It is no coincidence that the Mediterranean diet is in first place in the world for its quality: among the main foods,olive oil, it is also of fundamental importance for the prevention of some tumors and for reasons of death linked to cardiovascular diseases. This is the result of a study published onEuropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition and carried out by researchers from the Umberto Veronesi Foundation and Irccs Neuromed of Pozzilli (Isernia).
The results of the study
In detail, the researchers analyzed the data of 22,892 men and women from the 13-year “Moli-sani” study in Italy to understand the association between consumption of olive oil (with a standard of 10 grams per tablespoon) e mortality. In this way the “inflammatory, metabolic, cardiovascular and renal biomarkers on the association between olive oil consumption and mortality”, the researchers explain. Well, the risk factors for mortality due to all causes for cancercardiovascular disease and other causes are decreased by 21.2% in people who consumed at least three (or more) tablespoons of olive oil per day while those who consumed less than one and a half tablespoons per day had a reduced risk of 13.7%.
The conclusions
“Higher olive oil consumption has been associated with lower mortality rates for cancer, cardiovascular disease and all causes, regardless of overall diet quality. Known risk factors for chronic disease only partially mediate these associations, suggesting that other biological pathways are potentially involved in this relationship.” the experts explain. The first author of the study also explains the results obtained from this research which lasted over 10 years, Emilia Ruggero, researcher funded by the Veronesi Foundation at the Neuromed Department of Epidemiology and Prevention. “We wanted to investigate the role of this key food of the Mediterranean diet also in relation to cancer mortality, using the data collected by the Moli-sani study, one of the largest population cohorts in Europe“.
It also echoes her Marialaura Bonaccioco-principal investigator of the joint Veronesi Foundation – Irccs Neuromed platform who confirmed the benefits: regular consumption of olive oil helps cardiovascular health, “which is associated with a reduction of a quarter in deaths due to cardiovascular diseases. But the most interesting data is that, compared to a consumption of less than one and a half tablespoons, the daily consumption of olive oil in quantities equal to or greater than 3 tablespoons is associated with a reduction in the risk of cancer mortality“.
The benefits of olive oil
But why is it so precious? For multiple functions:
- it’s good for the heart;
- helps health cardiovascular;
- it helps prevent diabetes – thanks to the reduction of glycemic peaks after meals;
- he is powerful amphiinflammatory and analgesic – thanks to the presence of a molecule, oleocanthal, which has beneficial effects on our body;
- it’s a ally of the intestine and stomach – thanks to high digestibility;
- keeps the cholesterol;
- helps the skin wellbeing – thanks to the presence of vitamin E which fights cellular aging.
And then, thanks to his antioxidant propertiesnourishing and emollient, helps the well-being of the hair and body in general.
