The health benefits of olive oil are unrivalled, and research reveals more benefits nearly every day. Olive oil is the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet — an essential nutritional mainstay for the world’s longest-living cultures.
What makes it so healthy?
In addition to its impressive antioxidant content, extra virgin olive oil is loaded with monounsaturated fatty acids, a type of healthy fat that has been linked to several benefits.
In particular, research suggests that monounsaturated fatty acids could benefit heart health and may even help protect against heart disease.
Extra virgin olive oil also contains a good amount of vitamins E and K in each serving. Vitamin E is an essential nutrient that doubles as an antioxidant, while vitamin K plays a key role in bone health, blood clotting, heart health, and more.
Olive oil and cancer
Studies have shown that people living in Mediterranean countries have a fairly low risk of cancer, which may be partly due to their consumption of anti-inflammatory ingredients, including olive oil.
One potential contributor to cancer is oxidative damage due to harmful molecules called free radicals. However, extra virgin olive oil is high in antioxidants that reduce oxidative damage.
Oleic acid, in particular, is also highly resistant to oxidation and has been shown to slow the growth and spread of cancer cells in some test-tube studies.
According to a 2011 review, regular consumption of olive oil may also be associated with a lower risk of developing breast cancer or cancer of the digestive system.
Still, more recent, high quality research is needed to understand the effects of olive oil on cancer when enjoyed as part of a healthy, well-rounded diet.
More Olive Oil Could Help Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease
Heart disease is the number one cause of premature death worldwide.
Interestingly, populations residing in mediterranean regions have low rates of mortality (death) from heart disease. While this is due to a combination of factors, their high consumption of Extra Virgin Olive Oil is thought to be a major one (5).
It appears the active compounds in Extra Virgin Olive Oil have powerful cardio-protective properties, such as helping to lower blood pressure and preventing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) (2, 6, 7).
One giant review study, which included data from over 840,000 subjects, found that those who ate the most olive oil were 9% less likely to have heart issues and 11% less likely to die early compared to those who ate the least olive oil (8).
Key Message
Extra Virgin Olive Oil contains a number of active compounds that contribute to heart health. Observational studies consistently find that those who consume the most have a lower risk of heart disease.
Olive Oil May Protect Against Stroke
Stroke is the second largest killer after heart disease.
It’s closely linked to heart disease and shares many of the same risk factors, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
One French study that compared olive oil use and stroke incidence that those who consumed the highest amounts of olive oil had a 41% lower risk of stroke. A number of other studies have also found similar results (9, 10).
These findings make sense because people who use olive oil will likely be replacing other less heart healthy fats in their diet. Combine this with the high antioxidant and monounsaturated fat content in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and it’s clear why it appears to have a favourable impact on cardiovascular health.
Key Message
A diet high in olive has been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of stroke in observational studies.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil May Help Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Around one million people in Australia are thought to have type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is characterised by the reduced effectiveness of insulin, the hormone that moves glucose (sugar) out of the blood and into cells to be used as energy.
It’s thought that the phenolic compounds present in Extra Virgin Olive Oil aid in glucose metabolism and improve the sensitivity and effectiveness of insulin.
A large analysis found that including olive oil in your daily diet could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 13%. In comparison to a low-fat diet, a diet high in olive oil was also found to help normalise blood glucose in people who already had type 2 diabetes (11).
These beneficial effects are even more pronounced when combined with a Mediterranean style diet. One study found that a Mediterranean diet enriched with nuts or Extra Virgin Olive Oil decreased the risk of type 2 diabetes by more than 50% (12).
Key Message
Extra Virgin Olive Oil may help improve insulin sensitivity, which can help protect against type 2 diabetes or to manage pre-existing diabetes.
Cooking With Extra Virgin Olive Oil Can Make Your Food More Nutritious
Still not convinced that Extra Virgin Olive Oil should be your main cooking oil?
Studies show that cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil can even increase the nutrient content of your food.
This is because the antioxidants in Extra Virgin Olive Oil are so resistant to high heat that they don’t break down and instead end up being absorbed by the cooked food. In addition, it also helps the cooked food to retain some nutrients that are usually lost through cooking (13, 14, 15).
For example, one study showed that when broccoli was cooked with sunflower oil or even refined olive oil, several beneficial compounds in the broccoli (such as vitamin C) were reduced. However, when cooked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil the levels of those beneficial compounds remained unchanged (16).
Key Message
Cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil can help retain – and in some instances increase – the number of nutrients and antioxidants in the cooked food that would otherwise be lost or damaged.
A Diet High in Extra Virgin Olive Oil May be Good for Brain Health
Olive oil could potentially reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and age-related dementia.
The phenolic components of Extra Virgin Olive Oil may help clear the compounds that cause brain degeneration.
One study compared an Extra Virgin Olive Oil-enhanced Mediterranean diet with a standard low fat diet and found those on the Extra Virgin Olive Oil diet suffered less cognitive decline (loss of brain function and memory) after a 6.5 year follow up (23).
More research is need to confirm these benefits but it’s a hopeful area.
Key Message
Early research suggests that a diet high in Extra Virgin Olive Oil may inhibit the compounds responsible for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Boosts hair and skin health
Extra virgin olive oil is rich in Vitamin E. Each tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil has about 1.9 mg of Vitamin E, a fat-soluble anti-oxidant that can protect the body against eye and skin problems and in fact make hair and skin much healthier. It has also been shown to protect the body from diabetes, neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, and lung cancer.
Extra virgin olive oil vs. other oils
In addition to extra virgin olive oil, there are many other popular cooking oils available, including regular olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil.
Here is a closer look at how extra virgin olive oil compares to these other types of oils
| Basics | Taste | Nutrient composition | Uses | Smoke point | |
| Extra virgin olive oil | made from cold-pressed olives | strong, olive-like flavor | • 119 calories/tablespoon (14 grams) • 73% MUFA • 11% PUFA • 14% saturated fat |
• stir-frying • sautéing • salad dressings • marinades • finishing oil |
405° F (207° C) |
| Regular olive oil | derived from olives through mechanical or chemical means | mild, neutral flavor | • 119 calories/tablespoon (14 grams) • 67% MUFA • 10% PUFA • 16% saturated fat |
• stir-frying • sautéing • grilling • baking • frying • marinades |
406° F (208° C) |
| Canola oil | extracted from rapeseed using chemical solvents | neutral flavor | • 124 calories/tablespoon (14 grams) • 63% MUFA • 28% PUFA • 7% saturated fat |
• stir-frying • sautéing • grilling • baking • frying • marinades |
493° F (256° C) |
| Vegetable oil | usually made from a blend of oils, including corn, soy, or sunflower oil | neutral flavor | • 124 calories/tablespoon (14 grams) • 42% MUFA • 41% PUFA • 14% saturated fat |
• stir-frying • sautéing • grilling • baking • frying • marinades |
400° F (204° C) |
| Avocado oil | extracted from cold-pressed avocado pulp | mild and nutty flavor | • 124 calories/tablespoon (14 g) • 71% MUFA • 14% PUFA • 12% saturated fat |
• stir-frying • sautéing • salad dressings • marinades • finishing oil |
520° F (271° C) |
| Coconut oil | derived from fresh or dried coconut meat or milk | • virgin coconut oil: tropical, coconut flavor • refined coconut oil: neutral flavor |
• 121 calories/tablespoon (14 g) • 6% MUFA • 2% PUFA • 83% saturated fat |
• stir-frying • sautéing • baking • frying |
376° F (191° C) |
Sources: Olive Wellness Institute & Healthline
