Olive oil may be the most essential part of the Mediterranean diet but today it is used more widely because of its extensive health benefits. One such amazing benefit is that it helps reduce the risk of heart disease. Mainly attributing its benefits to its richness in unsaturated fats or good fats, here's how olive oil works to keep your heart healthy.
It reduces cholesterol:Cholesterol is the major contributor of heart disease, and olive oil lowers bad cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood without altering the good cholesterol levels. Some studies suggest that it may even boost good cholesterol. One of the studies suggested that olive oil may prevent the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol due to antioxidant-like properties.
Lowers blood pressure: Studies have shown that having olive oil regularly can even help you lower your blood pressure. A study by Theodora Psaltopoulou and colleagues showed that people who had a Mediterranean diet had reduced diastolic as well as systolic BP.
Lowers stroke risk: Most of the deaths due to heart disease are caused due to stoke, and olive oil may have a role to play in reducing that too. A study carried out by scientists from France suggested that citizens who had olive oil regularly in their diet had a lowered incidence of stroke. The study found that participants who consumed more amount of olive oil (in cooking or salad dressing) had a 41% reduced risk of stroke compared to participants who did not use olive oil at all.
References:
Psaltopoulou T et al. Olive oil, the Mediterranean diet, and arterial blood pressure: the Greek European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study.
C. Samieri et al. Olive oil consumption, plasma oleic acid, and stroke incidence
Aviram M, Eias K. Dietary olive oil reduces low-density lipoprotein uptake by macrophages and decreases the susceptibility of the lipoprotein to undergo lipid peroxidation
For more articles on heart disease, check out our heart disease section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Olive oil may be the most essential part of the Mediterranean diet but today it is used more widely because of its extensive health benefits. One such amazing benefit is that it helps reduce the risk of heart disease. Mainly attributing its benefits to its richness in unsaturated fats or good fats, here's how olive oil works to keep your heart healthy.
