They are essential to an anti-inflammatory diet.

One of the most important components of olive oil is hydroxytyrosol, an extremely rare, highly potent polyphenol. Hydroxytyrosol can actually slow the aging process in the skin by stabilizing the part of the cell known as the cell plasma membrane.

Researchers worldwide find that diets rich in olive oil polyphenols are associated with healthier breast tissue, colon function, and cardiovascular function, and offer significant extra protection from secondary smoke and sun-related skin damage.

Extra virgin olive oil is unique when it comes to foods that have a direct impact on beautiful skin.

A few of the benefits of a diet rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidant extra virgin olive oil include:

• Increases the skins ability to maintain moisture;
• decreases “bad cholesterol”;
• increases “good cholesterol”;
• helps intestinal absorption;
• helps gall bladder activity;
• lowers probability of gallstones;
• lowers blood pressure;
• decreases gastric acid secretion in ulcers;
• stimulates pancreas secretion;
• aids developing bone in children;
• prevents osteoporosis;
• lowers glucose levels in diabetics;
• reduces risk of prostate cancer; and
• reduces the risk of breast cancer

Olive oil polyphenols offer additional benefits when incorporated into topical formulations, including the following:

• The delivery of the polyphenol anti-oxidant benefits directly to the skin
• Provides an all-natural approach to the prevention of free-radical damage
• Minimizes the appearance of lines and wrinkles while it brightens and evens skin tone.
• Extremely gentle and non-irritating; safe for even the most sensitive skin
• Guards against signs of premature aging

“Clear laws exist on olive oil quality, adulteration, false advertising, food labeling and so forth. But nobody is enforcing these laws. Not the FDA. Not the state health departments. Not one district attorney. Nobody,” said Tom Mueller, an American writer and freelance journalist who has written about the olive oil industry in his book “Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil” and for the New Yorker.

“Because of this river of cheap counterfeit oils, consumers are deprived of the health benefits they expect when they buy what they think is extra virgin olive oil, and in some cases may be eating products that harm their health,” he testified. “Honest growers, oil producers, and importers can’t make a living, since they’re consistently undercut by low-cost, substandard products and outright fraud.”

“This is an industry with a great deal of potential. It can provide a heart healthy product, and is also an ideal crop for California,” said Senator Lois Wolk, Chair of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Olive Oil Production and Emerging Products. “The state has the ideal climate and soil to grow olive trees, and olive oil trees require very little water, which is at a premium in our state.”

At issue is quality and authenticity of olive oils on grocery store shelves in California and throughout the world, testified Dan Flynn, Executive Director of the U.C. Davis Olive Center, a self-funded partnership between the university and the olive oil industry aimed at meeting the research and education needs of olive growers and processors.

The line for authenticity is whether or not a product is actually made from olives, Flynn said. The line dividing top quality, extra virgin olive oil and other oils of lesser quality is defects. Oils below the line contain flavor defects such as rancidity or mustiness—indicators of older, even spoiled oil.

Bob Bauer, President of North American Olive Oil Association, which represents olive oil importers and suppliers, questioned other participants’ claims about the quantity of fraudulent and low-quality olive oils in the marketplace—saying the tests behind these findings, including taste tests, were not approved by the International Olive Council (IOC).

However, Darrell Corti, the second-generation of Cortis to run Corti Brothers grocery store and a renowned expert on food and wines, questioned attempts to discredit taste tests.

“In the International Olive Council’s description of what extra virgin olive oil is, it has to be without a defect,” he said. “The only way we can determine if the oil has defect or not is by tasting it.”

Additionally, Flynn and other presenters noted that the findings questions by Bauer have been mirrored in tests by UC Davis, Consumer Reports, as well as in Germany, Canada, and Spain.
“It’s important to remember that these aren’t just matters of food snobbery,” Mueller said. “These standards were established by International Olive Council and espoused by USDA and others because these odors and flavors map directly to the chemical composition of this olive oil and directly indicate the quality, health giving properties, and flavor of that oil.”

