What Are the Benefits of Using Olive Oil?
Olive oil is one of the best things you can add to your diet. In fact, it's one of the most healthy types of oil you can use and is often preferred over many other types of oil. By simply adding one or two tablespoons of olive oil to your daily diet, you can reduce the chance of several potentially fatal diseases. Continue reading to learn several more benefits of using olive oil.
Oleic Acid
Oleic acid is great for your skin, keeps your arteries healthy and even helps prevent certain types of cancer. Scientists in Spain found that rats who were fed olive oil had significantly lower rates of colon cancer when compared to rats who were fed other types of oil. Since oleic acid is so good for your skin, it is often used as an ingredient in soap. Oleic acid supplements can be bought at most pharmacies, but it is often called Omega 9.
Heart Health
Olive oil is good for your heart because it lowers bad cholesterol while increasing good cholesterol. The reason for this is that it is high in monounsaturated fats. Most other types of vegetable oils contain polyunsaturated fats that lower bad cholesterol, but also lower good cholesterol. The amount of monounsaturated fat in olive oil depends on the quality. It is always best to buy extra virgin olive oils as these have the highest levels.
Blood Sugar
Olive oil is beneficial when it comes to controlling blood sugar. For this reason, people with diabetes, or those at risk for diabetes, should definitely add olive oil to their daily diet. A diet that is high in carbohydrates, low in fat and has about two tablespoons of olive oil per day is significantly more effective at levels when compared to a diet of only low-fat meals. It is so effective that results can be noticed in as little as a week.
Oleocanthal
Olive oil can be used in place of ibuprofen or aspirin. It contains a substance called oleocanthal, which is a naturally occurring antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Some doctors recommend taking small amounts of aspirin every day to promote a healthy heart and overall better health, but this is not necessary if you regularly use olive oil. Olive oil can even cause instant relief from pain. Fresh extra virgin olive oil has the highest concentration of oleocanthal.
Weight Loss
Olive oil will assist you in losing weight. Something as simple as replacing saturated fats with olive oil will make noticeable results in your appearance within four weeks. A recent study in Spain took a group of men and split them in half. Each half had similar meals with the same amount of calories, but one group's diet used olive oil while the other group did not. At the end of four weeks, the olive oil group had lost weight and had a lower body-fat index than the group with saturated fats.
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