After decades of campaigns compelling Americans to swap out their butter and lard with margarine, Canola, and other vegetable oils instead, pantries in the U.S. began to see a rapid shift to olive oil in the 1990s. The idea of olive oil – really the idea that it was ok or even healthy to eat fats – was a bit shocking at the height of the low-fat era in America. 

Rather than becoming a short-lived trend, olive oil has endured as a pantry staple around the world as the health benefits of olive oil continue to live up to the hype in clinical research.

Olive oil benefits and the Mediterranean Diet

Interest in olive oil began to grow alongside health research centered in the Mediterranean region. Around the middle of the 20th century, a researcher conducted a study on the island of Crete, a Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea. At that time, Crete was underdeveloped and household incomes were extremely low. Yet the men of Crete had very low levels of both heart disease-related deaths and cancer. The study noted that the local diet in Crete was high in olive oil, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and fish.

Around the same time, a second researcher, who had been studying sudden death among middle-aged men in the U.S., received grant funding to study diet and heart disease among men in seven different countries, each with different traditional eating habits and lifestyles. Men ages 40-59 years were enrolled in the study and followed for 25 years. Diet, lifestyle habits, signs of coronary artery disease, and cognitive decline were all monitored as part of the study. 

The result of this research mirrored what was found in Crete. In areas where olive oil and a Mediterranean Diet were a way of life, the risks of heart disease and cancer were extremely low. Among the seven countries studied, the highest rates of heart disease were found in the countries with diets highest in saturated animal fat: Finland and the U.S. And while men in Japan ate a mostly plant-based diet that was low in fat, the rate of heart disease was still higher than in Italy and Greece, where the diet was relatively high in fat, predominantly from olive oil. 

These studies not only solidified the idea that diet and lifestyle are directly related to certain diseases, but they also opened the possibility that not all fat consumption is bad for you. In fact, continued research into the Mediterranean Diet has consistently shown that consuming the right kinds of fat sources can be extremely beneficial for health and longevity.

Choosing the olive oil for health benefits

Olive oil has many health benefits owing to its fatty acid makeup. Olive oil contains mostly monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). 

In general, fats can be divided into three main categories – unsaturated, saturated, and trans fats. Saturated and trans fats are considered unhealthy types of fat while unsaturated fats are healthy or preferred. 

The healthy unsaturated fats can be further divided into MUFAs and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). MUFAs are primarily found in olives, avocados, nuts, and seeds, while PUFAs come from omega-3 (fatty fish, algae, chia seeds, flaxseed, walnuts, and edamame) and omega-6 (sunflower, soy, sesame, corn, and safflower oils) fatty acid sources. Omega-3 fats are frequently touted for their health benefits, but MUFAs can benefit health, too.

When all things are equal, simply swapping saturated fats in the diet with high-quality MUFAs can lead to balanced blood sugar and improved insulin sensitivity, greater fat burning, higher levels of satiety (feeling full after eating), lower body weight, and improved cardiovascular health.1 Olive oil benefits are numerous and improving cardiometabolic health benefits longevity and the brain as well.

Olive oil is also rich in antioxidants, including polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and tocopherols, which provide additional health benefits. The antioxidants in olive oil have anti-inflammatory effects, helping to balance the body’s inflammatory response and supporting overall immune function. Olive oil’s antioxidant content also benefits healthy cholesterol levels, supports healthy aging, and helps reduce oxidative stress that can damage cell membranes, mitochondria, and DNA.2,3 

What is EVOO?

If you’ve shopped for olive oil before, you may have noticed the words “virgin” or “extra-virgin” on the label. There are several different types of olive oil you should know about:

  • Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a cold-pressed, low acidity, unrefined oil that retains its natural flavor and is primarily used in salads as a dressing or as a seasoning added after food is cooked. Choose this type for the most olive oil benefits.
  • Virgin olive oil is also cold pressed but with a higher acid content and milder flavor. It is suitable for low heat cooking such as sauteing, baking, or roasting. This type of olive oil also retains many health benefits.
  • Refined olive oil is a lower quality oil with the least amount of virgin oil that remains after processing. It can be used for cooking at high temperatures.
  • Pure olive oil is a blend of refined and unrefined olive oils, containing 15-25 percent virgin oil. It is a lower quality olive oil that can be used in higher temperature cooking due to a high smoke point around 470 F. It is a good oil choice to use topically for skin-care purposes.
  • Light olive oil is another blend of refined and unrefined olive oils, containing only 5-10 percent virgin oil. Light olive oil is not “light” in calories or fat. It is a neutral oil with little flavor or aroma that can be used in cooking but retains fewer health benefits than virgin oils.
  • Olive pomace oil is the lowest quality, least-expensive type of olive oil. It is extracted from the residue that remains after higher quality oils such as EVOO are made. Olive pomace oil is best reserved for cleaning purposes. 

How to choose olive oil

Now that you understand more about the different types of olive oil, there are a few additional things to look for once you’re in the grocery aisle. 

First, consider how you will be using the oil. Do you want a high nutrient, flavorful oil for salads, dipping fresh bread, or occasional cooking at low temperatures? Then EVOO is your go to. The EVOO title alone signals that the oil is unrefined, free of chemicals, and has not been exposed to heat that leads to oxidation and rancidity.

Next look for the source, or more specifically, the country of origin. This is important because often oils will be labeled with where they were bottled, not where the oil originated. For a higher quality oil, look for a single origin indicated by the country code such as IT for Italy, GR for Greece, SP for Spain, etc. The highest quality olive oils will include specific information about the source, often a single farm or collective. 

You should also consider the bottle itself when shopping for olive oil. Unfortunately, the quality of olive deteriorates rapidly when the oil is exposed to light or heat. To retain olive oil benefits, look for opaque bottles made of metal or dark colored glass. This helps to protect the olive oil from oxidation and rancidity, qualities that not only lower the health benefits of the oil but can also contribute to negative effects that occur when rancid oils are consumed regularly.

Whether you are looking to support longevity, heart health, a healthy inflammatory response, or simply introducing new flavors into your diet, getting started with olive oil and a Mediterranean Diet is easier than you might think, and Thorne has resources and recipes to help you. You can also pick up a bottle of EVOO, some balsamic vinegar, and fresh lemon to create your own easy, flavorful salad dressings that are perfect for all types of summer salads. If you’re feeling adventurous for some new dessert flavors, add a drizzle of high quality Italian EVOO to a scoop of ice cream, sprinkle with sea salt, and enjoy!

References

  1. DiNicolantonio JJ, O'Keefe JH. Monounsaturated fat vs saturated fat: effects on cardio-metabolic health and obesity. Mo Med. 2022;119(1):69-73.
  2. Kabaran S. Olive Oil: Antioxidant compounds and their potential effects over health. In: IntechOpen eBooks; 2019. doi:10.5772/intechopen.80993
  3. Jimenez-Lopez C, et al. Bioactive compounds and quality of extra virgin olive oil. Foods. 2020;9(8):1014.