Olive oil and heart health
Olive oil, an important component of the Mediterranean diet, may benefit those at greater risk of developing some form of cardiovascular disease.
Before we continue, let us clarify the types of olive oil most commonly consumed.
Oil produced by pressing ripe olives is called virgin olive oil. Its best qualities make up extra virgin olive oil. The third type is common (or "pure") olive oil.
The latter is a blend of virgin and refined oil, and it falls short in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and phytochemicals. Pomace oil is the oil that remains in the paste left over after the first pressing of the olives.
The study, part of the PREDIMED trial, is based on the hypothesis that olive oil benefits people at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, while also being linked to a reduced risk of such conditions as well as mortality in that population.
The sample included 7,216 people at high cardiovascular risk — either women aged 60 to 80 or men aged 55 to 80. They were all randomly divided into three groups. One group followed a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil, a second followed a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts, and a third followed a low-fat diet.
It was found that the more olive oil consumed, the lower the risk of cardiovascular disease or mortality in the population.
This was particularly evident with extra virgin olive oil. For every additional tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, the risk of a cardiovascular event dropped by 10%.
