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Feeding the Family Health Benefits of Olive
Oil
Page 2
—by Jean Fisher
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.
Important Information On Buying And Storing Olive Oil
Exposure to light and heat can turn olive oil rancid. This
destroys the healthy, antioxidant properties of the oil. Look
for olive oil that is sold in darkly tinted bottles. Also,
look carefully at the display in the grocery store. Are there
glaring lights or sunny windows nearby? If so, you will want
to check out some different stores. My favorite grocery store
keeps the olive oil on the shelves closest to the floor and
away from the fluorescent lights.
When you get home, find a dark, cool cupboard for storage.
One suggestion is to pour some of the oil from the original
container into a smaller container. The original container
can be kept in the refrigerator for maximum protection. (The
oil will become cloudy and more solid in the refrigerator.)
The smaller container you select for your weekly supply of
olive oil should be opaque and have a tight-sealing lid. Exposure
to air is another enemy of the fragile antioxidants.
Confused about the different grades of olive oil? Extra-virgin
olive oil is produced from the first pressing of the olives.
It has the lightest flavor and contains the richest array
of antioxidants. The next pressing of the olives produces
fine virgin oil. Refined means that chemicals were used to
extract the oil instead of pressing. Avoid refined olive oils.
Pure olive oil is a blend of refined and virgin olive oils.
I don't recommend pure grade either. If you see the words
cold pressed on a bottle of olive oil that means heat was
not used when extracting the oil. Remember, heat destroys
antioxidants, so cold pressed is a good thing.
One last thought on this subject. If you are considering switching
to olive oil from other oils, you might be shocked when you
first look at the differences in price. I'm a serious bargain
hunter. I always buy generic and look for bulk discounts whenever
possible. But even the most determined penny pincher understands
that there are simply some things that are worth the extra
money. Olive oil is one of them.
Learn more:
Nutra-Smart.net:Olive Oil and Cardiovascular Disease by Stuart Adams
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Bio Our editor, Jean Fisher, is a former elementary teacher.
She offers "What's For Dinner?"
as a free service for busy families. One delicious meal
is suggested for each day of the week, plus an organized
grocery shopping list that can be customized to include all
your shopping needs. You will also find two stimulating table topics and
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visitor commented, "It's everything you need all in one
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