Health Benefits

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Health Benefits

Extra Virgin Olive Oil And Weightloss

Extra Virgin Olive Oil And Weightloss

Explore The Benefits of Olive Oil On World Obesity Day

Updated February 27th 2023

Extra Virgin Olive Oil And Weightloss
Weightloss For Wellness

Contents:

A Healthy Diet For World Obesity Day

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:

Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil Bread Oil
Best Olive Oil For Weightloss

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 healthResearch 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.

Discover The Health Benefits Of Morocco Gold

Olive Oil For Weight Loss - reduce obesity
Olive Oil For Weight Loss

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.

Fast Facts: The Cost of Obesity – STOP Obesity Alliance

UK Obesity Levels

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
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.”

Source: bodyandsoul.com.au

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.

Why Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is The Healthiest Fat On Earth

The Nutitional Info Of 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

Extra Virgin Olive Oil For Fathers Day

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.

Content

Introduction

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

Health Nutritional Info Of 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
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 Source31Trusted Source).

Many test-tube studies have observed that compounds in olive oil can help fight cancer at the molecular level (323334Trusted 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.

Healthy Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Bread
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 Are The Health Benefits Of Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Hippocrates extolled the virtue of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

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
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.

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. First Of All – What Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
  3. Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is Single Estate :
  4. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Production :
  5. Why Choose Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
  6. Extra Virgin Olive Oil For Health & Wellbeing
  7. What Makes Extra Virgin Olive Oil So Healthy?
  8. What Are Polyphenols?
  9. What Makes Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil So Special?
  10. Types Of Polyphenols
  11. Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is High In Polyphenols
  12. What Conditions Can Extra Virgin Olive Help To Alleviate?
  13. Extra Virgin Olive Oil May Help Protect Against Covid
  14. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Benefits Your Immune System
  15. Healthy Compounds In Extra Virgin Olive Oil Still Present After Exposure To Heat

“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.

Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is Single Estate

This means that it is from one source and is not mixed or blended with other olive oils, (even if they are extra virgin olive oil).

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Production

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
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

3,4 DHPEA-EDA 85 mg/kg
Hydroxytyrosol5 mg/kg
Lignanes26 mg/kg
Ligstroside aglycone (p, HPEA-EA)20 mg/kg
Oleuropein aglycone (3,4 DHPEA-EA)71 mg/kg
Oleocanthal p, HPEA-EDA65 mg/kg
Tyrosol372 mg/kg
Polyphenols Total644 mg/kg
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
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.

1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Reduces Risk Of Cardiovascular Diseases

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.” 

Professor Francisco Grande Covian

2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Maintains The Digestive Tract In Good Health

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”.

3. Helps To Reduce Blood Pressure

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.

4. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Acts As An Anti-Inflammatory

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.

5. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Help Control Healthy Cholesterol Levels

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.

6. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Eases Or Prevents Diabetes

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.

7. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Lessens The Severity Of Osteoporosis

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.

8. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Lessens The Severity Of Osteoarthritis

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.

9. Polyphenols In Extra Virgin Olive Oil Have Shown to Have Distinct Anti-Bacterial Properties

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.

Source: Olive Oil Times

10. Polyphenols in Extra Virgin Olive Oil Help Protect Against Cancer

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
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

Source: European Food Safety Authority

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