Ingredients

Olive Oil: Getting the most health benefits

21st Jun 2024

Celebrated in the Mediterranean diet, extra virgin olive oil offers more than just flavour—it has the potential to extend your lifespan, enhance heart health, and reduce cancer risk. But the quality of olive oils can vary significantly.

Key points

Sources

Health benefits

Longer life span: Research shows that those who consume the most olive oil—around half a tablespoon daily—had a 19% lower risk of death from any cause over a 28-year period compared to those who rarely used olive oil. Substituting butter, margarine, or mayonnaise with olive oil reduced the death rate by as much as 34%.
Lower risk of cancer: High olive oil consumption is linked to a 31% lower likelihood of developing cancer.
Lower risk of dementia: Eating about 7 grams of olive oil daily has been linked to a 28% lower risk of dying from dementia-related causes.
Better heart health: Studies indicate that high polyphenol olive oil reduces cardiovascular disease risk and inflammatory markers.

What makes it so special?

It’s a source of:

Monounsaturated fats (MUFA), especially oleic acid.
Bioactive compounds from the olives, especially squalene and phenolic compounds like oleuropein. These compounds not only contribute to the oil’s aroma but also provide numerous health benefits, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Cooking with extra-virgin olive oil

The debate over using olive oil for cooking often revolves around its lower smoke point (~205°C). compared to other oils. But recent studies suggest that oxidative stability during heating may be a better indicator of an oil’s behaviour during cooking – a more stable oil produces fewer undesired compounds.

3 benefits of cooking with extra-virgin olive oil

More stable when heated: Studies demonstrate that extra-virgin olive oil remains stable and generates fewer polar compounds, trans fats and other byproducts during cooking, compared to alternatives like canola or sunflower oil.
Contains polyphenols: They protect fatty acids from degradation during cooking and prevent the formation of undesired compounds.
Enhances other foods: Cooking with extra-virgin olive oil may also increase the bioavailability of other plant compounds, such as carotenoids in tomatoes.

But these beneficial compounds are partially or totally removed when you get low-quality oil that was subjected to refining processes.

How to choose quality olive oil

Look for:

Extra-virgin, meaning it’s extracted only by mechanical and physical processes (crushing, squeezing, and pressing) and must be chemically tested to show low acidity levels.
Dark-coated containers to protect the oil from prolonged light exposure and slow down natural oxidation processes.
A more recent harvest date because the phenol content of olive oil is highest when first produced.
Traceability & transparency about where it comes from and the production methods.
A fragrant flavour which comes from polyphenols.

Budget tips

Hunt for discounts or join a community-supported agriculture (CSA). They sometimes offer discounts as part of their membership benefits. It can be a cost-effective way to access high-quality oils while supporting local producers.
Use sparingly. A few tablespoons a day is enough to get benefits. To cut back when cooking, add a splash of water, use high-moisture ingredients like tomatoes and mushrooms, and try steaming or roasting.
Store it well in a dark space and at cooler temperatures to make it last longer, protect it from damage and retain its phenolic content.

More insights from my conversation with Dr Simon Poole.