Backed by Science: 4 Ways Olive Oil Improves Your Health

 

So, the holidays are effectively behind us.  Now it’s time to get back to the business of eating healthy foods and staying in good shape.  Easier said than done, I know: but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure in this regard.  If you make such steps part of your everyday routine, then they become much more than just a routine: they become a way of life.  The most important piece of equipment that you need for surviving and preparations is a healthy you.

That being said, let’s discuss olive oil.  Plenty of nutrients, and plenty of benefits.  Nutrients include fat, calcium, and Vitamins E and K.  Olive oil is packed with essential fatty acids, such as oleic (55-85% of the oil), linoleic (9%), and linolenic (up to 1.5%).  The first is monounsaturated, and the latter two polyunsaturated.  All of these are heart-healthy, without any trans fats (that clog the arteries), as it has not been hydrogenated.

The Best Type of Olive Oil and It’s Proven Benefits

The best olive oil is Extra-virgin, coming from a cold pressed olive.  Olive oil contains phenols, and these are powerful, disease-combatting antioxidants.  As we have explained in other article, antioxidants combat free radicals, which are atoms and/or molecules missing a hydrogen ion.  The free radicals are responsible for oxidation, and the deterioration of cellular structures.  These processes are assigned to aging in the human body.

Combats Antioxidants

The antioxidants combat this by donating extra hydrogen ions to the free radicals and thereby neutralizing their abilities to cannibalize a hydrogen ion from healthy cells.  Taking a look at the world, cancer rates are higher in Northern Europe than in the Mediterranean and Southern Europe, where olive oil is a regular part of the diet.  The same is indicated in the United States, and citizens of Northern European extraction tend to have higher incidences of cancer, especially in the stomach and intestinal tract.

Raises Good Cholesterol 

Polyphenols raise HDL (the “good” cholesterol) while lowering LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), and triglycerides in the bloodstream.  This helps to lower the risk of developing heart problems and diseases of the arteries.  It contains Omega-3 fatty acids that are beneficial to the joints and can prevent problems with arthritis.  All of these things mentioned have to do with consumption of olive oil with food.

Great for Food Preparation

Olive oil is also good to cook with and to put in foods and salads.  It is excellent for use with oils in any kinds of infusions.  I use it as a base and then mix into it pure Vitamin E, and then add just a bit of lemon oil.  This is very beneficial for the skin and the lips, and simple to make…as simple as pouring all of the ingredients I mentioned into a bottle and shaking it up.

Can Benefit Pets

Your pets can benefit from the use of olive oil, as if you dab a cotton ball with it, you can control ear mites inside of your pet’s ears…the olive oil suffocates the mites if you apply it lightly to the outer ear canal.  You can also use it to clean and soften the toe-pads and feet of the pets.  It also works on ticks: coat them with it, and they won’t be able to breathe, and they’ll let go…less dangerous than burning them off or squeezing them so their mouthparts may stay in the skin.

Try it out.  It can be used medicinally, as a soothing base for an oil, or simply on a salad and in your food.  It’s been around for a long time, and it works.  It is more healthy for you than the processed, hydrogenated oils that are little more than facilitators of illness and heart attack.  You’ll be able to find it in virtually any grocery store or health food store.  Try it out…you’ll like it, and it’ll do you some good in many ways.  JJ out!