The health benefits of olive oil have long been known, and it’s a core part of the famously healthy Mediterranean diet—which research has shown time and again to be among the best long-term diets you can adhere to.
In one of the first large studies on olive oil consumption conducted in the United States, recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, almost 100,000 adults had their nutritional data analyzed over 25 years. The researchers found an approximate 15 percent reduction in cardiovascular risk and 20 percent reduction in heart disease specifically, in people who consumed greater than 0.5 tablespoons of olive oil a day—compared to those who had it less than once a month. These are stunning percentages, and I can assure you that if a drug ever came out showing such big gains, it would be blasted all over the media and in commercials! The authors also stated that replacing 5 grams of margarine, butter, mayonnaise, or dairy fat, with the equivalent amount of olive oil every day—was associated with a 5 to 7 percent lower risk of heart disease. In a number of participants too, higher olive oil intake was associated with lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers and a better cholesterol profile.
Results like this do not surprise me at all, because there are so many natural dietary and lifestyle habits, which when studied, produce much greater percentage health improvements than many expensive medicines—and come with fewer side effects. This was the subject of my first book, High Percentage Wellness Steps.
How could olive oil, which is a fat, be good for you? Well, it’s because the main fatty acid in olive oil is a healthy monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, making up about 75% of the total oil content. Our bodies of course, do need fat—they are part of every cell membrane in your body. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are the healthy fats (as opposed to saturated fats), and help to raise your good (HDL) cholesterol and lower your bad (LDL) cholesterol. In addition, olive oil also contains antioxidants, which are extremely beneficial for you. One tablespoon will contain only about 120 calories (5 grams is just under half a tablespoon).
One of my heroes, Thomas Jefferson, who aside from being the author the Declaration of Independence and 3rd President of the United States, was also 250 years ahead of himself in terms of healthy eating and exercising—once said: “The olive tree is surely the richest gift of heaven. I can scarcely expect bread”. I would highly recommend that when you next have your bread, hopefully wholewheat or multigrain, fresh or toasted: you have it with some olive oil.
Suneel Dhand is a physician, writer, and personal trainer. He is Co-Founder at DocsDox. His two main passions are preventive medicine and improving communication skills. Follow him on YouTube and Instagram.