Kompas.com – Mediterranean eating patterns that are rich in fruit, vegetables, and seeds are widely known because of their health benefits.
However, there is one element that is often missed but has an important role in this healthy lifestyle, namely olive oil.
This oil is more than just an additional ingredient in cooking, because it contains phenol compounds that provide many extraordinary benefits for the body.
Also read: Benefits of Olive Oil for Health, Lower Cholesterol
1. Maintain heart health
Olive oil can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. The 10 -year study in Spain involved more than 12,000 people showed consuming 1.5 teaspoons of olive oil per day can reduce the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease by 50 percent.
This oil is also proven to be effective in reducing high blood pressure. Even in other studies, consumption of two tablespoons of olive oil per day for three weeks can significantly reduce systolic blood pressure.
Researchers also found that many people can reduce or even stop taking blood pressure medication if adding olive oil in their diet.
2. Prevent breast cancer
Besides being beneficial for maintaining heart health, olive oil also has benefits in preventing breast cancer.
Studies in Spain involving 4,000 women show that those who consume olive oil as part of the Mediterranean diet have a lower level of breast cancer than those who follow a low -fat diet or consume other fat sources.
Also read: 4 Functions of Olive Oil in Cuisine, Not Just For Salad
Furthermore, another study found that the consumption of more than two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil per day can provide the greatest protection against breast cancer.
3. Control diabetes
Olive oil is proven to have the ability to control blood sugar levels. More than 12 clinical trials show that olive oil is able to protect pancreatic cells that produce insulin, which is very beneficial for diabetics or those who are at risk of developing this disease.
4. Improve cognitive function and prevent Alzheimer’s
Research shows that olive oil can help clean the amyloid plaque, which is the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease.
Olive oil illustration.
This oil can also improve cognitive function, although there is still more research to understand its impact on humans more broadly.
5. Helps lose weight
Although olive oil is rich in calories, research shows that this oil can help you lose weight.
A study found that women who added more than three tablespoons of olive oil in their diet experienced weight loss of more than 5 percent in eight weeks compared to those who followed a low -fat diet.
Also Read: What Is Olive Oil, Alternative Palm Oil?
In addition, many participants in the olive oil group that continued this diet after the study ended, showed that olive oil makes the diet easier to maintain.
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