how the simple act of incorporating extra virgin olive oil in to your daily or weekly lives can help you feel healthier and protect you against many common health complaints.
This week, we will start – appropriately – with the first meal of the day. Reaching for your bottle of extra virgin olive oil may not seem the obvious choice at breakfast time but here we are to convince you otherwise.
Three Great Ways To Boost Breakfast with Olive Oil Goodness
Olive Oil With Eggs
Olive Oil With Your Eggs
Whether you fry or scramble, a dash of extra virgin olive oil in your pan is a great way to give your morning eggs the edge in the health stakes. Using olive oil as a substitute for other cooking oil or fats has been known to give your eggs an extra crispy texture or infuse them with some added fluff so why not give it a try?
For some more delicious ways to spice up your eggs with extra virgin olive oil, check out this tapenade crostini which is definitely worth setting your alarm for!
2. Olive Oil As A Substitute For Your Spread
Ok, this may not be the first time we have told you this but the potential for using olive oil as an alternative to butter or margarine as a spread on your toast is worth repeating! It’s no surprise that the choice of olive oil-based spreads on offer is growing all the time but the really great news is that you can make your own in these simple steps!
3. A Shot Of Olive Oil
Olive Oil For Wellness
If time is of the essence and you just want to get your morning off to a healthy start with minimal fuss, starting the day with a shot of high quality extra virgin olive oil is one of the simplest health habits you can start this year.
A helpful summary from Healthline outlines some of the most recent research supporting the benefits of drinking a shot (or 3 tablespoons) of extra virgin olive oil a day.
According to the report; Olive oil is a healthy fat that contains anti-inflammatory compounds. Drinking it regularly may benefit your heart, bone, and digestive health and help stabilize your blood sugar levels.
Considering Olive Oil For Wellness? Ensure You Choose The Best Quality Product You Can Afford
If all of this breakfast joy has got you leaping out of bed and reaching for the olive oil, here’s where we tell you the most important part: not all olive oils are created equal! To truly ensure that you reap the health benefits that your body and mind deserve, it is vital that you understand the different types of olive oil available – and why it matters.
Types Of Olive Oil
According to the International Olive Council, there are five different grades of olive oil, each with clearly defined standards. They are:
Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality, best extra virgin olive oil you can get. Genuine extra virgin olive oil is rare and as a result is slightly more expensive.
The chemical characteristics of extra virgin olive oil (as with all vegetable oils) give an indication of the care with which it was made and stored: how the fruit was grown, transported and harvested, how it was pressed into oil, and how the oil was packaged and bottled. Stringent chemical analysis also helps to determine if the oil is adulterated in any way. The chemical standards for extra virgin olive oil are the highest of all the grades and, as such, offer a guarantee of quality.
World Obesity Day this year aims to tackle preconceptions around obesity and open conversation around taking action for better health. And what better place to start than replacing saturated fats with a healthy fat such as Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
One of the crucial facts raised by the World Health Organisation (more from them below) is that obesity is preventable. There is also a wealth of scientific research to show a key role in our diet for healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil in preventing obesity.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil And Tackling Obesity
Not only is extra virgin olive oil packed with health benefits, but it can also help contribute to weight loss. Studies have found that extra virgin olive oil not only helps people feel full faster and for longer periods of time, but also naturally suppresses appetite and increases satiety, which can lead to improved dietary choices overall. Furthermore, extra virgin olive oil contains monounsaturated fat and antioxidants, both of which have been linked with better cardiovascular health. So this World Obesity Day, give extra virgin olive oil a try and reap the rewards of an improved diet!
Do you want to lose weight and improve your wellness goals? If so, the Mediterranean diet may be a great option for you.
This diet is based on the traditional eating habits of people in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. It is a diet for weight loss and help improve overall health. In this blog post, we will discuss how the Mediterranean diet can help you lose weight and help with wellness goals. We will also provide some tips on how to follow this diet correctly. So, if you are interested in improving your health and shedding some pounds, keep reading!
How Can Extra Virgin Olive Oil Help Weight Loss?
We all know that EVOO is great for drizzling over salads and creating that perfect bruschetta. It is, unquestionably the most flavor-some and aromatic of all the olive oils. It is also incredibly healthy. EVOO has been widely researched and the health benefits are evidence based including:
Is olive oil good for weight loss? It has now been shown to have proven weight-loss properties, which can be achieved by having three tablespoons or about 50ml of EVOO a day.
These are the findings of US nutritionist and associate professor of clinical medicine Dr Mary Flynn, who’s been studying the effects and health benefits of extra virgin olive oil since the 1990s.
“The general body of research says that once you
have two or more tablespoons a day, you’ll improve your blood pressure, your glucose levels and your good cholesterol,” Flynn says. “But I’ve found that the weight-loss
effect comes into play at three tablespoons, so that’s what I recommend. It’s
an amazing food – it does all these things that help your body, plus it tastes
good.”
It’s important to note that when Flynn refers about “olive oil”, she’s talking about extra-virgin olive oil, like Morocco Gold which is rich in nutrients.
The Mediterranean Diet For Weightloss And Wellness
Do you want to lose weight and improve your wellness goals? If so, the Mediterranean diet may be a great option for you.
This diet is based on the traditional eating habits of people in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. It is a diet for weight loss and help improve overall health. In this blog post, we will discuss how the Mediterranean diet can help you lose weight and help with wellness goals. We will also provide some tips on how to follow this diet correctly. So, if you are interested in improving your health and shedding some pounds, keep reading!
The Alarming Truth about Obesity And Wellness
Here are some truly frightening statistics about global obesity from the World Health Organisation:
Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975.
In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 650 million were obese.
39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2016, and 13% were obese.
Most of the world’s population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight.
39 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2020.
Over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight or obese in 2016.
Obesity is preventable.
Obesity is a threat to wellness because it increases the risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Although obesity can be caused by factors such as genes and hormonal imbalances, in most cases it is the result of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. The good news is that obesity is preventable and treatable with lifestyle changes such as eating healthy foods and exercising regularly.
Obesity is associated with number of co-morbid diseases and conditions that require treatment. Obesity can harm people’s prospects in life, their self-esteem and their underlying mental health. Research published in the BMJ found that people who are obese or overweight are less likely to exercise in public as they feel discriminated against because of their weight.
The rising rates of obesity have resulted in significant increases in direct medical spending for obese and overweight individuals.
The individual costs associated with being obese are: lost wages, presenteeism and absenteeism, and higher costs associated with the purchase of personal goods. While individuals bear the full burden of some costs, such as the value of lost life or lost wages, employers and employees share the burden for many other costs such as direct medical costs, short-term disability, and productivity losses.
In the USA, the government pays a significant portion of costs associated with obesity for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Estimates of the medical cost of adult obesity in the United States range from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion per year. The majority of the spending is generated from treating obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, among others. Obesity is responsible for $61.8 billion in Medicare and Medicaid spending. In the absence of obesity, Medicare and Medicaid spending would be around 8.5 percent and 11.8 percent lower, respectively.
If obesity rates continue on their current track, medical costs associated with obesity are estimated to increase by $48 – $66 billion per year in the U.S., and the loss of economic productivity could be as high as $580 billion annually by 2030.
In the UK nearly two-thirds of adults (63%) were classed as being overweight (a body mass index of over 25) or obese (a BMI of over 30) in 2015. The prevalence of obesity is similar among men and women, but men are more likely to be overweight.
It is estimated that obesity is responsible for more than 30,000 deaths each year. On average, obesity deprives an individual of an extra 9 years of life, preventing many individuals from reaching retirement age. In the future, obesity or weightloss is likely to overtake tobacco smoking as the biggest cause of preventable death.
Failing to address the challenge posed by the obesity epidemic will place an even greater burden on NHS resources. It is estimated that the NHS spent £6.1 billion on overweight and obesity-related ill-health in 2014 to 2015. More broadly, obesity has a serious impact on economic development. The overall cost of obesity to wider society is estimated at £27 billion. The UK-wide NHS costs attributable to overweight and obesity are projected to reach £9.7 billion by 2050, with wider costs to society estimated to reach £49.9 billion per year.
Annual spend on the treatment of obesity and diabetes is greater than the amount spent on the police, the fire service and the judicial system combined.
