Olive oil, the best source of fat for cooking

It has been known for several years that people who adopt a Mediterranean type diet are less at risk of being affected by cardiovascular diseases. One of the main features of the Mediterranean diet is the abundant use of olive oil, and several studies show that this oil contributes greatly to the protective effect of the Mediterranean diet on cardiovascular health. On the one hand, olive oil has a very high content (70%) of monounsaturated fatty acids, which lower blood LDL-cholesterol levels and improve blood glucose control. On the other hand, virgin and extra virgin olive oils, obtained from the mechanical cold pressing of fruits, also contain significant amounts of several antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds such as tocopherols (vitamin E), certain phenolic acids, and several types of polyphenols. In addition to making olive oil much more stable than refined vegetable oils (and reducing the production of oxidized compounds when cooked at high temperature), these compounds certainly contribute to the preventive effects of olive oil, because it has been shown that the reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease is 4 times greater (14% vs. 3% risk reduction) among consumers of virgin olive oil than among those who use refined olive oil, devoid of these phenolic compounds.

The benefits of preferential use of olive oil have just been confirmed by a study recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. By examining the eating habits of 92,978 Americans over a 24-year period, a team of researchers at Harvard University observed that those who reported higher consumption of olive oil (> 1/2 tablespoon/day (i.e. >7 g/day) had a risk of coronary heart disease reduced by 18% compared to those who never or very rarely consumed it. The superiority of olive oil over other sources of fat is also suggested by the observation that replacing only half a serving (5 g) of margarine, butter or mayonnaise with olive oil was associated with a decrease of about 7% in the risk of coronary artery disease. There is no doubt: to cook “healthy”, the best source of fat is undoubtedly olive oil.

The cardiovascular benefits observed in this study may seem quite modest, but it should be mentioned that the intake of olive oil in the population studied (inhabitants of the United States) was relatively low, well below what is observed in studies carried out in Europe. For example, the category of the “largest consumers” of olive oil in the U.S. study included anyone who consumed a minimum of 1/2 tablespoon per day, a quantity much lower than that of the participants in the Spanish study PREDIMED (4 tablespoons per day). This higher olive oil intake in the PREDIMED study was associated with a 30% decrease in the risk of cardiovascular events, about double the protective effect seen in the study conducted in the United States. It is therefore likely that the reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease observed in the U.S. study represents minimal protection, which could be even more important by increasing the daily intake of olive oil. In general, experts recommend the consumption of about two tablespoons of olive oil per day to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and to choose virgin or extra-virgin oils because of their polyphenol content.