I had already decided to write about olive oil this week, but then I found this article posted as the Article of the Day on Refdesk: “Jeanne Louise Calment, who died at 122 years and 164 days of age, lived to be the oldest person on record. She reportedly attributed her longevity and relatively youthful appearance (for her age) to olive oil, which she said she poured on all her food and rubbed into her skin.”
Olive oil offers many benefits to those who use it regularly because it is rich in monounsaturated fats, most notably oleic acid. If you go for regular medical checkups no doubt you’ve had a blood test to measure your cholesterol levels. Since olive oil, especially extra-virgin olive oil, is so high in monounsaturated fats it is an excellent addition to your daily diet. It can’t hurt to add something to your diet that is proven to reduce the risk of two common causes of death: heart attacks and stroke. Check out this short article at the Mayo Clinic.
While I am unable to locate the article I do remember studies done on people who eat a Mediterranean diet (one rich in olive oil) that showed they had lower cholesterol levels with fewer heart attacks than those with different dietary habits. If you’ve looked at the recipes that I’ve posted here you will notice that I always use olive oil. I’d love to tell you that my cholesterol levels are great but since I don’t have health insurance it’s been a long time since I’ve been to the doctor. Hopefully the olive oil will keep me healthy so I don’t have to go!
Here are some other articles you might want to check out:
- What’s for Dinner: Health Benefits of Olive Oil
- Science Daily: New Potential Health Benefit Of Olive Oil For Peptic Ulcer Disease
- Better Health Channel: Weight Loss Benefits (sounds great to me!)
Olive oil doesn’t work in all cooking situations, but you can use it for the majority of your cooking. I use it when cooking things I like (but which aren’t so good for me) such as bacon, sausage, or hamburgers. I’d read somewhere that the olive oil pulls out the saturated fats from the meat making it not so bad for you. Also, there are many different grades of olive oil. If you are confused about which to purchase, check out this article here.
Here’s to happy and healthy living!