An EVOO diet As Part of Your Wellness Plan
Consuming three tablespoons of EVOO isn’t enough to start shedding the kilos, Flynn says, explaining that the weight-loss effect kicks in when it’s combined with a healthy Mediterranean-style diet. This is rich in vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains, moderate in dairy and low in meat (about three serves of white meat or fish a week for women, and red meat only once or twice a month).
“This way of eating essentially takes the calories you’d normally be consuming with meat and gives them to vegetables and EVOO,”
Dr Mary Flynn
Flynn proved the success of a diet that’s high in healthy fats in 2010 with a study of 44 women over 50 who’d become overweight during breast cancer treatment. Each woman trialled two eight-week diets. Flynn’s EVOO-based diet and a low-fat food plan as recommended by the US National Cancer Institute. Both diets were made up of 1500 calories a day.
After the 16 weeks, the average weight loss was 7kg, however, the women lost twice as much on the EVOO diet as the low-fat diet. They also showed improved breast cancer biomarkers, lower triglycerides and higher levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol. In addition, when the women were asked to choose the diet they preferred all but one chose the EVOO diet. They found the food more appetising, accessible and affordable.
While the benefits of being a healthy weight are particularly important to women who’ve had breast cancer (being overweight increases the risk of the cancer recurring), being overweight or obese also increases the risk of cancer and other illnesses generally. “I recommend this EVOO diet to everyone,” says Flynn.
Veg And Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A Perfect Match For Weightloss
Flynn says the key to the success of the EVOO diet is to cook your vegetables in olive oil. There are two main reasons for this. The first is that carotenoids. A powerful antioxidants that give orange, yellow and red veg their colour and are also found in abundance in leafy greens. They need fat to be absorbed. She also believes the nutrients in cruciferous veg such as broccoli and cabbage are better absorbed with oil, but that’s still yet to be conclusively proven. The second reason is arguably more important: Vegies taste better with EVOO, so people are likely to eat more.
Healthy Tomato Vegetarian Salad
“My rule of thumb is one tablespoon of EVOO to one cup of veg,” Flynn says, adding that sautéing them or roasting are tasty options, plus these methods maintain much of their nutrient value. “Eating veg like this fills you up and stops you being hungry.” An added bonus, she says, is fibre from the veg also improves bowel regularity.
For anyone daunted by a diet of less meat and three cups daily of vegetables, Flynn advises: “Start by having three dinners a week where you combine vegetables, EVOO and some starch (potatoes or wholegrain pasta or rice). Then see if you can add some lunches in as well. The more you take in, the more benefit you’ll get.”
Ways To Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil For Weight Loss
Extra virgin olive oil is the perfect companion for all kinds of food and you can add it in any culinary preparation. But if you are interested in losing a few extra kilos, here are some ways to use extra virgin olive oil to lose weight.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil With Lemon One way to use extra virgin olive oil to lose weight is to combine it with lemon. One of the most powerful remedies that exist to purify and eliminate toxins from your body. Lemon contains, in addition to vitamin C, hesperidin. A flavonoid that contributes to improve the function of lymphatic drainage and, with it, the retention of liquids. Take some extra virgin olive oil with half a lemon at breakfast and you will see how your figure is improving little by little.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil With Ginger Ginger is a root that, when ingested, produces a thermogenic effect in the body. Ginger is able to activate your nervous system and, as a consequence, activate all processes that produce energy (which also supplies fat). That is, ginger is a natural fat burner. Another excellent way to use extra virgin olive oil for weight loss. Add some ginger and extra virgin olive oil to dress your salads.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil With Cucumber Good weather is synonymous with lots of fruit and vegetables. And among them are the cucumbers. Delicious and very refreshing. A food that helps you lose those extra pounds. Its high-water content makes it have a low amount of calories. In addition, cucumber contains a lot of fibre that helps eliminate toxins from the body. Add extra virgin olive oil to a couple of cucumbers and you will get a great starter that will help you lose weight.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil With Cayenne Pepper Although it may not seem like it, cayenne pepper is a digestive stimulant. This spice stimulates the production of juices and gastric enzymes that digest the food you eat, eliminating the toxins that are generated in your body. It also speeds up metabolism and fat burning. A trick to add some cayenne pepper to a daily ‘shot’ of extra virgin olive oil.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil In Smoothies Detoxifying green shakes to reduce weight have become fashionable. And with good reason. They are a time bomb against the body’s fat and toxins. Full of vitamins, minerals, fibre and other nutrients that help keep your weight at bay. But you can enhance its power much more, and especially the flavour of these shakes, adding a little extra virgin olive oil.
Exploring what is so special about extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) that deliver the extraordinary health benefits of best olive oil as well as tasting great.
Updated October 18th 2022
Summary
The best olive oil is extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
Studies show that the fatty acids and antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) can offer some powerful health benefits.
The monounsaturated fats in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) contribute to a healthy diet.
Saturated fats are usually solid or semi-solid at room temperature and are strongly associated with raised blood cholesterol
One tablespoon (13.5 grams) of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) typically contains Saturated fat: 14% Monounsaturated fat: 73% (mostly oleic acid) Vitamin E: 13% of the Daily Value (DV) Vitamin K: 7% of the DV
True extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is loaded with polyphenols the antioxidants some of which have powerful health benefits.
A main polyphenol in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is oleocanthal, which has been shown to work like ibuprofen, a popular anti-inflammatory drug.
Polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) also protects against heart disease by: reducing inflammation, a key driver of heart disease; reducing oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol; improving blood vessel health; helping to manage blood clotting; lowering blood pressure.
The oleic acid in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is also highly resistant to oxidation and has been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer.
Studies have shown that a Mediterranean diet enriched with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) improved brain function and reduced the risk of cognitive impairment.
We are always delighted to come across articles that confirm our own extensive researches into the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil and it’s nutritional information. We know extra virgin olive oil is the healthiest fat in the world. Here is a wonderful summary from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/extra-virgin-olive-oil
The Nutritional Benefits Of Olive Oil
Dietary fats are highly controversial, with debates about animal fats, seed oils, and everything in between in full force. That said, most people agree that extra virgin olive oil is incredibly healthy. Part of the Mediterranean diet, this traditional oil has been a dietary staple for some of the world’s healthiest populations.
Studies show that the fatty acids and antioxidants in olive oil can offer some powerful health benefits. This article reviews why extra virgin olive oil is the healthiest fat on earth.
What Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) And How Is It Made?
Olive oil is oil that has been pressed from olives, the fruits of the olive tree. The production process is incredibly simple — olives are pressed to extract their oil. However, lower quality versions can be extracted using chemicals, or even diluted with other, cheaper oils. Therefore, buying the right type of olive oil is crucial.
The best type is extra virgin olive oil. It’s extracted using natural methods and standardized for purity and certain sensory qualities like taste and smell. Oil that is truly extra virgin olive oil has a distinct taste and is high in polyphenol antioxidants, the main reason why it’s so beneficial.
Also, there are refined or “light” olive oils, which have often been extracted with solvents, treated with heat, or even diluted with cheaper oils like soybean or canola oil. For this reason, it’s essential to inspect the label carefully and buy from a reputable seller. Even oil that is labelled extra virgin olive oil may have been adulterated with cheaper oils.
True extra virgin olive oil is 100% natural and very high in antioxidants. Many of the lower quality olive oils have been processed and adulterated with cheaper oils.
The Fats In Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) That Contribute To A Healthy Diet
Fats are made up of fatty acids and glycerol. A fatty acid consists of a chain of carbon atoms, where each carbon atom in the chain is attached to hydrogen atoms. The number of hydrogen atoms per carbon atom determines whether the fatty acid is saturated or unsaturated and therefore will contribute towards a healthy diet.
Saturated fats If a fatty acid has all of the hydrogen atoms it can hold (2 per carbon atom in the chain) and all of the carbon atoms in the chain are linked by single bonds, it is described as saturated.
Saturated fats are usually solid or semi-solid at room temperature and are strongly associated with raised blood cholesterol which is why nutritionists recommend eating them as little as possible. Lard, butter, hard cheeses, whole milk, animal fats and palm and coconut oils – plus products containing them – all contain high levels of saturated fat that do not support a healthy diet.
