Diet is only one part of cardiovascular health, but the type of dietary fat we consume matters.
Why the Type of Fat Matters
Extra virgin olive oil is composed primarily of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), particularly oleic acid.
Replacing foods high in saturated fat with foods containing unsaturated fats is associated with healthier blood cholesterol levels and is one reason olive oil plays such a prominent role in Mediterranean-style eating.
This distinction is important. The benefit isn't simply about adding more olive oil to your diet. One of the most practical ways to use EVOO is as a replacement for other fats.
Think:
- Olive oil instead of butter when sautéing or roasting
- Olive oil-based dressings instead of creamy dressings
- EVOO for dipping instead of butter
- Olive oil in appropriate baking recipes
- EVOO as a finishing oil for vegetables, soups, grains and other dishes
EVOO Is More Than Oleic Acid
The fatty-acid composition is only part of what makes high-quality extra virgin olive oil interesting.
EVOO also contains naturally occurring minor compounds, including polyphenols, tocopherols and squalene. These compounds have attracted considerable scientific attention for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Among the best-known olive oil phenolic compounds are oleocanthal, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol and oleuropein derivatives.
That peppery sensation you sometimes experience in the back of your throat when tasting a fresh, robust EVOO isn't necessarily a flaw. It can be associated with phenolic compounds such as oleocanthal.
Olive Oil, Oxidation and Inflammation
Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation are involved in the development of cardiovascular disease.
Extra virgin olive oil is particularly interesting because it combines a high proportion of relatively oxidation-resistant monounsaturated fat with naturally occurring antioxidant compounds.
Research into Mediterranean dietary patterns has repeatedly associated diets featuring extra virgin olive oil with cardiovascular benefits. That doesn't mean olive oil is medicine or that eating it can prevent a heart attack by itself. Rather, it supports the larger picture of using EVOO as part of an overall healthy dietary pattern.
What This Means in Your Kitchen
You don't need to drink olive oil or dramatically increase the amount of fat in your diet to take advantage of EVOO.
Use it as a replacement.
When you're reaching for butter or another cooking fat, consider whether extra virgin olive oil could do the job instead. Use it for sautéing, roasting, baking, marinades, dressings and finishing.
And don't be afraid to cook with a quality EVOO. Extra virgin olive oil is far more versatile in the kitchen than the persistent myth that it should only be used cold would suggest.
Quality Matters
Not every bottle labeled olive oil is the same.
Extra virgin olive oil is mechanically extracted without refining and retains naturally occurring compounds that refined olive oils contain in substantially different amounts.
At The Anointed Olive, our Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oils go beyond the basic requirements for extra virgin classification. We focus on freshness, chemistry and harvest information, including measurements such as free fatty acids, peroxide value, oleic acid, DAGs, PPP and biophenol content.
For us, understanding those numbers isn't about making olive oil complicated. It's about knowing what's actually in the bottle.
Source & Further Reading
This article was adapted and updated from the educational concepts discussed by Antonis Pothoulakis, MD, in Olive Oil's Role in Interventional Cardiology, originally published by Olive Oil Times.
This information is provided for educational purposes and is not intended as medical advice or as a substitute for care from a qualified healthcare professional.
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