Here in Greece and in all the Mediterranean countries, olive oil is a staple in our kitchen. It’s difficult to imagine cooking without it, whether we’re talking about Mediterranean cuisine, Greek cuisine, vegan or vegetarian nutrition. Since Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a pure oil and a national product in Greece, it’s definitely popular and there are good reasons for it. Besides giving rich texture and taste in food, it’s also rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat which are good for the heart, raising HDL and lowering LDL along with the risk of heart diseases and stroke. What’s more, good fat in our nutrition help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins, contributing to the support of our immune system. So why are we even talking about it?
Well, for one thing, it’s full of calories (120 calories in 1 tbsp to be precise), so it’s understandable that some people may be unwilling to use it on a daily basis, in every meal. Are they missing out on its benefits? Is it ok to not consume olive oil? Apparently, the answer has to do with our overall food choices.
Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn are some of the people from the plant-based community that support the idea we should avoid all added oils in our nutrition, which means the oils that we add ourselves when cooking, not those that we find in natural foods. According to Dr. Esselstyn, we should keep the fats low in our diets and avoid added oils, a tactic which can help with atherosclerosis. On the other hand, research has shown that extra virgin olive oil is beneficial for heart health, with all its monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, tocopherols and polyphenols. So what’s going on?
A study on 126.233 men and women for 32 years showed that trans fat can raise the danger of mortality up to 20%, saturated fat up to 10% while monounsaturated fat lower the risk up to 10% and polyunsaturated up to 25%. What happens is that polyphenols, as antioxidants, are beneficial for the heart, they have anti-inflammatory properties and contribute to lower oxidative stress.
Extra virgin olive oil’s polyphenols seem to be beneficial for the heart, but at the same time there seems to be some kind of debate on how it affects flow‐mediated vasodilation (FMD), an index of endothelial function which plays a big role in atherosclerosis. Some studies show that consuming EVOO can affect FMD negatively, while a meta-analysis showed it can be beneficial. Nuts, on the other hand, when compared to olive oil and when consumed in a high-fat meal can improve FMD –which is not the case for olive oil too.
This comparison between nuts and olive oil shows us that whole, unprocessed natural foods can be more effective and beneficial than olive oil –we must bear in mind though, that we don’t know if it was extra virgin olive oil or plain olive oil used in the study.
So a new randomized study comes along, published in International Journal of Cardiology which confirms that only after a single dose (50ml) of extra virgin olive oil rich in polyphenols in a smoothie along with frozen blueberries, low-fat yoghurt, can improve endothelial function by 4,8% (participants who were at high risk for diabetes type 2 were randomly given a processed oil or EVOO and then there was a switch after a week).
As you can see, science is rarely black or white, so what you need to know based on all of the above is that if you want to use olive oil, it’s essential to always pick a good quality extra virgin olive oil, which is produced with natural methods and has a high content of polyphenols, minerals and vitamins. All other olive oils won’t do. Extra virgin olive oil can have a positive impact in a Mediterranean diet or on any other diet.
On the other hand, if you follow a well-scheduled, plant-based diet with whole, natural foods, full of nuts and seeds and a variety of fruit and vegetables, you get your polyphenols anyway and you benefit FMD as shown above (polyphenol-rich foods are berries, kiwi, cherries, red grape, coffee etc). So if you don’t want to add olive oil in every meal, it shouldn’t be a problem. Just make sure to get your healthy fats from other sources, as you need fat for fat-soluble vitamin absorption.
It’s all up to your diet, and how balanced it may be. If your diet is natural, plant-based, with no processed foods and many-many fruits vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds, the use of extra virgin olive oil is up to you. If your diet is full of meats, processed foods, dairy etc. extra virgin olive oil could help, but won’t do miracles.
Remember:
-Despite its benefits, it still has calories, so don’t overdo it.
-Prefer it raw and not cooked in high temperatures, as it has a low smoke point.
-If you’re diagnosed with atherosclerosis or certain inflammatory diseases like lupus or arthritis, it’s best if you follow a plant-based diet with no added oils.
Resources
https://dresselstyn.com/JFP_06307_Article1.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29141571/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17174226/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26378571/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17045905/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33548380/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33044178/
Whether you use extra virgin olive oil or not, in the blog section of www.feedyourimmunity.com you’ll find healthy recipes for every case.