Monounsaturated Fats In Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) Support A Healthy Diet If a pair of carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain is linked by a double bond instead of a single bond, the fatty acid is described as monounsaturated. Fats rich in monounsaturates tend to be liquid at room temperature. Olive oil is one of the richest sources of monounsaturated fatty acids and therefore supports a healthy diet.
Monounsaturated fats—omega-6s in the case of extra virgin olive oil—are important because they help boost heart health. This is important for helping prevent health issues such as cardiovascular disease or stroke.
Polyunsaturated fats These contain more than one double bond and are liquid at room temperature. The main sources are vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil, corn oil and rapeseed, but not tropical oils such as coconut, palm and palm kernel oils.
Trans fats Trans fats are created when a hydrogenation process is applied to solidify oil for use in margarines or to improve a product’s shelf life. This processing causes trans fats to act like saturated fats.
The following illustrates the differing fat contents of a range of products.
Fat Content Comparison Not All Fats Are The Same
What Is In 1 Tablespoon Of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)?
One serving or 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil contains the following:
120 calories
10 grams of monounsaturated fat
2 grams of saturated fat
2 grams of polyunsaturated fat
1.9 milligrams of vitamin E (10 percent of Daily Value)
8.1 micrograms of vitamin K (10 percent of DV)
Not All Calories Are Created Equal
As part of maintaining a healthy diet many people want to know how many calories are in olive oil. Research has shown that not all calories are necessarily equal.
In a famous study at Middlesex Hospital in London in the 1950s, two British researchers, Professor Alan Kekwick and Dr. Gaston L.S. Pawan, tested a series of diets on overweight patients. The patients on a high-carbohydrate diet consistently gained or sustained weight, even when given limited calories. Conversely, subjects on a high-fat diet lost considerably more weight than any of the other diets, even when provided with excess calories.
A more recent study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association also challenges the notion that a “calorie is just a calorie.” Led by Cara Ebbeling, PhD, associate director and David Ludwig, MD, director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital, the purpose of the study was to learn what kind of diet helped people maintain their new weight after successfully losing weight. The results indicated that a low-fat diet predicts weight regain, while diets featuring a moderate to high percentage of calories from fat both increased subjects’ energy expenditure and reduced the surge in their blood sugar after eating, making these diets preferable to a low-fat diet for those trying to achieve lasting weight loss.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Evoo) Nutrition
Extra virgin olive oil is nutritious. It contains modest amounts of vitamins E and K and plenty of beneficial fatty acids.
Some more olive oil nutrition information – One tablespoon (13.5 grams) of olive oil contains the following:
Saturated fat: 14%
Monounsaturated fat: 73% (mostly oleic acid)
Vitamin E: 13% of the Daily Value (DV)
Vitamin K: 7% of the DV
Notably, extra virgin olive oil shines in its antioxidant content. Antioxidants are biologically active, and some of them can help fight serious diseases. The oil’s main antioxidants include the anti-inflammatory oleocanthal, as well as oleuropein, a substance that protects LDL (bad) cholesterol from oxidation.
Olive oil is very high in monounsaturated fats and contains a modest amount of vitamins E and K. True extra virgin olive oil is loaded with antioxidants, some of which have powerful health benefits.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) Health Benefits
Extra virgin olive oil contains anti-inflammatory substances
Chronic inflammation is believed to be among the leading drivers of many diseases, including heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and arthritis. Some speculate that olive oil’s ability to fight inflammation is behind its many health benefits.
Oleic acid, the most prominent fatty acid in olive oil, has been found to reduce inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein. However, the oil’s main anti-inflammatory effects seem to be due to its antioxidants, primarily oleocanthal, which has been shown to work like ibuprofen, a popular anti-inflammatory drug. Researchers estimate that the amount of oleocanthal in 50 ml (about 3.4 tablespoons) of extra virgin olive oil exerts effects similar to those of 10% of the adult ibuprofen dosage for pain relief. Also, one study showed that substances in olive oil can reduce the expression of genes and proteins that mediate inflammation.
Keep in mind that chronic, low-level inflammation is usually fairly mild, and it takes years or decades for it to do damage. Using extra virgin olive oil may help prevent this from happening, leading to a reduced risk of various inflammatory diseases, especially heart disease. Olive oil contains oleic acid and oleocanthal, two nutrients that can fight inflammation. This may be the main reason for olive oil’s health benefits.
Extra virgin olive oil (Evoo) and cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke, are among the most common causes of death in the world. Many observational studies show that death from these diseases is low in certain areas of the world, especially in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. This observation originally spurred interest in the Mediterranean diet, which is supposed to mimic the way the people in those countries eat. Studies on the Mediterranean diet show that it can help prevent heart disease. In one major study, it reduced heart attacks, strokes, and death by 30%.
Extra virgin olive oil protects against heart disease via numerous mechanisms:
Reducing inflammation: Olive oil protects against inflammation, a key driver of heart disease
Reduces oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol: The oil protects LDL particles from oxidative damage, a key factor in the development of heart disease
Improves blood vessel health: Olive oil improves the function of the endothelium, which is the lining of the blood vessels
Helps manage blood clotting: Some studies suggest that olive oil can help prevent unwanted blood clotting, a key feature of heart attacks and strokes
Lowers blood pressure: One study in patients with elevated blood pressure found that olive oil reduced blood pressure significantly and lowered the need for blood pressure medication by 48%
Given the biological effects of extra virgin olive oil, it’s not surprising that people who consume the greatest amounts of it are significantly less likely to die from heart attacks and strokes.
Dozens — if not hundreds — of animal and human studies have shown that olive oil has major benefits for the heart. In fact, the evidence is strong enough to recommend that people who have or are at a high risk of developing heart disease include plenty of extra virgin olive oil in their diets.
Olive oil may be one of the healthiest foods you can eat for heart health. It reduces blood pressure and inflammation, protects LDL particles from oxidation, and may help prevent unwanted blood clotting.
Other health benefits of extra virgin olive oil (Evoo)
Although olive oil has mostly been studied for its effects on heart health, its consumption has also been associated with a number of other health benefits.
Olive oil and cancer
Cancer is a common cause of death and characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells.
Studies have shown that people living in the Mediterranean countries have a fairly low risk of cancer, and some have speculated that olive oil has something to do with it. One potential contributor to cancer is oxidative damage due to harmful molecules called free radicals. However, extra virgin olive oil is high in antioxidants that reduce oxidative damage., 29Trusted Source).
The oleic acid in extra virgin olive oil is also highly resistant to oxidation and has been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).
Many test-tube studies have observed that compounds in olive oil can help fight cancer at the molecular level (32, 33, 34Trusted Source). That said, controlled trials in humans have yet to study whether olive oil helps prevent cancer.
Extra Virgin Olive oil (Evoo) and Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the world’s most common neurodegenerative disease and a leading cause of dementia.
One feature of Alzheimer’s is a buildup of protein tangles called beta-amyloid plaques in certain neurons in the brain.
A study in mice observed that a substance in olive oil can help clear these plaques (35).
Additionally, a controlled study in humans showed that a Mediterranean diet enriched with olive oil improved brain function and reduced the risk of cognitive impairment (36Trusted Source). Preliminary evidence suggests that olive oil can help fight cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, although human studies need to confirm this.
Can you cook with extra virgin olive oil (Evoo)?
During cooking, fatty acids can oxidize, meaning they react with oxygen and become damaged. The double bonds in fatty acid molecules are mostly responsible for this. For this reason, saturated fats (no double bonds) are resistant to high heat, while polyunsaturated fats (many double bonds) are sensitive and become damaged.
The nutritional info of olive oil, which contains mostly monounsaturated fatty acids (only one double bond), is fairly resistant to high heat. In one study, researchers heated extra virgin olive oil to 356°F (180°C) for 36 hours. The oil was highly resistant to damage (37Trusted Source). Another study used olive oil for deep-frying, and it took 24–27 hours for it to reach damage levels that were deemed harmful (38Trusted Source). Overall, olive oil seems to be very safe even for cooking at a fairly high heat. In essence good for the bodies nutritional needs.
