Olive Oil and Heart Health
February is heart health month! This is a great time to look at the wonderful benefits olive oil has to keep your heart functioning properly. So many people are aware that olive oil is healthy, but many do not know why. Here is a short synopsis of what olive oil has in it and how those components benefit your heart health!
Olive oil is full of polyphenols. Polyphenols are components found in olive oil and some other foods like tea. Polyphenols contain anti-oxidants, vitamins A, C and E, anti-inflammatory agents and cancer fighting agents because they fight oxidation, or free radical change, in the body. These components are most prevalent in fresh olive oil, which is The Spicy Olive’s specialty. All of our olive oils are fresh, the crush date is listed for you to see as well as the polyphenol levels of our single varietal olive oils.
The components found in olive oil impact your heart health in three ways. First, it can help lower your “bad” cholesterol levels (LDL). Olive oil contains monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats lower LDL levels and protect against atherosclerosis (plaque build up in the arteries). Secondly, olive oil can help lower your blood pressure. Several studies have shown olive oil intake reduced the incidence of hypertension in adults. The link was found to be associated with polyphenol rich olive oils. Lastly, the antioxidants, polyphenols and oleic acid contained in olive oil protect blood lipids from oxidative stress which slows hardening of the arteries. Enjoy your olive oil, knowing it is doing wonderful things to your body!
