1. I have been looking at the list of superfoods and olive oil does not appear… how can it be, with the amount of properties it has?
There is no real consensus with the concept of superfoods, since it tends to discriminate foods that have the same antioxidant and nutritional power, and many of them tend to be more fashionable and come from more exotic places, such as chia seeds, goji berries etc. If we stick to the concept, olive oil more than complies.
2. What would be the main benefits of all that it has?
In a recent study of 12,000 participants in the Spanish population, it was concluded that the consumption of half a tablespoon of olive oil, accompanied by greater physical activity and healthy habits, decreased 50% of deaths from cardiovascular diseases and a third of deaths from other causes such as cancer. We saw similar data in the PREDIMED study, although with a higher consumption of olive oil. In summary, olive oil decreases low-density cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations, and this is a cardiovascular risk factor. The phenolic compounds in olive oil have been shown to delay the progression of arteriosclerosis, which is the hardening of the arteries, and to decrease the risk of thrombosis, platelet aggregation, and lipid oxidation.
3. and what are all these wonders? What magic ingredient does it contain?
Olive oil is a source of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) such as oleic acid and hundreds of micronutrients, especially antioxidants, including phenolic compounds, vitamin E and carotenoids.
4. And does it have any contraindications?
The main problem is consumption in excess, since approximately one tablespoon of 15 g of olive oil has about 130 calories. The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) recommends that to achieve the benefits, a minimum of 20 g per day is needed, that is, it should be considered that approximately 200 calories would come from this product, but there would be no problem in include this amount on a daily basis, especially if we eat a balanced diet, such as the Mediterranean diet.
5. What other diseases do they prevent?
Data have been seen on the beneficial association of olive oil consumption and cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus and mortality from different causes.
6. It is important to specify that the benefits refer to EVOO, not to any olive oil, right?
The benefits refer to virgin olive oil and it is better if it is extra virgin and first pressure, although it is true that the latter oxidizes faster with temperature.
7. And also that we are talking above all about raw oil and not cooked and less at high temperatures, right?
The benefits have been seen mainly when consumed raw. The oleic acid that it possesses is what makes it oxidize less than other oils when heated, although this could happen if it exceeds 200ºC and extra virgin even with less heat. So an ideal temperature would be not to exceed 170º. It is better not to fry, because it adds more calories to the food, by absorbing more oil, and if it is done, it is more recommended in a Teflon pan than in a deep fryer.
Discussion about this post