The bottom line
Olive oil is super healthy and very nutritious. For those who have heart disease or are at a high risk of developing it, olive oil is most definitely a superfood. However, be sure to purchase extra virgin olive oil that hasn’t been diluted with cheaper oils. The benefits of this wonderful fat are among the few things that most people in nutrition agree upon.
About Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For health conscious, discerning food lovers across all cultures and culinary backgrounds, Morocco Gold is a natural, unfiltered, ultra premium, polyphenol rich extra virgin olive oil, whose exquisite taste and health enhancing qualities are guaranteed by our rigorous testing, provenance and authenticity, and strict adherence to single estate sourcing, with no blending or mixing.
Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil
What is extra virgin olive oil good for : how is using Morocco Gold going to boost my nutrition?
Incredibly versatile, Morocco Gold is one of the best and most nutritious extra virgin olive oils for cooking and salad dressing. Here is some nutritional info: It is high in polyphenols and cold pressed within 24 hours of harvesting.
Morocco Gold shows why extra virgin olive oil is the healthiest fat on earth. It can also be used as an extra virgin olive oil for hair and as an extra virgin olive oil for skin.
Our gold award winning extra virgin olive oil represents the very best extra virgin olive oil.
The oil is produced from olives grown in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, where the unique micro-climate and geology provides ideal conditions for olive growing. Morocco Gold combines centuries of local cultivation and harvesting knowledge, with our rigorous traceability and quality assurance procedures to bring what is locally considered a ‘noble food’ to international markets.
The olive oil is produced from the Picholine Marocaine olive. Our olives are hand-picked early in the harvesting season when the fruit is young and first cold pressed within 24 hours of picking. Some more olive oil nutritional info: There is no mixing or blending with other oils to ensure genuine extra virgin quality.
As a result this gives Morocco Gold it’s distinctive green fruitiness, hints of sweet almonds, fresh turf and a hint of herbs. It has the distinctive ‘pepperiness’ (not too aggressive) of a fine extra virgin olive oil which as a consequence gives Morocco Gold a clean, well balanced finish.
What makes extra virgin olive oil so good for your skin?
Updated March 18th 2022
Can Olive Oil Improve The Health Of My Skin?
Is olive oil good for my skin? This is a question that many people ask, and the answer is yes! Extra Virgin Olive Oil has many benefits for the skin, such as moisturizing, fighting aging, and reducing inflammation. In this blog post, we will explore all the ways that olive oil can benefit your skin. We will also discuss how to use olive oil in your skincare routine. So, if you are interested in learning more about how to use olive oil for better skin health, keep reading!
Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Skin : A Secret Of The Ancients
Olive oil has been used as a beauty remedy for centuries. So, is it good for your skin? The answer is yes! Olive oil has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that help keep your skin looking young and healthy. It also helps keep your skin hydrated, which is important in preventing wrinkles. Plus, it’s affordable and easy to use. Just apply a few drops of olive oil to your face before bedtime, or use it as part of your regular skincare routine.
Using olive oil for skin is not a new fad or trend. The secret of extra virgin olive oil as a natural, effective moisturizer was known by the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Soaps were not around in the times of the Roman Empire. Instead when Romans went to bathe they rubbed olive oil all over their bodies and then scraped it off with a strigil, carrying away all the dirt and grime with it and leaving the skin silky and moisturized. In richer patrician households, olive oil was often scented like a perfume, which would leave behind a sweet smell after it was gone. Like now, they would even pour some olive oil into their private baths to relax in them, to soften their skin and relax with some good aromatherapy. They knew that this natural oil, all by itself, was all they needed to use to keep their skin looking young. What they will not have known is that the chemical composition of extra virgin olive oil is very close to that of human skin. Because of this similarity, your skin may absorb olive oil more easily than it would a commercial moisturizer.
What Makes Extra Virgin Olive Oil So Good For The Skin? Polyphenols
Polyphenols are antioxidants that are found in olive oil, and they can help improve the appearance of your skin. In fact, a study conducted by the University of Barcelona found that participants who consumed olive oil with polyphenols had better-looking skin than those who didn’t consume any olive oil at all. If you’re looking for an easy way to improve the look of your skin, start consuming more olive oil!
Polyphenols are a key component in extra virgin olive oil and are considered to be one of the best health enhancing benefits within the oil. Many of the fruits and vegetables we consume contain a large number of compounds critical for life. One such type of compound is known as antioxidants. Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants.
Why are antioxidants so important for our health? Oxidation is a natural process our cells use to create energy from the oxygen we inhale. As energy is being produced in our cells, some oxygen molecules (known as oxygen free radicals or reactive oxygen species) are produced as a by-product of these processes. These oxygen free radicals can damage your cells and DNA when in high concentration. Continuous damage by oxygen free radicals, most often termed oxidative stress, can lead to various conditions including wrinkling associated with age.
So Who Now Uses Extra Virgin Olive Oil For Skin
There are lots of celebrities who know how beneficial olive oil is for their skin and use it on regular basis.
In 2006 Sophia Loren at the age of 72 was voted World’s Most Naturally Beautiful Woman beating out younger competitors such as Catherine Zeta Jones.
Sophia Loren Uses Olive Oil On Her Skin
Now at 86 and looking as amazing as ever, in an interview she was asked what her secret is and she said the “Love of Life” and “Olive Oil”. Loren takes extra virgin olive oil baths and uses it as a moisturizer. This would make sense that she was driven to do this because her ancient Roman ancestors did as well. Bathing in Olive Oil was a sign of power and wealth.
Emma Stone Uses Extra Virgin Olive Oil On Her Skin
Award Winning Actress Emma Stone
Award Winning Actress Emma Stone revealed in an interview with Marie Clair; “I’m really allergic to a lot of stuff, so I can really only use products with a single ingredient in it,” For sensitive skin types, there’s no doubting that sometimes keeping things basic is best and you can’t get more basic than straight-up extra virgin olive oil. “I have a big bottle of olive oil on my sink, so I just put it on my face and I smell like focaccia. And it’s really sexy,” Stone joked.
It’s not just Stone who’s a fan: Kylie Jenner also declared her love for extra virgin olive oil in a YouTube video with her sister Khloé Kardashian. After shampooing and conditioning her hair, and exfoliating her body with a loofah, she’ll drench herself in natural extra virgin olive oil when she gets out of the shower.
Emily Blunt uses olive oil on her face
Emily Blunt
Another celebrity who knows the power of liquid gold is Emily Blunt, well-known for her role in The Devil Wears Prada. She has said that she uses evoo on her face to keep her skin smooth and hydrated. In fact, moisturising the skin during winter is fundamental for celebrity women.
Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
The feeling of familiarity and closeness that fans associate with Julia Roberts is probably because like her characters, she is so down to earth and naturally beautiful. So what is her secret? It’s clear that she’s not one to go over the top with face and skin products. She follows tried and true skincare principles such as staying hydrated, using sunscreen, and never going to bed with makeup on.
In an interview with Viva she said she was low maintenance and then added: “On a regular day, I’ll just brush my teeth, wash my face, and apply sunblock. I’m a busy mom, and sometimes I just sunblock my kids and run outside and get my nose burned. So I’ve made a stronger effort to take care of myself.”
From your head to your toes, extra virgin olive oil can be used in a variety of skin care routines that provides an all-natural alternative to soaps and creams that contain harsh chemicals. Here are some five quick and easy ways you can take care of your skin with one simple ingredient, extra virgin olive oil.
Spa Olive Oil
Olive Oil Bath: Just fill your bathtub with warm water and mix 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in it. Soak yourself in this water for 20 minutes. The olive oil bath is excellent for making your skin moisture supple, smooth and young looking.
Olive Oil Body Lotion For Moisturizing: You need not depend on expensive body lotion to make your skin look beautiful. Immediately after you have the shower, apply and light layer of extra virgin olive oil on your skin. Extra virgin olive oil penetrates deeply to regenerate cells and soften the tissue. This helps to retain the moisture and make this skin smooth and soft. Use the oil lavishly on elbows, knees, and feet as these areas are drier than the rest of the skin.
Cuticle And Nail Softener: Rub the extra virgin olive oil on cuticles, nails, and knuckles to prevent dryness and snags. If your nails on toes and fingers have become hard and dry, keep your toes and fingers soaked extra virgin olive oil mixed warm water for 10 minutes to make them soft and flexible.
