Tips On Living Longer and Healthier with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

First off, olive oil taste good, real good. And with a wide range of varietals and flavor profiles, our customers can always find an Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) that suits their particular taste and recipe preferences. We have also touted the numerous health benefits of consuming top quality EVOO and have lectured on the subject on several occasions.

Secondly and most lately, the news world has been abuzz within an article conducted in Spain, and whose findings have been published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. The Mediterranean diet is now the focus of intense review, as the health benefits of EVOO are becoming all too apparent.

Below is a brief summary of the many health related benefits of consuming Extra Virgin Olive Oil. What you want to know is that it is the polyphenols that are found in 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and the high degree of monounsaturated fat found inside are what is responsible for these effects and observations. Keep in mind that most of these benefits won't come from pure olive oil, or olive oils that have been adulterated with other refined oils.

The anti-inflammatory power of olive oil is a result of the polyphenols that can only be obtained from Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The anti-inflammatory agents comprise nine different categories of polyphenols and more than 25 well-researched anti-inflammatory nutrients.

Unlike supermarket grades of olive oil, where up to 70 percent of brands were found to fail the test for Extra Virgin with a U.C. Davis published study; The Olive Tap EVOO's are guaranteed to have polyphenol amounts that can provide these benefits to you. Some oils are lower than others, providing sweet (not bitter), mild and fruity taste profiles.

Other oils will probably be more pungent (peppery sensation in the throat) and sour (back of the tongue sensation) because of their higher polyphenol counts. The ultimate choice as to which oil best matches your particular taste is what makes The Olive Tap shops so special. You can taste before you buy at any of our locations, or read detailed descriptions on the internet to assist you make a choice.

Cardiovascular: Lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by 30 percent, while appreciating a diet that puts more emphasis on food collections than counting calories. Take a Look at the Mediterranean diet. In late February, the news, food sites, and other media outlets were all abuzz on the article that was published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The results were so positive, that the study was halted early because the benefits of the Mediterranean diet were already obvious. The researchers found that the people consuming the diets rich in olive oil, fruits, vegetables and nuts had about a 30 percent lower risk of having a heart attack, stroke or dying from a cardiovascular cause.

Digestive Tract: Several studies found lower rates of gastrointestinal tract cancers--especially cancers of the upper digestive tract, including the stomach and small intestine--in populations that regularly have olive oil.

Skeletal/Bone Health: Higher blood levels of calcium have been observed in laboratory animals, and 2 polyphenols (tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol) have demonstrated to increase bond formation. Lately, a bunch of researchers indicated that olive oil may eventually prove to have special bone benefits for post-menopausal ladies.

Cognition and Brain Function: Increased cognitive function--especially among older adults--is a renowned feature of the Mediterranean Diet. In France, a current large-scale study on elderly adults has shown that visual memory and verbal fluency can be made better with what the researchers called"intensive use" of olive oil.

Anti Cancer Benefits: Research studies have revealed that as little as 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil per day can lower the risk of certain cancer types, including cancers of the breast, respiratory tract, upper digestive tract, and to a lesser degree, lower gastrointestinal tract (colorectal cancers). Intense study is ongoing regarding the effect of EVOO on certain kinds of breast cancer.

The research is focused on the 20% to 30% of breast cancers that express the HER2 molecules, and is being conducted by Javier A. Menendez, PhD, at the Catalan Institute of Oncology at Girona, Spain.

Clearly, the Mediterranean diet is one that has an emphasis on Extra Virgin Olive Oil as the source of fat in diets, and there are undoubtedly additional health benefits associated with the use of fruits, vegetables, fish, and legumes.

The decrease in red meat consumption in this diet is also important, and cannot be overemphasized. In the coming months we'll take a better look at the research, and if available, we will post updates.