Olive
oil has become popular in a ‘Mediterranean Diet’ where participants base their intake of food off of
people in the Mediterranean. Most nutritionists recommend replacing other oils
with olive oil due to its health benefits, but just how can an oil be healthy?
It is due to their fatty acid composition. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated
fat, which can help lower cholesterol. Unsaturated fats are healthier than than
saturated fats, which other oils contain much more of. Olive Oil is also a
source of polyphenols, which are antioxidants and can help prevent damage to
your cells.
The Primary fatty acid
in olive oil is oleic acid (shown below), an 18 Carbon monounsaturated fatty
acid. The other primary fatty acids are Linoleic acid (C18: polyunsaturated)
and palmitic acid (C16: saturated). These are usually in the form of
triglycerides, which is a 3 carbon sugar with 3 fatty acids attached. The
primary polyphenol in olive oil is Oleuropein, but there are others.
Olive oil
is still has a very high caloric density, fat is in the name of the molecules
that make it up. Moderation is still key, but you can rest easy knowing that
olive oil does have its benefits. It is best to use olive oil in place of other
fats, not in addition to. The unsaturated fatty acids may be better for you
than others, but an overabundance will still cause weight gain and other
problems corresponding to that. One doesn’t have to eat olive oil to gain the
benefits of some of these molecules, it is an ingredient in many beauty
products. Oleuropein and other polyphenols will still protect your cells from
damage, even though only outer cells will see this benefit. If you want these
beneficial molecules it is best to store in a container that protects against
light, as they can be degraded. Olive oil has a shelf life of approximately a
year, and after that many of the health benefits decrease.
Source Articles:
htps://www.cnn.com/2013/02/26/health/five-things-olive-oil/index.html
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/extra-virgin-olive-oil#section3
htps://www.cnn.com/2013/02/26/health/five-things-olive-oil/index.html
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/extra-virgin-olive-oil#section3
Good title and interesting topic. Good explanation of the chemical properties of olive oil. There are interesting problems with counterfeit "extra-virgin" olive oil. It would be interesting to know whether there really are significant differences in nutritional benefits in the various kinds of olive oil (or in other vegetable oils high in unsaturated fats). It would be good to include a link to the cnn source in the text.
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