You are not alone if you feel confused on which oil is the best for your health. Fad trends can push certain oil that make it difficult to know if it is healthy for your body or just a trend. Extra virgin olive oil is the star oil for your body that should be your best friend in the kitchen.
Extra virgin olive oil is superior to its cousin olive oil as it is less processed. Extra virgin olive oil has 36 different antioxidants. Antioxidants help to fight off free radicals which can cause damage and disease to the cells of your body in excess.
This includes the polyphenols oleuropein, tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, oleocanthal and oleacein. These not only fight off free radicals but help to feed the good bacteria in your gut. When you have a healthy gut your body functions better.
All types of fats have different percentages of saturated and unsaturated fats. Extra virgin olive oil is made up of 73% monounsaturated fat, 10.5% polyunsaturated fat and 12.8% saturated fat. As a rich source of heart healthy monounsaturated fat, it promotes optimal cholesterol levels. It does this by reducing your ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol which can form plaques in your arteries and lead to heart disease.
Extra virgin olive oil is also a rich source of vitamin E. Vitamin E acts as antioxidant and helps your skin look and feel its best. Vitamin E also protects your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun.
The anti-inflammatory properties of this oil may also help protect your brain from cognitive impairment. The bioactive compounds in extra virgin olive oil may also help to reduce chronic inflammation which can lead to chronic diseases like cancer and type two diabetes.
The good news about this oil is it is versatile, and you can use it as your cooking oil when cooking at normal kitchen temperatures. Extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point of 190-220°C which is higher than that of coconut oil and unrefined avocado oil.
Extra virgin olive oil is not just a healthy component of your diet but the oil has benefits to be included as a skin and hair care regime. Extra virgin olive oil contains the antioxidant called squalene. This may help improve the shine of your hair as well as reduce breakage. Squalene adds moisture back into your skin and may also help to increase collagen production in your skin.
Take home message: The winning oil for your health is clearly extra virgin olive oil. It’s benefits to your body are much greater than simply promoting your healthiest heart. If you have not made the switch to extra virgin olive oil yet this is the time to put this oil on your shopping list.
References:
- Grundy SM. Monounsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol metabolism: implications for dietary recommendations. J Nutr. 1989 Apr;119(4):529-33. doi: 10.1093/jn/119.4.529. PMID: 2649645.
- Tsolaki M, Lazarou E, Kozori M, Petridou N, Tabakis I, Lazarou I, Karakota M, Saoulidis I, Melliou E, Magiatis P. A Randomized Clinical Trial of Greek High Phenolic Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Mild Cognitive Impairment: The MICOIL Pilot Study. J Alzheimers Dis. 2020;78(2):801-817. doi: 10.3233/JAD-200405. PMID: 33044178.
- Gambino CM, Accardi G, Aiello A, Candore G, Dara-Guccione G, Mirisola M, Procopio A, Taormina G, Caruso C. Effect of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Table Olives on the ImmuneInflammatory Responses: Potential Clinical Applications. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2018;18(1):14-22. doi: 10.2174/1871530317666171114113822. PMID: 29141570.