Body Scrub: You can use olive oil on the skin for a body scrub. Apply the extra virgin olive oil (evoo) on all over your skin and then scrub the skin with sugar or coarse salt. You will find several body scrubs with olive oil.
There are several uses for extra virgin olive oil on face. Here are a few tips on how to use extra virgin olive on face:
Facial Cleansing: Olive oil is great for cleansing the face and skin. The excess skin oil (sebum) and dirt that clogs the skin pores will get dissolved in the olive oil that you will apply on face. Apply the extra virgin olive oil on facial skin and massage face with your fingers in a circular motion for 5 minutes. Then you can then wash off the oil from the face using warm water. This treatment many be good if you have oily skin.
Olive
Oil Makeup Remover:
One of the easiest ways to get the makeup off your skin by using olive oil.
Soak a cotton ball in olive and gently wipe away the makeup from your face and
skin. If you have heavy makeup on face or skin, then you will have to massage
the facial skin with olive oil and then wash the face with deep pores cleansing
lotion. You can also use Aloe Vera juice mixed with Olive oil for makeup
removal, which gives extra hydration and soothing effect on the skin.
Exfoliation: You make an exfoliating facial scrub using a mixture of 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon sea salt/sugar; apply the mixture on face and rinse the face with warm water after 10 minutes.
Treat acne: Olive oil contains natural antibacterial properties that can effectively reduce the flare ups on the skin caused by acne. Olive oil applied to the skin can add anti-inflammatory elements and reduce swelling and pain that occur with the outburst of pimples.
Shaving Lubricant: Using olive oil on the skin is an excellent lubricant for shaving both body and facial hair. Of course, it may create little stickiness and less glide but the clean up is perfect and EVOO also make your skin smooth after the share. Olive oil is also a good substitute for after shave lotion.
As alluded to above, there are several substances in olive oil that provide skin benefits. Specifically, these substances are vitamins A, D, E and K. We’re going to describe how each of these vitamins provides help to a person’s skin who applies them externally. As you’ll see, the more you look into olive oil skin benefits, the more you’re likely to be convinced that you need to make use of this magical, natural substance to protect your youthful and healthy look.
Vitamin A
Human Hair Anatomy Illustration: Dermis Epidermis
Vitamin A plays a big part in olive oil skin benefits because it’s a vitamin that by itself helps to prevent rashes and other breakouts. It does so by basically moisturizing the top two layers of the skin, known as the dermis and epidermis. When your skin is properly hydrated, it is not only healthy, but it looks healthy by way of a lovely glow.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D, sometimes known as the “sunshine vitamin” because sunlight contains Vitamin D, also plays a crucial role in olive oil skin benefits. It not only helps protect your existing skin cells by strengthening their immunity, but it also helps to rejuvenate damaged skin cells. Vitamin D is something you’ll find in a lot of different skincare products in one form or another.
Vitamin E
Polyphenols And Free Radicals
How does vitamin E provide olive oil skin benefits? It does so by way of its work as a natural antioxidant. That means that it works to fight off free radicals that are present on everyone’s skin. What are free radicals? They can be several things, but usually we’re talking about healthy cells that have been killed off or damaged because of some type of trauma, such as scratching or from some other everyday activity. These free radicals affect the cellular and chemical processes that take place on the skin, ultimately causing damage by way of aging.
Vitamin K
One of the reasons that people experience olive oil skin benefits is because of the presence of Vitamin K. Vitamin K is known by many to be the “healing” vitamin because of its natural ability to clean up problems with the skin. These problems can include wrinkles, but it will also help to clear up stretch marks, bruises and other trauma that’s inflicted on the skin.
Finally, the presence of monosaturated fatty acids should not be overlooked when analyzing olive oil skin benefits. These types of fatty acids are generally known as “healthy” fats when eaten, and can be found in foods such as avocados. When applied to the skin, however, monosaturated fatty acids also act as a protectant from oxidation and other processes that lead to aging skin and dead skin cells.
If you’re ready to put this substance to work for you after seeing some of the skin benefits of olive oil, all you need to do is click on the link below to order your own bottle or bottles. Before long, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy every benefit that top-quality extra virgin olive oil can provide.
Shows how including extra virgin olive oil rich in polyphenols provides health benefits for the cardiovascular system
Updated November 23rd 2022
Extra Virgin Olive Oil To Help Prevent Dvi
Summary
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number 1 cause of death globally: more people die annually from CVDs than from any other cause
Chronic inflammation is a risk factor for many types of cardiovascular disease, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil has well-documented anti-inflammatory properties
Extra virgin olive oil has been listed as one of seven diet tips to help prevent deep vein thrombosis
Studies have shown that those who consume a diet rich in polyphenols such as those found in extra virgin olive oil are at a lower risk for developing this condition
Extra virgin olive oil has been listed as one of seven diet tips to help prevent deep vein thrombosis. According to a new report in Everydayhealth.com, could reduce the risk of blood clots forming inside the body. Citing a study from the National Institutes of Health–funded study presented March 7, 2019, at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions, it says:
Consuming olive oil at least once a week reduced platelet activity in nonsmoking obese adults (those with a body mass index, or BMI over 30), a sign that this oil may lower the risk of a blood clot.
Similarly, an earlier study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that antioxidants called polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil helped prevent blood clots. In the study, people who consumed virgin olive oil with a high phenol content had lower levels of a substance that promotes blood clots. And the good news is that Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil has some of the highest levels of polyphenols around.
Extra virgin olive oil is a natural product made from the olives that grow on olive trees. The oil is extracted from the olives using a process that does not involve any chemicals or artificial additives. extra virgin olive oil is considered to be the highest quality olive oil available and is rich in nutrients, including polyphenols.
Deep vein thrombosis is a serious condition that can occur when blood clots form in the veins, usually in the legs. If these clots break loose and travel to the lungs, they can cause a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal. While there are many factors that can contribute to the development of deep vein thrombosis, studies have shown that those who consume a diet rich in polyphenols are at a lower risk for developing this condition.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil And Cardiovascular Diseases?
Diagram of the Cardiovascular System
What are cardiovascular diseases?
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number 1 cause of death globally: more people die annually from CVDs than from any other cause.
An estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2016, representing 31% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% are due to heart attack and stroke.
Most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing behavioural risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and obesity, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol using population-wide strategies.
CVDs are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels. They include:
Coronary heart disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle;
Cerebrovascular disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain;
Peripheral arterial disease – disease of blood vessels supplying the arms and legs;
Rheumatic heart disease – damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria;
Congenital heart disease – malformations of heart structure existing at birth;
Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – blood clots in the leg veins, which can dislodge and move to the heart and lungs.
At the age of 24, your risk for CVD is just 20%. By age 45, your chances more than double to 50%. Over the age of 80, 90% of individuals have some form of CVD.
In 2016, the cost of CVD in the USA alone was around $555Bn. This is expected to rise to $1.1Tr by 2035.
How Extra Virgin Olive Oil Helps To Protect Against CVD
The increased focus on healthy food and healthy diet has seen more food lovers turn towards diets like the Mediterranean diet and the Keto diet. Whether this is for specific health reasons, a diet to lower cholesterol, a diet for high blood pressure, a diet for weight loss or for overall wellness one of the key constituents that remains a constant is extra virgin olive oil, the original superfood.
What makes extra virgin olive oil so special is that it has stood the test of time as a superfood from the time of the ancients. Olive oil has long been considered sacred. The olive branch was often a symbol of abundance, glory, and peace. Over the years, the olive has also been used to symbolize wisdom, fertility, power, and purity.
In ancient Rome, olive oil was used for nearly everything in relation to their health. Roman medicine takes heavily from Greek doctors, who influenced European medicine for centuries, and Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine writes about over 60 different conditions or ailments that can be treated with olive oil.
Olive oil is now probably the most widely researched superfood on the planet and its many health benefits are evidence based and well understood. Thanks to the recent spotlight on the Mediterranean Diet, extensive research has been done on the phytonutrient composition of olive oil. What has been discovered is an extensive list of phytonutrients; one of the most praised is its polyphenols. The amount of polyphenols found in Extra Virgin Olive Oil is truly amazing!
