Why you should make olive oil part of your diet immediately. Why you should make olive oil part of your diet immediately.Olive oil is the foundation of the Mediterranean diet, which is frequently cited as one of the healthiest eating habits.
The majority of the health benefits of olive oil can be attributed to its minor components, like polyphenols. The focus of a recent study published in the journal Nutrients is on the potential benefits of oleic acid, which makes up between 70% and 80% of olive oil.
Researchers from the Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine at the University of Sevilla found that the major component of olive oil has properties that lower cholesterol and prevent cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
When it comes to preventing disease and delaying ageing, the Mediterranean diet is hard to beat.
In the Mediterranean region, there are many olive trees. Olive oil is naturally formed from the fruits of those trees, making it the most distinguishing nutrient and the primary source of fat in a typical Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet also includes a lot of vegetables, moderate wine intake, low to moderate dairy consumption, little to no red meat consumption, and low to moderate amounts of fish consumption.
Olive oil
Many health benefits of olive oil are attributed to its main ingredient, oleic acid.
Oleic acid is the main monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) in the human circulatory system, according to researchers who collaborated with specialists from the Seville North and Aljarafe Health District and the Costa del Sol Hospital. It makes up a sizeable portion of the membrane phospholipids in the human brain and is widely distributed in the myelin sheaths of neurons.
According to medical experts, people with Alzheimer’s disease and severe depressive illnesses have reduced levels of oleic acid in their brains.
Like all free fatty acids, oleic acid serves primarily as an energy source and a component of cell membranes. One of its most remarkable characteristics is its antioxidant properties, which can directly regulate both the synthesis and activity of antioxidant enzymes.
Another benefit is its ability to prevent atherosclerosis by reducing cholesterol absorption and blocking the development of proteins linked to cholesterol transport.
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And not just that. Oleic acid is a recognised anti-cancer molecule because of its inhibitory effects on the overexpression of oncogenes (genes that have the potential to cause cancer) and its impact on programmed cell death. Most scientists also classify oleic acid as an anti-inflammatory molecule, however there is considerable debate on this point.
Even the oleoylethanolamide oleic acid derivative demonstrates anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Others have recommended it as a successful treatment option for obesity. Further research indicates that oleic acid affects epigenetic pathways as well as the immune system by controlling cells associated with inflammation (direct alterations of DNA and DNA-associated proteins).
