People all over the world are avoiding foods
that are fatty because fats clog the arteries and cause cardiovascular ailments
which may result in stroke and other dangerous health issues.
Be that as it may, there is healthy fat,
which is highly recommended by dieticians, nutritionists and physicians. This
healthy fat is the unsaturated fat contained in extra-virgin olive oil. People
of the Mediterranean region have discovered this healthy fat and its source,
hence no Mediterranean dish can be considered complete without the use of olive
oil.
Olive oil can be used in diverse ways: it could
be eaten raw; used for frying or cooking of food; bread, boiled or roasted yam
could also be dipped in it. Among the Mediterraneans, a complete diet consists
of rich vegetables, grains, fish, red wine, nuts and olive oil. When these are
eaten unprocessed in their right proportion and on a regular basis, there is
much health benefit attached.
Besides, extra-virgin olive oil has the potency
of turning unhealthy foods to healthy ones when it is added to such unhealthy foods. To
achieve maximum result, olive oil must not be combined with all these
commonplace oil that saturate the market. Health benefits of extra-virgin olive
oil include
Lowering
of blood pressure
A recent research sponsored by the British Heart
Foundation shows that when unsaturated fats, such as are found in olive oil,
are consumed along with vegetables (especially green vegetables), there is
production of a kind of fatty acid that lowers blood pressure.
It is also scientifically proved that the
antioxidant and fatty acid content of olive oil have enormous health benefits
and lower the risk of heart disease.
Reduction
in cardiovascular problem
A research report on the work of a
cardiovascular expert at King’s College, London, Professor Philip Eaton, has it
that “a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts can
reduce the incidence of cardiovascular problems like stroke, heart failure and heart
attacks.”
Olive oil has been found to be very effective in
fighting diseases like cancer heart diseases, high blood pressure,
osteoporosis, oxidative stress, arthritis and diabetes. It has also been
advised by experts that eating Mediterranean kind of diet, which is rich in
olive oil reduces the risk of Type-2 diabetes by about 50 percent in comparison
to a low fat diet.
Improving
the functions of the heart
It has been found, according to a study done in
Spain and published in Diabetes Care, that
a diet rich in olive oil or other monounsaturated fats can improve heart
functions, especially among older people. It is scientifically proved that as
people age, all organs of the body also age. The aging process can, however, be
slowed down by eating diet that is rich in olive oil; and the functions of the
heart can be enhanced.
Research has also shown that the polyphenols in
olive oil can reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the body, as well as
reducing the effects of aging of the red blood cells. Olive oil, according to
research, also has phytochemicals which kill cancer cells and surpress cancer
genes.
Olive oil
is rich in vitamins
Olive oil is rich in Vitamin E and
beta-carotenes. Vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin, is widely acclaimed to be
very potent in protecting body tissues and organs which are responsible to
fighting aging.
Vitamin E also strengthens the immune system
against viruses and bacteria. It also plays a vital role in the formation of
red blood cells and in enhancing the activity of Vitamin K, as well as
preventing blood from clotting in the blood vessels. Olive oil is rich in
Vitamin E.
The beta carotene in olive oil is converted to
Vitamin A for healthy skin and the protection of mucus membranes; strengthening
of the immune system and improvement of sight.
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