Why should you try to add more olive oil to your diet?
The fact that olive oil is good for you is not exactly new, but we are now getting a sense of just how much it can help our health.
New evidence is showing that olive oil can lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The study was led by researchers at Harvard and followed over 90,000 people over nearly three decades.
It found that people who had more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day lowered their risk of all causes of death by 19%. Those causes included Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, respiratory disease, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
While researchers were aware of olive oil benefits for heart health, the effect on neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's was the most surprising. Mostly because there are not many preventative treatments for those diseases and they have a high mortality rate.
Some of the best benefits were seen when people substituted olive oil daily for things like margarine, butter and mayonnaise.
The study's author said a good target would be to have around three to four tablespoons of olive oil daily. But that doesn't mean you can let the rest of your diet go. You'll still need to eat your vegetables and whole grains while avoiding processed meats and sugar.