“Olive oil has great business potential in America, which recently replaced Greece as the third largest consumer country of olive oil in the world,” Mueller continued, saying that olives should be California agriculture’s next “home run” crop. “The U.S. oil market is valued at 1.5 billion dollars, with 10 percent growth per year.”

But producing extra virgin olive oil is expensive, he said, and as a result “much of the olive oil sold in supermarkets is substandard oil made from low grade, spoiled oil that which is cheap to produce and sold as extra virgin at low prices that consistently undercut honest producers.”

“Many olive oils, particularly in food service, aren’t even made with olives at all,” he said. “They are soybean, sunflower, and other low quality vegetable oils colored green with chlorophyll and doctored with flavorants, then sold as extra virgin olive oil.”

Mike Bradley, President of Veronica Foods Company, and a world-renowned olive oil expert, producer, and importer, testified to the difficulties of competing with doctored or fake oils, as well as against growers and producers benefitting from the European Union olive oil subsidy.

“It’s simply not possible to make a profit and produce olive oil when competing against the European subsidy,” Bradley said.

“What will it take to really shake up the bad actors in all this?” asked Senator Doug La Malfa, a member of the committee.

Flynn pointed out that the legislature has identified the lines with regards to quality and authenticity very clearly through legislation authored by Senator Wolk and signed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. last year.

“So the question really isn’t where is the line drawn,” Flynn said. “The question is who’s enforcing the line, and who’s holding the line?”

Mueller pressed for steeper fines and prosecution. The olive oil growers and producers testifying before the committee agreed with the need for enforcement, maintaining their primary desire is to compete in a fair marketplace.

“We’re not looking for protections to give us an advantage over other producers,” said Adam Englehardt, Vice President of Orchard Operations for California Olive Ranch, a California olive oil producer. “I would simply ask that we have a level playing field, that all products being sold in the United States and California be subject to a true testing regiment and be held to a standard across the board, and that standard be enforced.”

In her closing, Wolk called for more research on the positive health effects of olive oil, calling for the UC Davis School of Medicine, as well as the University’s Nutrition, and Food Sciences Departments, to partner in those efforts. She also said California should look to other states and countries that have pursued enforcement of olive oil standards.

“I look forward to working with all parties to find solutions to make sure consumers are getting what they pay for, and to provide honest growers and producers with a fair marketplace,” Wolk concluded.

The study, titled “’The Influence of Minor Components Present in Virgin Olive Oils In The Prevention of Breast Cancer: In Vitro Study of Hydroxytyrosol and Tyrosol,” was conducted by José Juan Gaforio, Fernando Warleta and Cristina Sánchez of the University’s Department of Immunology.

José J. Gaforio, Immunology Division, Department of Health Sciences, University of Jaén
.
“We have studied the effects of four compounds present in the olive skin; erythrodiol, ovaol, maslinic acid and oleanolic acidon with human breast cancer cells and the results show that the compounds have the potential to provide a natural defense against breast cancer,” researchers noted.

In a unanimous decision, the awards committee chose the project from among eight other research projects. The winners will receive €6,000 ($7,984) in prize money. The University of Jaén will publish their work in a monograph.

“The results of this research has an important social and economic impact on Spanish society. Highlighting the healthy properties of olive oil is an element of the first order to encourage their use in other countries,” Gaforio told Science Watch.

Family-run olive oil company Castillo de Canena sponsored the award to encourage and stimulate scientific research and technological knowledge of olives and olive oils. The award was named in honor of Luis Vañó, president of Castillo de Canena and of the Spanish Arab Bank.

The award ceremony will be held on December 2 at the Castillo de Canena estate in Jaén.

Sources:
20 Minutos
Science Watch
University of Jaén (PDF)

New research from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine provides further evidence that a Mediterranean style diet rich in monounsaturated fat from olive oil, avocadoes and nuts improves heart health even if the diet is not coupled with weight loss.

In their report prepared for the American Heart Association’s scientific sessions, the researchers said that swapping out certain foods could improve heart health in those at risk for cardiovascular disease, even if the dietary changes aren’t accompanied by a loss in weight.

