Hippocrates and other ancient physicians used olive oil to treat diseases. Modern scientific research has now proven these beneficial properties.

Forskerne oppdaget at den lave frekvensen av dødsfall fra hjertesykdom på landsbygda på Kreta skyldtes det høye forbruket av olivenolje i motsetning til andre land hvis innbyggere bruker frøoljer og animalsk fett. Tilsvarende forskning har bevist at olivenolje, på grunn av innholdet av enumettet oljesyre, kontrollerer nivået av kolesterol i blodet ved å forbedre nivået av HDL-lipoprotein, og følgelig metabolismen av dette stoffet, som er hovedårsaken til hjertesykdom.

i tillegg organoleptiske egenskaper til olivenolje gjør det lett fordøyelig av kroppen og det mest egnede fettet for å spise med gunstig effekt på magen.

Spanjolene Tverrprofesjonell olivenoljeorganisasjon supports experts and researchers in order to highlight the health-protective effect of olive oil on the human body. Spanish researchers, among them doctors, are seeking to make olive oil more known to the general public, as many people are not aware of the beneficial effects of olive oil. Through the campaign “For a Lifetime”, they differentiate the quality categories of olive oil, promote its uses in cooking and nutrition in general and want to convey to the Spanish population the advantages that they will have by following a Middelhavsdiett in which olive oil will be the main source of fats.

As they argue, a small percentage of people follow the Mediterranean Diet, so it is considered necessary to spread the scientific evidence that exists about the benefits of olive oil and how people with cardiovascular problems can be helped by its use. Specifically, from the CORDIOPREV study (2022) it appears that cardiovascular patients who follow a Mediterranean Diet rich in ekstra virgin olivenolje have up to 30% less chance of their disease recurring compared to those who follow a healthy diet but low in “good” fats.

Olive oil is characterized as a “dietary jewel”, which lowers blood pressure, helps prevent diabetes, increases good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol, conditions that are closely related to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, it has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect, which mitigates chronic diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, as well as cancer.

Selv i sport er effekten av olivenolje viktig fordi det er et av de beste fettene man kan konsumere, med sin anti-inflammatoriske virkning som hjelper utholdenhetsidretter (sykling, jogging osv.) så vel som styrkeidretter.