Health Benefits of Olive Oil and the Mediterranen Diet

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Health Benefits of Olive Oil and the Mediterranen Diet

JoAnn Guest

Dec 28, 2004 17:05 PST

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Health Benefits of Olive Oil and the Mediterranen Diet

 

The health and therapeutic benefits of olive oil were first mentioned by

Hippocrates, the father of medicine. For centuries, the nutritional,

cosmetic and medicinal benefits of olive oil have been recognized by the

people of the Mediterranean.

 

Olive oil was used to maintain skin and muscle suppleness, heal

abrasions, and soothe the burning and drying effects of sun and water.

Olive oil was administered both internally, and externally - for health

and beauty.

 

Recent research has now provided firm proof that a Mediterranean diet,

which includes olive oil, is not only generally healthy, but that

consuming olive oil can actually help lower harmful LDL cholesterol.

Olive oil contains antioxidants that discourage artery clogging and

chronic diseases, including cancer.

 

There are three kinds of dietary fats: saturated (animal),

polyunsaturated (plants, seeds, nuts, vegetable oils), and

monounsaturated (olive oil). From a nutritional standpoint, all types of

olive oil are approximately the same, with 80% monounsaturated, 14%

saturated, 9% polyunsaturated fats on average.

 

Olive oil is rich in vitamins A, B-1, B-2, C, D, E and K and in iron.

Olive oil, which is beneficial to the digestive system, does not

necessarily keep you thin; it contains just as many calories as other

oils (9cal/g).

Olive oil acts as a mild laxative, is a friend to the intestine and an

enemy of ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil is a good tonic, with specific

benefits for people suffering from heart disease.

 

Olive oil has been regarded as the " beauty oil " . The body's cells

incorporate the valuable " fatty acids " from the oil, making arteries

more supple and skin more lustrous. The amount of " oleic acid " in olive

oil is about the same as that found in a mother's milk and is thus the

best growth supplement for infants.

 

Drunk before a meal, olive oil protects the stomach from ulcers. If a

spoon or two is taken with lemon or coffee, it prevents constipation

without irritating the intestinal tract.

 

It is also effective in treating urinary tract infections and gall

bladder problems.

 

It is a perfect remedy for gastritis in children, it accelerates brain

development and strengthens the bones.

 

Olive oil dissolves clots in capillaries, has been found to lower the

degree of " absorption " of edible fats, and consequently slows down the

aging process.

 

Only animal-derived foods contain cholesterol. Olive oil is

cholesterol-free.

Cholesterol is not entirely harmful; it is an essential building block

for cell membranes, nerve fiber coverings, vitamin D and sex hormones.

The body manufactures all the cholesterol it needs, so any cholesterol

in foods we eat is excessive.

 

Excess cholesterol causes a gradual accumulation of fatty deposits and

connective tissue, known as plaque, along the walls of blood vessels.

Eventually, plaque builds up, narrows the arteries and reduces blood

flow, in this way increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

 

 

Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and is vital for the structure

of cell walls. In order to circulate through the bloodstream, it is

" packaged " in fatty-protein wrappings called " lipoproteins " .

 

The low-density lipoproteins (LDL) distribute cholesterol throughout

the body, dropping it off where needed. The liver also packages another

type of cholesterol called high-density lipoproteins (HDL), which

picks-up circulating cholesterol and returns it to the liver for

reprocessing, or excretion.

 

The LDLs are the ones that build up the walls of the arteries and so are

tagged " bad " cholesterol.

 

HDLs carry cholesterol away. So the more HDLs there are, the easier it

is to unblock paths and rid the body of unwanted cholesterol.

 

What the body really needs is a good HDL/LDL ratio. Polyunsaturated oils

lower LDL ( " bad " ) and HDL ( " good " ) levels.

 

Monounsaturated oils (such as olive oil), lower only LDL cholesterol,

leaving HDLs to help clean out arteries.

 

Animal fats, which contain saturated fatty acids, exponentially increase

blood cholesterol levels.

 

Polyunsaturated fatty acids lower both LDL and HDL levels in the blood,

but they do not affect their ratio.

 

Monounsaturated fatty acids on the other hand control LDL levels while

raising HDL levels.

 

No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of

monounsaturated fatty acids as olive oil, which mainly contains oleic

acid.

 

The modest amount of well-balanced polyunsaturated fatty acids in olive

oil is well protected by antioxidant substances.

 

It is widely believed that antioxidant substances such as vitamins E, K

and polyphenols found in olive oil provide a defense mechanism that

delays aging and prevents carcinogenesis, therosclerosis, liver

disorders and inflammations.

 

Since olive oil is not " tortured " during 'extraction', these substances

are left unspoiled, making the olive oil very stable even when frying.

So contrary to common belief, olive oil undergoes a smaller degree of

deterioration during frying than other oils.

 

Due to its chemical structure, olive oil is of unrivaled organoleptic

value and thus the oil best suited for human consumption.

 

It is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, its protective

function has a beneficial effect on gastritis and ulcers. It is a

cholagogue, activating the secretion of pancreatic hormones and bile

much more naturally than prescribed drugs.

 

Consequently, it lowers the incidence of cholelithiasis (gallstone

formation). Its excellent digestibility promotes the overall absorption

of nutrients, especially vitamins and mineral salts.

 

It has a positive effect on constipation. Bones need a large amount of

" oleates " and what source could be better than olive oil?

 

Promoting bone mineralisation, it is excellent for infants and the

elderly who have bone calcification problems.

 

It also has beneficial effects on brain and nervous system development

as well as on overall growth.

 

It shields the body against infection and helps in the healing of

tissues, internal and external.

 

Olive oil is a panacea, the perfect oil for all ages. And every time

scientists look into the reasons behind an olive oil advantage

empirically known and employed by the peoples of the Mediterranean, it

is certain that they will come across evidence of yet another unique

biological attribute.

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

DietaryTi-

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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