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Olive Oil Is A Delicious And Healthy Choice

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Olive oil has been heralded as a health-boosting substance for thousands of years and recent scientific studies have further substantiated its beneficial qualities. Most doctors recommend lowering total fat and calories in your diet and substituting butter, margarine and vegetable oils with healthy fats like olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil is one of the few oils that can be eaten without chemical processing. Fresh pressed olive oil can be eaten immediately and will retain its natural flavors, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other healthy properties of the ripe olive fruit. Many researchers believe that olive oil’s health benefits may spring from the 30 plant compounds that it contains.

Extra virgin olive oil imparts delicious aromas and flavors to foods of all kinds while providing significant health benefits. Some of those include:

• Promotes healthy bones
• Increases “good” cholesterol and lowers “bad” cholesterol
• Reduces blood pressure
• Inhibits the growth of certain cancers
• Contributes to the elasticity of arterial walls, which can provide protection against heart disease and stroke.
• Helps the body maintain a lower weight.
• Helps control blood sugar levels in diabetics

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 a recent issue of Food Chemistry Toxicology suggests that antioxidants in olive oil reduce the amount of carcinogens formed when meat is cooked.

The body uses the healthy fats in olive oil to produce natural anti-inflammatory substances. These anti-inflammatory agents can help reduce the severity of both asthma and arthritis. They can also keep membranes more fluid and enable the body to move waste products more easily. A lower incidence of osteoporosis and dementia is found in areas of the world where people consume large quantities of olive oil.

Many consumers get confused about the different grades of olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is by far the best because it is produced from the first pressing of the olives. It has the lightest flavor and contains the most concentrated amounts of antioxidants. The next pressing of the olives produces fine virgin olive oil, in which chemicals are used to extract the oil. Pure olive oil is a blend of refined and virgin olive oils. Look for the words “cold pressed” on the bottle because that means heat was not used when the oil was extracted from the olives. Since heat destroys antioxidants, cool pressed is preferable.

Exposure to light and heat can turn olive oil rancid and that will destroy the antioxidant properties. Always buy olive oil in darkly tinted bottles. When you get the oil home, put it in a dark, cool place for storage to protect its healthy properties.

Using olive oil is a delicious way to promote good health. Only Mother Nature herself could have produced something so healthy and delectable. Take advantage of this natural miracle to enhance your family’s health.