Olive oil tied to reduced mortality from 4 major health threats

It’s no secret that heart disease is the leading cause of death across the country and that diet plays a major role in whether or not we stay heart-healthy.

That’s why when I’m making dinner, instead of reaching for vegetable oil, I turn to the Mediterranean secret for a healthier heart — olive oil.

Now, research out of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that looked at the diets of 92,000 people for 28 years, is proving that the decision to stick with extra virgin olive oil is providing protection far beyond my heart…

A long history of benefits

Olive oil has long been acknowledged as one of the healthiest oils.

• One observational study presented to the American Heart Association strongly suggested that consuming olive oil at least once a week is associated with less platelet activity in the blood. In other words, Mediterranean oil could reduce the risks for blood clots.
• Additional research found that adding a dash of olive oil to dark chocolate is kryptonite for heart disease.
• And a study from the University of Barcelona found that olive oil delivers potent antioxidants that guard your heart and blood vessel health, even when it’s heated.
• But heart health is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to olive oil, with research proving, again and again, its health impact on everything from pancreatitis to diabetes.
• The oil has even been shown to help reduce issues of erectile dysfunction or ED.

Now those Harvard researchers are finding how valuable olive oil is — not just for the heart — but for reducing premature death from numerous threats…

Lowering threats across the board

The researchers followed 92,000+ participants from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study for over 2 ½ decades, monitoring their diets and their consumption of olive oil versus other oils specifically.

And what they found came down to this…

Consuming just seven grams (just over a half tablespoon) of olive oil per day is enough to significantly reduce your risk of dying due to heart disease!

And those seven grams are also enough to lower your risk of death from multiple other conditions, including respiratory and neurological diseases.

In fact, when the researchers compared those who rarely or never consumed olive oil, those in the highest consumption category had a:

• 19 percent lower risk of cardiovascular mortality
• 29 percent lower risk of neurodegenerative mortality
• 17 percent lower risk of cancer mortality
• 18 percent lower risk of respiratory mortality

That’s a lot of bang from ½ tablespoon!

Additionally, their results showed that switching up just 10 grams of your normal margarine or butter for olive oil lets you grab an 8 – 34 percent lower risk of death from all causes.

That olive oil’s looking better and better all the time, isn’t it?

More tips for heart health

So if you want to cut your risks for these significant health threats, it seems clear that olive oil should be part of what’s for dinner tonight and every night.

If heart problems are particularly top of mind for you, don’t forget these other small changes that can provide additional support:

• Eating more fish – The omega-3s found in fish have been shown to reduce heart disease risk. If you don’t eat enough fish, or are concerned about mercury and other contaminents from fish oil, krill oil is a cleaner option.
• Staying active – Exercise has been shown to strengthen your heart, even in the face of bad genes that boost your risks.
• Choosing your saturated fats wisely – While some saturated fats, like the ones in red meat, can increase your chances of cardiovascular disease, others appear to confer heart disease protection.
• Increasing your flavonoids – These potent antioxidants found in fruits like apples, blueberries and grapes, as well as teas have been found to reduce risk of death due to heart disease.

Editor’s Note: If you just pay $1 to help cover the shipping costs… The Olive Oil Hunter, TJ Robinson, will send you a complimentary $39 bottle of one of the greatest olive oils I’ve ever tasted… You must check this out

Sources:

Higher olive oil intake associated with lower risk of CVD mortality — ScienceDaily

Heart Disease Facts – CDC