Polyphenols – Extra Virgin Olive Oils Powerful Antioxidant
Polyphenols are a potent antioxidant – one that can decommission a nasty molecule in your body called free radicals. Free radicals can ricochet around inside your body and harm good cells. Antioxidants, such as the polyphenols found in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, work to neutralize free radicals; protecting the body from their harmful antics. These antioxidants circulate in the body, hooking up with free radicals, unstable compounds thought to play a role in more than 60 different health conditions including cancer and atherosclerosis, as well as aging.”
Free Radical Antioxidant
Most informed websites will point to the health benefits of regularly taking premium quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil like Morocco Gold. We have often discussed these health benefits with our customers at our tasting events. Many of the people we have met wish to know more, so here we are going to provide a series of articles that will provide the science behind what Extra Virgin Olive Oil actually does and why it is good for you. This first article will look at the cardiovascular system.
Structures of the Cardiovascular System
The cardiovascular system is responsible for transporting nutrients and removing gaseous waste from the body. This system is comprised of the heart and the circulatory system. Structures of the cardiovascular system include the heart, blood vessels, and blood. The lymphatic system is also closely associated with the cardiovascular system.
Heart
The heart is the organ that supplies blood and oxygen to all parts of the body. This amazing muscle produces electrical impulses through a process called cardiac conduction. These impulses cause the heart to contract and then relax, producing what is known as a heartbeat. The beating of the heart drives the cardiac cycle which pumps blood to cells and tissues of the body.
Blood Vessels
Blood vessels are intricate networks of hollow tubes that transport blood throughout the entire body. Blood travels from the heart via arteries to smaller arterioles, then to capillaries or sinusoids, to venules, to veins and back to the heart. Through the process of microcirculation, substances such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and wastes are exchanged between the blood and the fluid that surrounds cells.
Blood
Blood delivers nutrients to cells and removes wastes that are produced during cellular processes, such as cellular respiration. Blood is composed of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Red blood cells contain enormous amounts of a protein called haemoglobin. This iron containing molecule binds oxygen as oxygen molecules enter blood vessels in the lungs and transport them to various parts of the body.
After depositing oxygen to tissue and cells, red blood cells pick up carbon dioxide (CO2) for transportation to the lungs where CO2 is expelled from the body.
Circulatory
System
The circulatory system supplies the body’s tissues with oxygen rich blood and important nutrients. In addition to removing gaseous waste (like CO2), the circulatory system also transports blood to organs (such as the liver and kidneys) to remove harmful substances. This system aids in cell to cell communication and homeostasis by transporting hormones and signal messages between the different cells and organ systems of the body. The circulatory system transports blood along pulmonary and systemic circuits. The pulmonary circuit involves the path of circulation between the heart and the lungs. The systemic circuit involves the path of circulation between the heart and the rest of the body. The aorta distributes oxygen rich blood to the various regions of the body.
Lymphatic
System
The lymphatic system is a component of the immune system and works closely with the cardiovascular system. The lymphatic system is a vascular network of tubules and ducts that collect, filter, and return lymph to blood circulation. Lymph is a clear fluid that comes from blood plasma, which exits blood vessels at capillary beds. This fluid becomes the interstitial fluid that bathes tissues and helps to deliver nutrients and oxygen to cells. In addition to returning lymph to circulation, lymphatic structures also filter blood of microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. Lymphatic structures also remove cellular debris, cancerous cells, and waste from the blood. Once filtered, the blood is returned to the circulatory system.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil And The Cardiovascular System
Lowering your risk of cardiovascular problems is an area upon which several recent studies on Extra Virgin Olive Oil have focused. Chronic inflammation is a risk factor for many types of cardiovascular disease, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil has well-documented anti-inflammatory properties.
One place we don’t want excessive ongoing inflammation is within our blood vessels. Our blood supply is just too important for maintaining the health of all our body systems, and it cannot effective support our body systems when compromised with ongoing inflammation. Given this relationship, it’s not surprising to see cardiovascular benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil rising to the top of the health benefits provided by this remarkable oil.
From a variety of different research perspectives we know that daily intake of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in amounts as low as one tablespoon per day reduces inflammatory processes within our blood vessels. By reducing these processes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil also reduces our risk of inflammation-related cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis.
Yet anti-inflammatory benefits are not the only cardiovascular benefits provided by Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Two other broad types of heart-related benefits are well documented for this oil. The first type is lessened risk of forming unwanted blood clots. While blood clotting is a natural and healthy process required for the healing of wounds and prevention of excessive bleeding, clotting in the arteries can ultimately result in a heart attack or stroke.
One risk factor for unwanted clotting in our arteries is excessive clumping together of our platelet blood cells. This clumping process is also called “aggregation.” Regular incorporation of Extra Virgin Olive Oil into a meal plan has been shown to lessen the risk of this excessive aggregation, and the reason that researchers refer to Extra Virgin Olive Oil as an “anti-aggregatory” oil.
The other broad area of cardiovascular benefits involves improved levels of circulating fats in our bloodstream, as well as protection of those fats from oxygen-related damage. Decreased levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol following consumption of Extra Virgin Olive Oil are findings are the vast majority of studies that have analysed this relationship.
Yet equally important, the cholesterol molecules that remain in our blood also appear to be better protected from oxygen-related damage (oxidation). Since fats and cholesterol belong to a broader technical category called “lipids,” damage to the fats and cholesterol in our blood stream is typically referred to as “lipid peroxidation.” And it is precisely this lipid peroxidation process that gets reduced through incorporation of Extra Virgin Olive Oil into a meal plan.
Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty plaques on the walls of arteries. Fatty plaque known as atheroma (yellow) has built-up on the inner wall and is blocking about 60% of the artery width. Atherosclerosis leads to irregular blood flow and clot formation, which can block the coronary artery resulting in heart attack.
According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for people world-wide. Cardiovascular disease involves disorders of the heart and blood vessels, such as coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), elevated blood pressure (hypertension), and heart failure.
Hypertension – persistently elevated blood pressure (high blood pressure) in the arteries. It is associated with the development of disorders such as atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke, and can cause kidney damage.
Atherosclerosis – artery walls become hardened due to build-up of plaque (fatty deposits). It causes decreased blood supply to tissues and may lead to blood clots, stroke, aneurysm, or heart disease.
Aneurysm – a bulging in a weakened area of an artery that could rupture and cause internal bleeding.
Coronary artery disease (heart disease) – narrowing or blockage in the coronary arteries, which supply blood directly to the heart muscle. Complete blockage of blood flow will cause a heart attack.
Stroke – death of brain cells (neurons) due to lack of blood supply.
Heart failure – the heart is not able to supply enough blood to body tissues. It is caused by conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, and cardiomyopathy (chronic disease of the heart muscle).
It is crucial that the organs and tissues of the body receive proper blood supply. Lack of oxygen means death, therefore having a healthy cardiovascular system is vital for life. In most cases, cardiovascular disease can be prevented or greatly diminished through behavioural modifications. Individuals wishing to improve cardiovascular health should consume a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and abstain from smoking.
Imagine your body as a highly complex, high-performance engine. High quality extra virgin olive oil like Morocco Gold is natures highest performance engine oil, to keep your body well- tuned and running smoothly over a lifetime.
The health benefits of extra virgin olive oil have been known for centuries. As discussed, studies have shown that the cardiovasular system also benefits from regular consumption of EVOO. In addition to reducing the risk of heart disease, consuming EVOO may also protect against other chronic diseases such as cancer. If you are looking for a healthy cooking oil that has multiple health benefits, extra virgin olive oil is a good choice.
Why extra virgin olive oil is the best olive oil you can buy and how polyphenols deliver the many health benefits of olive oil.
Updated September 30th 2021
Hippocrates extolled the virtue of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Summary
Extra virgin olive oil is very healthy. In fact, it is the healthiest of all olive oils and provides a range of benefits. Before we get into the specifics of olive oil and healthiness let’s get some background about at what extra virgin olive oil is, how it is produced before getting on to the reasons why it is so good for you and its specific health benefits.
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”
Hippocrates : father of modern medicine
Introduction
What Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil? – Extra virgin olive oil is a wholly natural, unrefined oil and the highest quality olive oil you can buy. How the fruit was grown, harvested and transported, how it was pressed into oil, and how the oil was packaged and bottled all contribute to ensure extra virgin olive oil like Morocco Gold is the best quality extra virgin olive oil.
