This cancer-fighting oil goes to bat for your brain

Olive oil has a long list of unquestionable health benefits…

It fights heart disease, reduces your risk of diabetes, fights osteoporosis, and wards off depression, among other remarkable feats.

But if all that weren’t enough, olive oil has one more enticing trick up its sleeve…

It’s a powerful cancer-fighter.

You may have heard that taking just a tablespoon of olive oil per day could help you prevent breast cancer.

In fact, my colleague Jedha Dening shared some impressive information on this very subject, including one randomized controlled study that found olive oil can reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer by 68 percent.

She also shared information about a 2015 study in which a compound in olive oil known as oleocantha was shown to cause rapid death in cancer cells.

And now, additional evidence has come to light supporting the notion that more olive oil may mean less cancer…

Olive oil vs. brain cancer

University of Edinburgh researchers recently discovered that a compound in olive oil called oleic acid could potentially prevent brain cancer.

In their study, these researchers found that oleic acid impacts the production of a cell protein, known as miR-7. This particular protein, which is present in your brain, is known to prevent the formation of tumors. Olive oil supports the production of miR-7 by stopping another protein, MSI2, from hampering its production.

Researchers tested the oleic acid on human cells in a lab, so there’s no way to know for sure what impact oleic acid would have on preventing cancer in an actual human brain. But these results seem encouraging, especially considering the other studies that point toward olive oil’s cancer-fighting abilities.

“While we cannot yet say that olive oil in the diet helps prevent brain cancer, our findings do suggest that oleic acid can support the production of tumor-suppressing molecules in cells grown in the lab. Further studies could help determine the role that olive oil might have in brain health,” said researcher Dr. Gracjan Michlewski.

Understanding olive oil’s beneficial compounds

Oleic acid (also known as omega 9) is one of three fatty acids found in olive oil. It also contains omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, which have worthwhile benefits in their own right. These three oils combined create a powerful anti-inflammatory effect that likely contributes to olive oil’s health benefits, including its impact on cancer.

Besides these essential fatty acids, olive oil also contains a host of antioxidant polyphenols. As you know, polyphenols are one of the most powerful and scientifically-proven cancer-fighters around, so these also have a hand in olive oil’s cancer-fighting power. In fact, one of olive oil’s polyphenols is oleocantha — the compound that killed cancer cells in a laboratory setting.

So, if you want to play it safe when it comes to cancer, get your daily dose of olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is best because it has the most polyphenols. You can cook with it, but it’s an even better idea to eat it raw. You can drizzle it over any dish you’d like, including salads, pasta or hummus. Or you can even eat it by the spoonful to reap its benefits. You don’t need a lot. One to two tablespoons per day should do the trick.

Sources:

1. “Olive Oil Health Benefits.” — Olive Oil Times. Retrieved June 2, 2017.

2. “Olive oil nutrient may help prevent brain cancer.” — MedicalXpress. Retrieved June 2, 2017.

3. Kumar, et al. “Oleic Acid Induces MiR-7 Processing through Remodeling of Pri-MiR-7/Protein Complex.” — Journal of Molecular Biology, 2017.

4. “Omega-3, 6, and 9 and How They Add Up.” — University of Colorado- Colorado Springs. Retrieved June 2, 2017.