By: Diana Tsakopoulos

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Olive oil is a Mediterranean necessity, not only because it is delicious, but also because it is purely healthy. So much in fact, that Starbucks has recently decided to infuse their coffee with it, and you will undoubtedly try it.  

So we have never really asked ourselves: what are the benefits of olive oil? We have now tried it in gyros, ice cream, chocolate cake, and a variety of drinks, which now includes coffee. It is believed by many, that beyond its age, the media – especially Tik Tok – has proven it to be responsible for clearing skin, and weightloss. 

In 2022, Marta Guasch-Ferre, a research scientist for the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, published that consuming half a tablespoon of olive oil daily lowers one’s risk by 19% of cardiovascular disease. 

Later on in the year 13 publications supported this and also reported that this task may also prevent one from being victim to several other causes of death. In these reports, researchers theorize that olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids that reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol – which is considerably bad to have in your blood, according to the American Heart Association. It is significant for everyone to know High LDL can force the inner walls of the blood vessels to grow thick deposits called plaques that serve to block major arteries. The monounsaturated fats in olive oil tend to prevent this damage, thus benefiting the human heart greater than anything else. In addition to this the human body is aided by olive oil’s polyphenols, which are antioxidant compounds that protect cells from damage. As a result of its composure, olive oil potentially reduces one’s risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and early death.

Dr. Guasch-Ferre suggests using olive oil as a replacement for less healthy fat sources such as butter which contains saturated fats that can raise your LDL levels. She also advised to have less than four tablespoons per day; we should not rely on a source of fat or once condiment to act as our only independent source for our well-being. Allow this beautiful resource to simply purify and compliment a variety of food in your diet currently.

Works Cited

“Can Olive Oil Do All That?” The New York Times, 2023, http://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/01/well/eat/olive-oil-health-benefits.html?searchResultPosition=1. Accessed 10 Mar. 2023.

Food Network Kitchen. “What Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil?” Food Network, Food Network, 2 Dec. 2022, http://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/food-network-essentials/what-is-extra-virgin-olive-oil. Accessed 10 Mar. 2023.