Reference: www.internationaloliveoil.org 

Extra virgin olive oil is one of the most health-promoting oils. It is a key ingredient of the
‘mediterranean diet’ and has many elements  that  researchers are discovering provide
excellent health benefits. 
 
1.  Protection against chronic degenerative disease
 
Research has shown that people who use olive oil regularly, especially in place of other
fats,  have much  lower  rates of heart disease,  atherosclerosis,  diabetes,  colon  cancer
and asthma.
 
2.  Polyphenols are responsible for olive oil’s benefits
 
The abundance of polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil, rather than  its monounsaturated
fatty  acids,  are  responsible  for  its  cardiovascular  benefits.    Its  rich  supply  of
polyphenols, which are known  to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticoagulant
actions,  may  also  be  central  to  emerging  evidence  that  olive  oil’s  protective  effects
extend to colon cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and osteoporosis (see later item).
 
3.  Heart health
 
The heart health effects from extra virgin olive oil are due not only to  its high content of
monounsaturated  fats  but  also  to  its  high  concentration  of  antioxidants,  including
chlorophyll,  carotenoids  and  the  polyphonic  compounds  tyrosol,  hydrotyrosol  and
oleuropein,  all of which not only have  free  radical  scavenging  abilities  but  protect  the
Vitamin E (alpha- tocopherol) also found in olive oil.  
 
The  FDA  in  the  USA  has  accepted  the  research  findings  that  extra  virgin  olive  oil
prevents heart disease.
 
4.  Lower blood pressure
 
The mediterranean diet, including its key components, olive oil, vegetables and fruit are
associated  with  lower  systolic  and  diastolic  blood  pressure.    When  the  effects  of
vegetable and olive oil were compared, olive oil gave  the dominant beneficial effect on
blood pressure.
 
5.  Reduce breast cancer risk
 
Oleic  acid,  the  primary  monounsaturated  fatty  acid  in  olive  oil,  has  been  shown  to
reduce  the  expression  of  Her-2/neu  oncogene,  which  is  associated  with  aggressive
growth of breast cancer tumours.

6.  Better blood sugar control
 
Studies in diabetic patients have shown that healthy meals that contained some olive oil
had better effects on blood sugar, even better than healthy meals that were low in fat.  It
prevents  insulin  resistance  by  raising  HDL-cholesterol,  lowering  tryglycerides,  and
ensuring better blood  sugar  level  control  and  lower blood pressure.   High  triglyceride
levels occur  in diabetic people which  is a problem since  the high  levels also contribute
to the development of heart disease.
 
7.  Anti-inflammatory benefits
 
Regular use of olive oil has been associated with lower rates of asthma and rheumatoid
arthritis  as  the  monounsaturated  fats  in  olive  oil  are  used  by  the  body  to  produce
substances which are relatively anti-inflammatory.
 
8.  Reduces osteoporosis
 
Research  has  revealed  that  two  olive  oil  polyphenols,  oleuropin  and  hydroxytyrosol,
significantly reduce the inflammation-mediated bone loss involved in osteoporosis.
 
9.  Protect DNA from free radical damage
 
The phenol content of olive oil is reduced when it is exposed to heat and light (and so it
should be stored  in cool and opaque containers).   The effect was observed  in a study
where  DNA  experienced  30%  less  damage  when  high  phenol  content  olive  oil  was
consumed compared to the consumption of lower phenol olive oil.
 
10.  Further anti-inflammatory properties
 
Although its chemical structure is quite different from  the anti-inflammatory compounds
in  non-steroidal  drugs  such  as  Ibuprofen,  olive  oil  contains  an  anti-inflammatory
component, known as  ‘oleocanthal’,  that has a similar effect.  A 50 gram dose of extra
virgin olive oil supplies enough  ‘ oleocanthal’  to produce an effect equivalent  to  that of
about 10% of the Ibuprofen dose recommended for adult pain relief.
 
11.  Protection against colon cancer
 
While most  other  fats are  associated with an  increased  risk of colon  cancer,  olive oil
provides a reduced  risk of  this cancer.   Olive oil’s protective effect may be  its ability  to
reduce the amount of carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HA’s) formed when meats are
cooked, such as the frying of hamburger patties.

(It was found that adding the rosemary herb to olive oil helped to maintain a higher level
of the HA protective effect over time).
 
In addition,  the phenolic compounds  in olive oil protect against several stages of colon
cancer development.
 
12.  Reduction in ‘trans’ fats
 
Linked  to benefit #11  is  that olive oil  takes much  longer  to convert  to  ‘trans’  fat  in  the
continued reheating of frying oil for ‘fast foods’ compared to other oils.  
 
13.  A fat that helps you to lose weight
 
Substituting  olive  oil  for  saturated  fat  in  your  diet  can  translate  into  a  small  but
significant  loss of both body weight and  fat mass without changing anything else about
your diet or increasing your physical activity.
 
14.  Skin health

Japanese  researchers have  found  that  applying high quality olive  oil  to  the  skin  after
sunbathing  reduces  the  risk  of  developing  skin  tumours.    The  researchers  found  that
high-grade, virgin olive oil smeared on the skin delayed the appearance of tumours and
reduced their size and that it remediates dried and sunburnt skin.
Olive oil on the scalp will prevent head lice and dandruff.