What Makes Extra Virgin Olive Oil So Healthy? – The biggest thing that makes extra virgin olive oil so healthy and beneficial is its unique disease-fighting component, polyphenols. Polyphenols are a potent antioxidant; the amount of polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oil is truly amazing!
What Makes Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil So Special? – Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil is high in polyphenols. The high polyphenol content is dependent on three factors. First is the variety of the olive, secondly the climate and terroire of the growing region and thirdly the actual time in the growing season that the crop is harvested.
Our latest harvest has produced a low acidity level of 0.2% together with the highest level of polyphenols yet seen in our extra virgin olive oil of 644mg/kg.
The Health Benefits Of Extra Virgin Olive Oil – There are a number of different types of polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil, including oleuropein, tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, oleocanthal and oleacein. Each are considered extremely strong antioxidants, and are linked to a number of different health benefits, including:
Maintenance of normal blood pressure
Keeping the upper respiratory tract healthy
Protecting proteins in the brain that are involved in memory, learning and thinking
Helping to keep blood sugar under control
Treating the symptoms of and/or preventing type 2 diabetes
Protecting blood lipids from oxidative damage
Acting as an anti-inflamatory
Extra Virgin Olive Oil May Help Protect Against Covid – As reported in the Olive Oil Times , extra virgin olive oil has been shown to reduce levels of cytokine in the body, which in turn can reduce both the symptoms associated with COVID-19 and their severity.
First Of All – What Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
Not all olive oil is the same. There are different grades of olive oil according to its level of acidity, or level of free oleic acid within the olive oil. The amount of free oleic acid in olive oil indicates the extent to which fat has broken down into fatty acids.
Extra virgin olive oil is a wholly natural, unrefined oil and the highest quality olive oil you can buy. Genuine extra virgin olive oil is rare and as a result is slightly more expensive. The definition of extra virgin olive oil is very precise regards production methods, taste and chemical composition.
To qualify as extra virgin olive oil, it is an olive oil of less than 0.8% acidity and has no taste defects. In practice, the very best extra virgin olive oils have acidity levels much lower. Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil is consistently below 0.5%, normally around 0.25% to 0.3% depending on the weather conditions throughout the growing season.
Extra virgin olive oil is completely natural. It is not treated with chemicals or altered by temperature. It is typically has a golden-green colour, with a distinctive fresh, green flavour and a light peppery finish.
How the fruit was grown, harvested and transported, how it was pressed into oil, and how the oil was packaged and bottled all contribute to ensure extra virgin olive oil like Morocco Gold is the best quality olive oil you can buy.
The best extra virgin olive oils are produced when the olives are young and green. They are hand-picked and handled with care and attention throughout the harvesting process. The olives are pressed using solely mechanical means within 24 hours of picking at temperature of below 28 º C.
Why Choose Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
There are many reasons why people choose extra virgin olive oil like Morocco Gold over other types of oils. Whether this is extra virgin olive oil as part of a healthy diet, extra virgin olive oil for its delicious taste or extra virgin oil because of its now well-researched and documented health benefits. Extra virgin olive oil is probably the most extensively researched foodstuff on the planet and the health benefits are evidence based.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil For Health & Wellbeing
We all know that Extra Virgin Olive Oil is great for drizzling over salads and creating that perfect bruschetta however not too much is known about the qualities of olive oil on health. It is, unquestionably the most flavoursome, aromatic and healthy of all the olive oils. But most people in the USA and UK don’t really know the extent of the health benefits of this masterful and original superfood creation. In fact they actually consume less than a tenth of what is consumed by people in other Mediterranean countries, which means they could be missing out on a simple and effective way to improve health and wellbeing.
What Makes Extra Virgin Olive Oil So Healthy?
Extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil and canola oil are high in monounsaturated fat (the healthy-for-you kind of fat). So what would put extra virgin olive oil above the others if their fat make-up so similar? It’s not just about the kind of fat molecules that they are made up of, extra virgin olive oil has some extra magic. The biggest thing that makes extra virgin olive oil so healthy is its unique disease-fighting component.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is probably the most extensively researched foodstuff on the planet and the health benefits are evidence based. Thanks to the recent spotlight on the Mediterranean Diet, extensive research has been done on the phytonutrient composition of olive oil. What has been discovered is an extensive list of phytonutrients; one of the most praised is its polyphenols. The amount of polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oil is truly amazing!
What Are Polyphenols?
Polyphenols are a group of over 500 phytochemicals, which are naturally occurring micronutrients in plants. These compounds give a plant its colour and can help to protect it from various dangers. When you eat plants with polyphenols, you reap the health benefits as well.
They also protect the olive oil from oxidative damage and contribute to its superior longevity and shelf life. They also affect the taste of extra virgin olive oil and give it its distinctive bitter flavour.
Polyphenols are a potent antioxidant – one that can decommission a nasty molecule in your body called free radicals. Free radicals can ricochet around inside your body and harm good cells. Antioxidants, such as the polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oil, work to neutralize free radicals; protecting the body from their harmful antics.
In fact the European Food Safety Agency has now approved health claims for extra virgin olive oils with polyphenol content of more than 250mg / kg. Morocco Gold contains polyphenols well above this level. So here are some of the ways that Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil can improve everyday health and well-being.
What Makes Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil So Special?
The high polyphenol content of Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil is dependent on three factors. First is the variety of the olive, secondly the climate and terroire of the growing region and thirdly the actual time in the growing season that the crop is harvested.
Morocco Gold is pressed from the Picholine Marocaine, the only type of olive to go into Morocco Gold. Oil from this variety is renowned for it’s high polyphenol count, oxidative stability and longevity.
Beni Mellal Region Olive Trees Harvested
Our olives are grown in a valley that is about 2,000 feet above sea level. This helps to create the additional climatic challenges that encourage polyphenol uptake within the olive tree. It is also an area with naturally occurring high phenols in the soil itself.
In soils, phenols are released over extended period of time from decomposing plant materials. This causes complex organic compounds to be slowly oxidized or to break down into simpler forms of sugars, amino sugars, aliphatic and phenolic organic acids. These are further transformed into microbial biomass or are reorganized, and further oxidized, into humic assemblages (fulvic and humic acids), which bind to clay minerals.
There has been a long debate about the ability of plants to uptake humic substances through their root systems and to metabolize them. There is now a consensus about how humus plays a hormonal role rather than simply a nutritional role in plant physiology. Olive trees grown in ‘challenging’ conditions encourage the uptake of naturally occurring phenols in the soil. This in turn aids the circulatory system within the olive tree, with the phenols eventually finding their way to the olive fruit itself.
Thirdly, our olives are picked when the fruit is young and green. As the olives age on the tree, the colour of the olive changes to red and then black, the size of the olive increases thus producing more oil, but the polyphenol level decreases. There is a great deal of expertise within the farming community where we source our oil to ensure that the harvest is collected at the optimum time to maximise the polyphenol level.
Types Of Polyphenols
There are a number of different types of polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil, including oleuropein, tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, oleocanthal and oleacein. Each are considered extremely strong antioxidants, and are linked to a number of different health benefits, including:
Maintenance of normal blood pressure
Keeping the upper respiratory tract healthy
Protecting proteins in the brain that are involved in memory, learning and thinking
Helping to keep blood sugar under control
Treating the symptoms of and/or preventing type 2 diabetes
Protecting blood lipids from oxidative damage
Acting as an anti-inflamatory
Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is High In Polyphenols
Polyphenol content in Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil
What Conditions Can Extra Virgin Olive Help To Alleviate?
The following illustrates the range of chronic conditions where research into these polyphenols oil has demonstrated positive effects.
Health Benefits And Polyphenols
In fact the European Food Safety Authority has now approved health claims for extra virgin olive oils with polyphenol content of more than 250mg / kg. Morocco Gold contains polyphenols well above this level. So here are some of the ways that Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil can improve everyday health and well-being.
Cardiovascular diseases are the top cause of death in the industrialised world. A host of studies have documented that arteriosclerosis is closely linked to eating habits and lifestyle. Extra virgin olive oil helps heart health.
