Heart disease is the leading cause of death among both men and women–and worse yet, it’s on the rise.
New research from Glasgow University reveals there may be a simple way to prevent this disease, however.
According to researcher Dr. Emilie Combet, just consuming 20 ml of olive oil everyday could reduce the risk of developing coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease.
That’s about as simple as dunking your favorite bread in a plate of olive oil.
“What we found was that regardless of the phenolic content of the oil, there was a positive effect on CAD scores,” says Combet, who is a Lecturer in Nutrition at the University of Glasgow’s School of Medicine. “In the population studied, any olive oil, low or high in phenolics, seems to be beneficial. The fatty acids are probably the main contributors to the observed effect.”
The study, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, examined a group of 69 men and women who normally didn’t consume olive oil as part of their daily diet. Split into two groups, each group either consumed 20ml of olive oil either low or high in phenolics, types of plant metabolites. Then, for the next six weeks, they consumed it everyday as part of their regular diet while researchers examined how it affected their risk of CAD.
By the end of the study, researchers discovered that regardless of its phenolic content, olive oil drastically reduced their risk of CAD.
“Our study was a supplementation study,” says Combet. “If people in the UK replaced part of their fat intake with olive oil, it could have an ever greater effect on reducing the risk of heart disease.”
While there weren’t any significant differences between the low and high phenolic groups, research shows those who consume low phenol olive oil may have a slight advantage. The high phenol group reduced their risk of CAD score by 0.2, whereas the low phenom group reduced it by 0.3.
Overall, however, researchers say what matters more is consistently having more olive oil, regardless of its phenol content.
“We believe that use of proteomic biomarkers to assess the health improvements brought about by changes in diet, and potentially exercise, could provide an incentive for people to change their lifestyle,” says Dr. Bill Mullen, a researcher from the University of Glasgow’s Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences. “It also provides a means of testing so-called health foods, which can be more accurately labelled to allow informed consumer choice.”
Bottom Line
To lower your risk of heart disease, the solution could be as simple as having olive oil with your bread, say health experts. For even more protective benefits, experts also recommend pairing it with other heart-healthy foods, such as fatty fish and vegetables.
Readers: How often do you consume olive oil in your diet?
Sources:
New Study Reveals More Olive Oil in Diet Reduces Heart Disease Risk – GloucesterCitizen.co.uk
New Study Claims Olive Oil Can Protect Against Heart Disease – HeraldScotland.com
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