The Definitive Answer To 20 Of Your Biggest Health Questions - Olive Oil

The year 2014 has arrived, Christmas is past now and I should move on to a better posting rhythm. There is so much I owe to my frequent readers!

This festive season I had my mum and sister around which was awesome because sometimes I really miss my family. In addition it was also my baby's first Christmas.  Having my family spread though the world doesn't really help so we have to enjoy as much as possible this little moments spent all together. 

Once again, as usual, my mother triggered this post with one of her customary inquiries. I decided to take a peak and review it as I consider it of great importance in responding to a lot of questions from the general public. This post was supposed to cover twenty big health questions, but I had to brake it in 20 posts, therefore, wait for more in the future. With no further ado, let's us take a look at one of the questions that circulate as myths round our neighbourhoods, questions to which answers have been provided by dubious websites spitting even more dubious "knowledge". Basically, from the original email I just left the questions, all the rest was intentionally worked in a way that could provide you a little more direct insight without wasting precious time. Today, I will try to address it with a more scientific proven point of view; it is then up to you to validate all this information within yourself. It is always important to be aware of what exactly a substance does to your organism and to which extent, concentration, type of contact will this very same substance turn toxic or even become a boost to one's health. Let's enjoy this ride because I honestly learned a lot today with this simple exercise. Follow me!

Does olive oil prevent heart disease?  “... scientists have found out  exactly how good it can be. And it doesn’t take much to enjoy the benefits. According to their research, just two tablespoons of olive oil almost halves your risk of dying from heart disease. The equivalent of one tablespoon cuts the risk by around 28 per cent... The results are based on the diets of nearly 41,000 adults in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, which began 20 years ago. While the research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found olive oil does not appear to reduce cancer deaths, there was an enormous impact on the death toll from heart disease. [1] ... ‘These findings are very significant,’ said Dr Charles Knight of the British Cardiovascular Society. ‘This is confirmation that olive oil is good for the heart.’” [1] Olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, compounds that can dampen inflammation in the body and possibly reduce the risk of clots. Spanish researchers studied data on the eating habits of 40,622 men and women between 29 and 69, tracking them for just over 13 years to see what effect olive oil had on death rates. In the study period, just under 2,000 of the recruits died, including 956 from cancer and 416 from heart disease. The data showed that heart death victims were among the lowest consumers of olive oil. Those who got through 29 grams or more a day – just over two tablespoons – were 44 per cent less likely to die from cardiac problems.

[1] Just two tablespoons of olive oila day could cut heart diseaserisk, by Pat Hagan, Daily Mail Health, [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2160097/Just-tablespoons-olive-oil-day-cut-heart-disease-risk.html], last visited on the 15th of December 2013, last update on the 16th of June 2012.

Image taken from Alberto Alemanno's blog [http://www.albertoalemanno.eu/articles/eu-bashing-and-olive-oil-a-tale-of-eu-skepticism-political-opportunism-and-weak-eu-citizenship/]