A new study was published on the Nation Library of Medicine web site on June 7, 2020 linking the consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) with a reduced risk of colon cancer. Mice were given a high fat diet of EVOO, safflower, and coconut oil. Both safflower and coconut oil were found to encourage flora that enhanced inflammation. EVOO, on the other hand, encouraged beneficial microbial growth and reduced the inflammation causing microbes. You can read the entire publication here.
Category Archives: Health
Mediterranean Diet Can Reduce Symptoms of Depression
A new study from Australia found following a Meditteranean diet can help reduce the symptoms of depression. They studied two groups aged 17-35 that scored high for depression, anxiety, and stress for three weeks. One group followed the Meditrranean Diet and the other continued with their normal diet. Afterwards the group on the new diet went from scoring high on the depression scale to normal and the other group remained the same. Larger and repeatable studies need to be conducted to confirm the findings but they are very encouraging. This study is part of a growing body of research confirming a link between diet and mental health called nutritional psychiatry.
With all that is known at this stage in nutrition history regarding the link between inflammation, mood and diet, it is not too early in the process to make a solid hypothesis that the Mediterranean diet can reduce depression symptoms.- Lisa Richards, nutritionist and author
New Oleocanthal Study
A new study
on oleocanthal was recently published by a group of researchers from
Taiwan. Oleocanthal is one of the more prominenet polyphenols found in
high grade extra virgin olive oil. Oleo is Greek for olive and canth is
Greek for prickly. Thus oleocanthal is primarily responsible for the
prickly sensation when ingesting extra virgin olive oil by itself.
Oleocanthal offers several benefits to several diseased states with its
anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective qualities. The study also found
that oleocanthal proactively destroys cancer cells by damaging the
lysosomes leading to cancer cell toxicity in vitro and in vivo. The
study went one step further to establish that oils rich in oleocanthal
had this effect where oils that were not did not have this effect. So
the prickly sensation you feel from consuming our oils is very
beneficial.
MedDiet – The First Randomized Clinical Trial in the US
A study, recently published in the JAMA Network Open, presents the first randomized clinical study of the MedDiet done in the US. While the MedDiet has long been known to be heart-healthy, the researchers wanted to learn more specifically, why it is healthier. 25,000 women were followed for 12 years, divided into three groups based on how closely they followed the MedDiet. After 12 years the group that followed the MedDiet the closest showed a 28% lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The primary factors for reduced risk were decreased inflammation, better glucose metabolism, and lower weight. Other factors contributing to the better results were lower blood pressure, and lower lipid levels. A great thing about the MedDiet is that it is very easy to follow and very tasty as well.
Study Shows EVOO Helps Prevent Alzheimer’s
A recent article in USA Today highlights a Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine study that found extra virgin olive oil helped reduce the conditions associated with Alzheimer’s. They also found evidence that EVOO preserves the ability to learn and improves memory. The mechanism by which this is achieved is EVOO reduces inflammation in the body including in the brain and it enhances the process of removing toxins and debris from our brains. Alzheimer’s is thought to begin by the reduced ability to remove these toxins.
The study was conducted on mice with one group consuming EVOO compared to a control group not consuming EVOO. After a few months the two groups tested the same, however, the differences began to show up after 9 to 12 months. The mice on a EVOO diet had better learning abilities and spatial memory. It seems good nutrition can take a while before we get noticeable changes. Like all good habits using natural methods, the change is slow but reliable.
US News Ranks Popular Diets
US News Ranks Popular Diets
US News evaluated the 38 most popular diets with the help of diet and nutritional experts. They rated them in several different categories. The DASH diet ranked number one and the Meditteranean diet ranked number two overall. Both diets use
extra virgin olive oil as their primary fat for cooking and adding to recipes. The Meditteranean diet ranked number one as the easiest to follow. The entire study is very interesting, you can read about it here.
The article includes nice recipes from the several different diets. It also ranks diets according to best commercial diets, best diets for diabetes, and several other categories.
Oleocanthal Shown to Inhibit Melanoma
Oleocanthal is a polyphenol found in real extra virgin olive oil. It is already well documented as a very effective anti-inflammatory. In a recent study published in Nutrition and Cancer, it was also found to inhibit the growth of melanoma cancer cells. The study introduced concentrated amounts of oleocanthal into normal cells and melanoma cells and found the normal cells’ growth was regular but the melanoma cells’ growth was greatly reduced. The initial thinking is that the oleocanthal upsets the protein strains responsible for melanoma but that are not found in normal cells.
These are just initial experiments and much more study is needed to determine if consuming real extra virgin olive oil can actually have a inhibiting effect on cancerous cells. However, multiple studies in recent years all point in this direction.
Cooking with Real EVO Increases Phenol Content
A new study from the University of Granada shows that cooking with extra virgin olive oil increases the phenol content over that of the raw vegetable. Some in the past have thought that the cooking process destroys the polyphenols in EVO where this study shows the polyphenols are absorbed by the vegetables. The cooking method that displayed the highest level of increase was deep frying, at the same time it showed the highest increase in fat content. Sauteing in EVO showed a moderate increase in phenol content. While boiling in water showed a decrease in phenol content. While not addressed by the study, the water from boiling vegetables is generally considered to be full of nutrients and can be used beneficially in other ways, such as for soup.
They also found that cooking in EVO actually breaks some bonds that free up more polyphenols. This shows evidence that disputes the theory that the polyphenols in real extra virgin olive oil are destroyed during the cooking process.
Apollo Olive Oils Stay Fresher Longer
The limited supplies of our current oils, harvested and milled in December 2013, are now on sale for only $16.95, first come first served. All these mature oils are still showing well – with good aromas, flavors, and a softer finish than in their youth. In a recent blind tasting, our Sierra compared favorably with a fresh, extra virgin “olio nuovo” from another producer – needless to say, we were pleased.
Although we hope you will enjoy our oils right away, they are known for their long life. Our oils stay fresher longer than other extra virgin olive oils because they start with such healthy, high levels of antioxidants, giving them on-going protection against aging. In the past we have retested our year-old oils, and the reduction of antioxidants over the months was only 5%. Another confirmation comes from research Dr. Prokopios Magiatis conducted on the polyphenol levels of US-made oils, published last year. The year-old oils he tested were bought off supermarket shelves; our Sierra included. The total polyphenol content of our oil was higher than every other oil in the experiment, and the results for some particular polyphenols were the highest he had ever recorded.
Oleocanthal – An Unexpected Discovery
Dr. Gary Beauchamp is making the rounds these days speaking about his discovery of the oleocanthal molecule that he found in olive oil a short ten years ago. The discovery, like many great discoveries, was an accident. As a sensory chemist he was searching for a way to improve the taste of ibuprofen when he experienced an olive oil tasting. To his surprise he tasted something in the olive oil that had similarities to the taste of ibuprofen. Further research revealed he had discovered the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory molecule, oleocanthal. Wonderfully, this molecule in olive oil does not have the side effects of ibuprofen. Beauchamp found that oleocanthal can help remove proteins that are the main component of amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer patients. This story reveals that we are still in the early stages of discovering all the great benefits of olive oil that, intuitively, the Mediterranean has known about for thousands of years.