The team of John Hopkins researchers analyzed data from the OmniHeart Trial, which compared cardiovascular effects of three different diets; a carbohydrate rich diet, a protein rich diet and an unsaturated fats rich diet.

Each participant followed each of the three diets for 6 weeks while the researchers gathered information on the ability of the body to regulate blood sugar and maintain healthy insulin levels while on those diets. According to the researchers if the body fails to effectively use insulin this can lead to development of type 2 diabetes, a major risk factor for heart disease.

The results of their analysis found that a diet higher in unsaturated fats such as those found in olive oil, nut and avocadoes, improved the use of insulin compared to the other two diets.

The unsaturated fat diet basically replaced some of the carbohydrates with good fats, resulting in a diet makeup of 37 percent fat. The investigators say that the preferred diet is very similar to the Mediterranean diet, inspired by the foods of southern Italy and Greece, emphasizing healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.

It appears that adding olive oil to your diet, while removing some of the processed carbohydrates will result in better heart health. “The introduction of the right kind of fat into a healthy diet is another tool to reduce the risk of future heart disease,” says Meghana Gadgil, M.D., M.P.H., one of the researchers who presented the study.

Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine

by S. C.

According to Professor Giuseppe Caramia, Consultant of Pediatrics and Neonatology, “extra virgin olive oils contain polyunsaturated fat acids in percentages very similar to breast milk”. “Moreover, thanks to its minor constituents, such as squalene, phenols, polyphenols, chlorophyll and vitamins (A, D, E, K), it is very important for the baby wellbeing. This is the reason why this important element of the Mediterranean diet is considered as a nutraceutic food: it is the best present we can do to ourselves for our health. It makes our life tastier and more pleasant, too”.

However, not all the oils are the same. In order to get the most of the health properties of extra virgin olive oil it is important to buy a certified bottle. “The Consortium for the quality of Extra Virgin Olive Oils (CEQ) is committed every day in a battle for the control of the oil quality”, says Elia Fiorillo, Head of the CEQ. “Our members follow very strict rules during the production processes. Our battle is first of all a cultural one: it is important that people understand the nutritive properties of oil; at the same time it is pivotal that producers respect very strict rules on quality”.

Professor Caramia also recalls that the American FDA recognizes the healthy properties of extra virgin olive oil, whenever taken in small quantities: two teaspoons a day circa (23 g). According to experts, olive oil can help a lot against cardiovascular diseases.

The CEQ Consortium works from many years for the realization of superior-quality products. The members of the consortium, which come from every category of the production process, follow the very strict rules imposed by the CEQ. As a matter of fact, in order to get a very high quality extra virgin olive oil, it is important that all the steps of the production process, from gathering to packaging and distribution, are committed to high standards. Only properly treated and preserved oils can in fact preserve all their nutritive and healthy properties and avoid the physiological oxidative processes.

Source: Riccardo Fraddosio

Researchers are reporting that a Mediterranean diet enriched with virgin olive oil or nuts can reverse arteriosclerosis in carotid arteries in just one year.

The study included 187 participants over the age of 55 who were randomly assigned to 3 groups; the olive oil group followed the Mediterranean diet supplemented with 15 liters of virgin olive oil per three months which corresponded to about 10 tablespoons a day, the nut group also followed the Mediterranean diet with 30 grams (about 1 ounce) a day of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts, and the low fat diet group which were given instructions and material to follow a low-fat diet.

All the volunteers had the thickness of the artery walls of their carotid arteries measured, both at the beginning of the study and at the end of a year. “We thus observed who had suffered the greatest thickening of this layer, due to arteriosclerosis, a significant improvement and regression of lesions having taken place in those cases that had followed a Mediterranean diet enriched with virgin olive oil or nuts. This improvement was not observed amongst those who did not have thickening of the artery wall at the start of the study,” according to Dr. Ana Sánchez-Tainta, one of the researchers.

