Friday fat facts - Olive oil

As healthy oils go, it is well-known that olive oil is one of the good ones. But a key distinction needs to be made between refined and unrefined oil. Olive oil made from whole, ripe, undamaged olives, without heat is known as virgin olive oil. When it is made this way, the unrefined oil still contains many natural factors unique to olives. If an olive oil is not labeled virgin, it is non-virgin, refined olive oil. Stay away from refined oils. When they are refined they are degummed, deodorized, bleached and the natural factors are removed. Not only are they not beneficial, but they are in fact harmful to human health.

So what are the health benefits of virgin olive oil? The minor components in virgin olive oil have major health benefits, some of which are common to many different unrefined oils, others are unique to olive oil. Virgin olive oil contains:

• Beta carotene (pro-vitamin A) and tocopherols (Vitamin E),  antioxidants that are also present in most fresh, unrefined, vegetable oil seeds. Vitamin E protects the heart and arteries.
• Magnesium-rich chlorophyll also found in unrefined green oils such hemp, pumpkin, and avocado. Magnesium deficiency is common in people with cardiovascular disease.
• Squalene, a precursor of phytosterols,which is heart protective
• Phytosterols, which protect against cholesterol absorption in foods
• Polyphenols, which are responsible for the colour of the oil.  They have antioxidant properties that stabilize the oil, and it is believed they have the same properties in our body. One of the polyphenols lowers blood pressure.

All of these benefits are lost if the oil is refined. Unsaturated fatty acids like olive oil are anti-mutagenic, which means they protect our cells from damage (mutations) caused by toxic chemicals or destructive rays. When these protective unsaturated fatty acids are heated above 150°C (302° F), not only do they lose their protective abilities, but they gain the ability to cause mutation!

Virgin olive oil has also been shown to help membrane development, cell formation, and cell differentiation; improve brain maturation and function in those deficient in essential fatty acids; decrease the 'bad' LDL cholesterol and significantly increase ‘good’ HDL cholesterol; reduce the production of cholesterol gallstones and promote bile secretion, which improves elimination of the toxic end products of liver detoxification and improves digestion of fats; have healing and anti-inflammatory effects; stimulate the flow of bile; stimulate the production of fat-digesting enzymes in the pancreas; and act as an antioxidant.

Clearly virgin olive oil is a stable, health-enhancing oil. A poor source of EFAs, olive oil is an exceptional source of stable monounsaturated fatty acids and a rich source of unique health-enhancing qualities. Even if our EFA requirements have been met, olive oil can improve and maintain health because of the minor components listed above.