Olive oil protects the heart, even when consumed occasionally

Olive oil is good for you and helps keep your heart healthy by decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Confirmation in a new search

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THEolive oil, a typical condiment of the Mediterranean diet, it is a particularly healthy food rich in properties. A new confirmation comes from a scientific research that has shown how, even an occasional consumption or in small doses, is able to protect us from heart disease.

The diet that we eat every day can help us ward off various types of diseases, including heart disease. A precious help in this sense comes from olive oil, a product that we use every day in large quantities, but which is not equally common in other parts of the world.

Now new research, presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health scientific sessions in Phoenix and published in the scientific journal Circulation, has found that even small amounts of olive oil consumed daily are able to act positively. on heart health.

Long-term data analysis (1990-2014) by researchers from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston shows that consume at least half a tablespoon of olive oil per day reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by 15% e the risk of coronary heart disease by 21%. However, higher olive oil consumption did not show an impact on stroke risk.

To argue this, the team included 63867 women and 35512 American men in the study (none of whom suffered from cancer, heart disease or other chronic conditions at the start of the research) whose diet and frequency of consumption were analyzed. of olive oil. Every four years for about three decades, study participants answered questionnaires about their diet and lifestyle.

The conclusions were very clear: consumption of olive oil has been associated with a lower risk of heart attack among Americans, especially when it replaced mayonnaise, margarine or butter.

A systematic review did not take into consideration whether it was a normal olive oil or extra virgin olive oil. However, researchers report that the latter has a higher amount of polyphenols, which are associated with better lipid profiles and less inflammation.

Although these are only the results of an observational study (i.e. cause and effect have not been proven), the results confirm previous medical knowledge about the health benefits of olive oil.

However, researchers argue that this type of oil it is not the only oil to offer cardiovascular benefits. Positive associations have also been observed with vegetable oils such as corn and thistle. However, more research is needed to confirm the health effects of these oils, the research team reports.

We therefore try to replace animal fats as much as possible with better alternatives such as olive oil, always remembering however that heart health also depends on the rest of the diet that we follow and from practicing regular and moderate physical activity.

Fonte: Circulation