It is already known that olive oil is one of the healthiest sources of fat, which is why it is one of the pillars of the Mediterranean diet, a type of food praised for its health benefits. A recent Spanish study has discovered the amounts of this liquid gold that must be taken each day to reduce the risk of dying. And it is that, like everything, even the good, it must be taken in its proper measure.
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, has revealed that two tablespoons of olive oil a day is enough to live longer. The tests have been carried out on a group of more than 1,567 people from the Valencian Community who underwent dietary monitoring for a period of 18 years and was related to their levels of physical activity and tobacco consumption.
The results released by its authors, who belong to the Nutrition Epidemiology Unit of the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) of Elche, have revealed that consuming two or more tablespoons of olive oil every day –compared to who did not take it – was associated with a 31% lower risk of dying from all causes, a 46% lower chance of dying from cardiovascular diseases and up to 51% of dying from some type of cancer.
Olive oil, key in the Mediterranean diet, has been attributed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive properties
“The regular consumption of olive oil is safe and can significantly reduce the risk of death in the long term,” the authors explain, however, they recommend that more studies be carried out to confirm these very promising findings, especially in populations that do not be Mediterranean.
This work indicates that in the mid-1990s, 82% of the Valencian adult population drank olive oil daily. This food is key in the Mediterranean diet and has been attributed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive properties, among many others, which is why it is not unreasonable to think that including it in our daily diet could make us live longer.
It also provides hydroxytyrosol, a compound that reduces the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, and whose action on certain genes seems to delay cancer progression. And it contains oleuropein, which together with hydroxytyrosol have a protective effect against oxidative damage and inflammatory activity, related to cancer, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
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