The Health Benefits of Olive Oil
January 2004
Extra virgin olive oil is a natural juice full of flavor and aroma, with high vitamin A, D, K and E content. It has an anti-oxidant effect on human body cells – 80% of extra virgin olive stimulates bone growth and calcium absorption.
Fats and oils are an essential part of a balanced diet. Olive oil is easily digested – and quickly and completely absorbed by the system. In addition, trace components like chlorophyll help the absorption, and the aroma and taste stimulate our appetite – an important assist for the digestive process.
A diet that includes olive oil aids the circulatory system, thereby reducing the risk of arteriosclerosis and other circulatory ailments. The unsaturated fats, which make up olive oil, not only are cholesterol-free, but also have been shown to actually reduce cholesterol levels. It works as a protection against 'bad' cholesterol.
Frank Sacks of the Harvard School of Public Health writes: "An olive-oil-rich diet is more effective than a low-fat diet in controlling and treating obesity. Moreover, it leads to longer-lasting weight loss and it is easier to keep to because it tastes good."
On another note, a recent comprehensive study in Spain showed that women who added extra-virgin olive oil to their diet had a 62 percent lower risk of breast cancer over the following five years, according to researchers at the University of Navarra in Pamplona.
Every year we learn of more and more health benefits associated with extra virgin olive oil. How often is something as delicious as Spanish cold-pressed olive oil shown to be so good for you!
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