From the results it was concluded that “a modification in the entire diet pattern managed to achieve, in just one year, results that pharmaceutical drugs did not – even after two years of treatment.”

“Carotid intima-media thickness changes with Mediterranean diet: A randomized trial (PREDIMED-Navarra).” Atherosclerosis. 2011 September;218(1):174-180.

Healthy Heart Benefits

Atherosclerosis, also called hardening of the arteries, occurs when particles of LDL cholesterol stick to the walls of the arteries. Eventually these particles build up and form plaque. This plaque narrows the blood vessels and increases the work load of the heart in an effort to get oxygenated blood to the entire body. The result can be a heart attack or stroke.
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat and antioxidants like chlorophyll, carotenoids and vitamin E. Scientists have identified a compound in olive oil called oleuropein which prevents the LDL cholesterol from oxidizing. It is the oxidized cholesterol that sticks to the walls of the arteries and forms plaque. Replacing other fats in your diet with olive oil can significantly lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack.

Cancer Inhibitor

A study published in the January 2005 issue of Annals of Oncology has identified oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid found in olive oil, as having the ability to reduce the affect of an oncogene (a gene that will turn a host cell into a cancer cell). This particular oncogene is associated with the rapid growth of breast cancer tumors. The conclusion of the researchers was that oleic acid when combined with drug therapy encouraged the self-destruction of aggressive, treatment-resistant cancer cells thus destroying the cancer. Olive oil has been positively indicated in studies on prostate and endometrial cancers as well.
Unlike other fats, which are associated with a higher risk of colon cancer, olive oil helps protect the cells of the colon from carcinogens. A study published in the November 2003 issue of Food Chemistry Toxicology suggests that the antioxidants in olive oil reduce the amount of carcinogens formed when meat is cooked.

Blood Sugar Controller

Diabetics or those at risk for diabetes are advised to combine a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet with olive oil. Studies show this combination is superior at controlling blood sugar levels compared to a diet that consists entirely of low-fat meals. Adding olive oil is also linked to lower triglyceride levels. Many diabetics live with high triglyceride levels which put them at risk for heart disease.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

The body uses the healthy fats in olive oil to produce natural anti-inflammatory agents. These anti-inflammatory agents can help reduce the severity of both arthritis and asthma. Uninflamed cell membranes are more fluid and better able to move healthy nutrients into the cells and move waste products out. A lower incidence of osteoporosis and dementia is found in areas where people consume large quantities of olive oil.

A Fat That Helps You Lose Fat

Sounds impossible, right? A study conducted on eight over-weight men published in the September 2003 issue of the British Journal of Nutrition yielded results that indicate a significant loss of body weight and fat mass can be achieved without increasing physical activity and making only one change in eating habits: the substitution of olive oil for saturated fats.
The eight men were divided into two groups and for four weeks ate similar foods with the exception that the first group ate more saturated than unsaturated fats. The second group consumed the same number of calories as the first group, but the fats were mostly monounsaturated fat (olive oil). At the end of four weeks, the men from the second group were lighter and had a lower body-fat index than the men who ate the saturated fats.

You can double the recipe and keep a bowl in the refridgerator.

One 15.5oz. can of Cannellini beans drained and rinsed
One large clove of garlic finely chopped
Three tablespoons of Malibu Olive Company Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
One tablespoon dried thyme or oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and serve at room temperature.

Be careful, this is an easy dish to eat all at once, it is sooo good.

Javier A. Menendez, of the Catalonian Institute of Oncology, in collaboration with Alberto Fernandez Gutierrez, and Antonio Segura Carretero, of the University of Granada confirmed the bioactivity of polyphenols — natural anti-oxidants — present in olive oil helps combat breast cancer cell lines.

The study, published in the journal BMC Cancer, confirms the potentiality of polyphenols to inhibit HER2 breast cancer activity and to promote its degradation.
The results, together with the fact that humans have consumed secoiridoids and lignans safely for a long time through oil and olive oil consumption, endorse the fact that such phytochemicals could be an excellent and safe basis for the design of new anti-HER2 compounds, the researchers said.