“… The lowest rates of death from coronary heart disease are currently recorded in the countries where olive oil is virtually the only fat consumed.”
Olive oil produces a small amount of secretion by the pancreas, making this organ “work” little, but efficiently and enough to carry out all its digestive functions. It stimulates the absorption of various nutrients (calcium, Iron, magnesium, etc.).
Olive oil, therefore, is a fat that is digested and absorbed really well. It has choice properties and a mild laxative effect that helps to combat constipation and bad breath.
Olive oil reduces the risk of the flow or reflux of food and gastric juice up from the stomach to the oesophagus, the gastric content of the stomach is released more slowly and gradually into the duodenum, giving a greater sensation of “fullness”.
Certain foods can raise blood pressure besides having an effect on body weight. Along with high blood cholesterol, cigarette smoking, obesity and diabetes, it is one of the main health problems of the developed world.
One in every four adults is hypertensive. This increases the risk of early death because of the damage to the body’s arteries, especially the arteries that supply blood to the heart, kidneys, brain and eyes. Addition of olive oil to a diet has a clear lowering effect on blood pressure. Regular consumption of olive oil decreases both systolic (maximum) and diastolic (minimum) blood pressure.
Phenols and polyphenols serve as the core substances that give extra virgin olive oil its unique anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers have determined that small amounts of extra virgin olive oil, as low as one tablespoon per day, can lower inflammatory signalling in our body, including levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha).
Interestingly, in Mediterranean-type diets that include daily intake of extra virgin olive oil, not only is there less production of signalling molecules like TNF-alpha, but there is also less activity by the cell receptors for these pro-inflammatory molecules. (This decreased receptor activity has been shown for tumour necrosis factor receptor 60 (TNFR 60) and tumour necrosis factor receptor 80 (TNFR 80). Levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) have also been show to decrease with daily intake of extra virgin olive oil.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance contained in foods of animal origin. Diets containing a large amount of animal fats raise blood cholesterol level, which is one of the chief risk factors of cardiovascular disease.
Olive oil lowers the levels of total blood cholesterol, LdL-cholesterol and triglycerides. At the same time it does not alter the levels of HbL-cholesterol (and may even raise them), which plays a protective role and prevents the formation of fatty patches and recurrent heart disease.
An Olive Oil rich diet is not only a good alternative in the treatment of diabetes, it may also help to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. How it does so is by preventing insulin resistance lowering triglycerides and ensuring better blood sugar level control and lower blood pressure.
Osteoporosis is a reduction in bone tissue mass that increases the risk of fractures. There are two types. Type I occurs in middle-aged, post-menopausal women and type II in the elderly. Olive oil appears to have a favourable effect on bone calcification, and bone mineralisation is better the more olive oil is consumed. It helps calcium absorption, thereby playing an important part during the period of growth and in the prevention of osteoporosis.
Two polyphenols from extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), oleocanthal (OLC) and ligstroside aglycone (LA), plus a chemically modified acetylated ligstroside aglycone (A-LA), and two marine polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), were examined as potential anti-inflammatory agents for OA.
Acetylated ligstroside showed the most promising results for implementation in treating OA as it reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory genes such as inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), matrix metalloprotease-13 (MMP13) and interleukin-1β (IL1B) at both RNA and protein levels; decreased nitric oxide (NO) levels from cartilage explants and also reduced proteoglycan (PG) losses in human osteoarthritic cartilage explants and chondrocytes.
These results substantiate the role of polyphenols in OA with implications for therapeutic intervention and our understanding of OA pathophysiology.
A recent study by researchers at the National Research Council’s Institute of Food Sciences and the University of Salerno has shown that polyphenols from three different olive oil varieties have an inhibitory effect against several bacterial strains.
The tests were performed using 2.5 and 4.9 micrograms of the three polyphenol extracts against different pathogens. The results showed that the minimum concentration necessary to inhibit the growth of the pathogenic tester strains was low for all the polyphenolic extracts. This confirmed their general capacity to inhibit the growth of pathogenic or unwanted microorganisms.
In particular, all three extracts were effective in inhibiting the growth of Escherichia coli, a bacterium that is one of the causes of urinary tract infections. The three extracts also were found to be capable of inhibiting the growth of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, a well-known pathogen that is responsible for the formation of biofilms.
Research on the antibacterial activity of olive varieties grown in southern Italy have also now shown promise for natural treatments against E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
As few as 1–2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil per day have been associated with decreased risk of breast, respiratory tract, and digestive tract cancers. In the case of the digestive tract, reduced risk seems more likely in the upper tract (stomach and small intestine) than in the lower digestive tract (large intestine, including the colon).
Scientists have looked at several different mechanisms that might allow extra virgin olive oil to provide these anti-cancer effects. One group of studies have focused on the secoiridoids, oleuropein and decarboxylmethyl oleuropein, and determined that these extra virgin olive oil phytonutrients help shift some of our metabolic pathways in the direction of better stress resistance. In addition, the overall phenolic content of extra virgin olive oil has been associated with a decreased ability of cancer cells to regenerate. At least some of this effect involves the ability of two phenols in extra virgin olive oil—tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol—to block activity of an enzyme called matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MM-2).
Extra Virgin Olive Oil May Help Protect Against Covid
A common feature for many patients that get severe COVID is serious lung damage caused by an overly vigorous immune response. This is characterised by the creation of lots of inflammatory products called cytokines – the so-called cytokine storm.
As reported in the Olive Oil Times , extra virgin olive oil has been shown to reduce levels of cytokine in the body, which in turn can reduce both the symptoms associated with COVID-19 and their severity. Cytokines are small proteins that are crucial in controlling the growth and activity of other immune system cells and blood cells. When released, they signal the immune system to do its job. Cytokines affect the growth of all blood cells and other cells that help the body’s immune and inflammation responses.
Although cytokines are an important component of our immune system, too many of these can lead to what is known as a ‘cytokine storm’. This is essentially an overreaction of our immune system which can have a seriously detrimental impact on COVID-19 sufferers and, in some cases, lead to fatality. This is because cytokine storms reduce the amount of oxygen circulating in our blood, causing fluid build-up in the lungs and lead to life-threatening breathing difficulties.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Benefits Your Immune System
Regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil as part of a balanced Mediterranean Diet is one of eight recommended steps to help support a healthy immune system. But why, exactly, does the best quality extra virgin olive oil have such a beneficial effect on our immune system?
According to Ahmad Alkhatib, a researcher at Teesside University Center for Public Health: “Olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, contains monounsaturated fatty acids and several polyphenols including oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol. These have several antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, which can be linked with significant antiviral and antibacterial potential.”
“Oleuropein has shown potential antiviral activity against the respiratory syncytial virus, a common upper respiratory infection virus. This effect has been attributed to the antioxidative property of elenolic acid, the main fragment in oleuropein.”
Extra virgin olive oil is identified as one of the key foods in the Mediterranean diet with excellent antiviral superpowers. Vegetables, fish, nuts, herbs and seeds are all known to produce similar effects. This is due to the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, sterols and unsaturated fatty acids – all of which contribute to these powerful properties.
Healthy Compounds In Extra Virgin Olive Oil Still Present After Exposure To Heat
New research confirms the key components in extra virgin olive oil survive temperature. The most healthy compounds found in extra virgin olive oil do not disappear when the oil is used for cooking, according to new research published in the scientific journal, Antioxidants. The implication may have an impact on future nutritional guidelines.
Researchers from the University of Barcelona focused on evaluating how the attributes of olive oil change when it is used for sautéing in a household kitchen. After cooking at a moderate temperature, (polyphenols and antioxidants) were still in the oil and in concentrations high enough to meet the E.U. parameters, meaning this oil should be used for cooking.– Julián Lozano Castellón, project coordinator
European Food Safety Authorty
Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to polyphenols in olive and protection of LDL particles from oxidative damage (ID 1333, 1638, 1639, 1696, 2865), maintenance of normal blood HDL cholesterol concentrations (ID 1639), maintenance of normal blood pressure (ID 3781), “anti-inflammatory properties” (ID 1882), “contributes to the upper respiratory tract health” (ID 3468), “can help to maintain a normal function of gastrointestinal tract” (3779), and “contributes to body defences against external agents” (ID 3467) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006
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