Olive Oil Fights Heart Disease, Breast Cancer, Studies Say

[Dover]

Olive Oil Fights Heart Disease, Breast Cancer, Studies Say

Stefan Lovgren
for National Geographic News

March 21, 2005
They may smoke more than Americans and their health care system is far from perfect, but Greeks usually live longer than their U.S. counterparts, and they have some of the world's lowest rates of heart disease and cancer.

The secret may be their olive-oil-drenched diet.


Scores of scientific studies in the past decade have shown that olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fat—the "good" fat—may prolong life by combating coronary heart disease and different types of cancer.

No wonder the Greek physician Hippocrates, known as the father of medicine, is said to have referred to olive oil as "the great therapeutic."

FDA Approval

For 4,000 years in the Mediterranean cultures, olive oil has served as everything from money to medicine. Today 99 percent of all olive oil is produced in the countries that rim the Mediterranean Sea.

It is the only vegetable oil that can be created simply by pressing the raw material—in this case, olives. The quality of the oil depends on the amount of processing involved. Extra virgin olive oil is considered the best. The oil from the first pressing of the olives, it is the least processed...cont'd

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/03/0321_050321_oliveoil.html

[mhr]

1. My Latest Use Of Olive Oil Is For Popcorn,

Instead of butter or margarine - Tastes Great!

[Mandate My Ass]

2. I try to follow the Mediterranean diet

Lots of legumes, beans, fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and for protein mostly fish and poultry. And I use olive oil almost exclusively and Trader Joe's has EVOO at very reasonable prices. I love it on bread instead of butter.

[Desertrose]

3. love olive oil...have light & virgin

and use the light for all cooking & frying and the xtra virgin to make salad dressing and for more flavor.

Great stuff!

I remember seeing olive groves everywhere when I visited Spain years ago...pretty cool.

:hi:Dover

[Dover]

4. Great for the skin too!

I use it nightly on my body and it soaks it right up. Seems to help elasticity of the skin.

:hi: Desertrose!

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Between the olive oil

balsamic vinegar and garlic, I figure I should live forever.

[demgrrrll]

6. Oh that makes such a good salad dressing, roasted garlic whisked with

balsamic vinegar and olive oil.. yum. We use tons of olive oil. Limonata is wonderful on fish and salads. Fresh lemons are pressed with the olive oil and the oil is infused with lemon essence. MMMM.

[Ilsa]

7. I love that viniagrette with a hint of rosemary infused as well.

as a matter of fact, I'll roast a chicken and red potatoes with olive oil, balsalmic vinegar, rosemary and tons of garlic. Yummy!

[LiberalEsto]

8. Or at least you'll become

a healthy salad

[Elidor]

9. Cool, my diet is drenched in it, too

I'd almost put it on ice cream. I buy first cold press in gallon tins and use them up in short order. :9 Mmmmm