Why Olive Oil Could Lower The Risk Of Heart Disease, Study Reveals

Olive oil is natural and healthy for people, especially for the heart. Scientists discovered that adding olive oil to the traditional Mediterranean diet could lower the risk of heart disease.

So, why is olive oil good for the heart? The added olive oil in a Mediterranean diet helps maintain healthy blood flow and clear the debris from arteries. Also, Dr. Alvaro Hernáez of the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute in Barcelona said that it improves the function of high-density lipoproteins, HDL, or also referred to as "good" cholesterol.

Dr. Hernáez added that their hypothesis is that these dietary antioxidants may bind to HDL particles and protect them against different kinds of attacks. He further explained that as HDLs are more protected, they can perform their biological functions more efficiently, and therefore, they can remove cholesterol from arteries or contribute to the relaxation of blood vessels for longer.

The new study involved 296 older adults aged 66 years old on average and at risk for the cardiovascular disease. The researchers examined them and they were randomly assigned to one of the three diets. These include a Mediterranean diet supplemented with 1 liter per week of extra virgin oil, a low-fat diet or a Mediterranean diet with 30 grams of nuts a day. The participants were asked to follow their assigned diet for one year, according to The Huffington Post.

The results showed that none of the diets increased HDL levels. On the other hand, for those assigned to the Mediterranean diet with extra olive oil, there were better HDL functioning shown.

Olive oil is a liquid fat that is extracted from olives, which belong to the family Oleaceae. Olive is a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, which is also one of the three core food plants in Mediterranean cuisine. It is often used for frying or salad dressing.

Other uses of olive oil include pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, soaps and as fuel. Olive oil consists chiefly of oleic acid (up to 83 percent) with smaller amounts of other fatty acids. The extra virgin olive oil has the most favorable flavor characteristics. The largest producer of olive oil is Spain followed by Italy and Greece.