Undoubtedly, olive oil is one of the most beneficial natural items you can use for your health and beauty. You can consume a tablespoon of it in the morning to obtain miraculous health benefits and treat serious health issues like cancer and Alzheimer’s, you can add it in your meals and salads, or you can add it in your numerous homemade remedies and use its benefits to improve the condition of your skin, hair and entire body.
Olive oil and cancer
According to research, olive oil consists of ingredients that decelerate the growth of tumors in breast cancer. Moreover, this oil was shown to be able to keep our DNA safe from any harm caused by cancer cells before the damage even happens. Therefore, this oil must contain something that disallows the proteins that cancer requires expanding.
Olive oil and Alzheimer’s
The hippocampus is a part of the brain which controls the forming, organizing and storing of memories. There are synapses found on the hippocampus, which are structures that stimulate the nerve cells to send signals to another cell. It is this part of the brain that is first affected by the Alzheimer’s disease.
The magazine Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology published a study which suggested that an ingredient included in olive oil named oleocanthal can bound to, and eliminate toxic proteins that obstruct the synapses on the hippocampus and prevent memory problems.
Olive Oil -- Health Benefits
Apart from decelerating and preventing chronic ailments, it can also bring a great number of other health benefits, as it:
Protects your heart
The regular use of olive oil will decrease the chance of stroke by astonishing 41%. Due to the polyphenols it contains, it normalizes the cholesterol levels in your body.
Improves your immune system
Olive oil contains antioxidants which keep your immune system safe from infections.
Helps with weight loss
Olive oil contributes to faster fat- burning rate.
Cooking With Olive Oil
Some vegetable oils like soybean and canola oil that are rich in polyunsaturated fats, may have a dangerous effect to our health. Even by only being present in a kitchen where these kinds of oils have been overheated, you may be exposed on these harmful carcinogenic ingredients which are able to vaporize and can cause lung cancer if breathed in. So you should avoid cooking with soybean and canola oils.
On the other hand, olive oil is healthy to cook and includes monounsaturated fats so that is why it is stable when exposed on heat. Olive oil is healthy to cook with provided the heat is to 180•c . Over 180•c there is a chance of transformation that may have a dangerous effect to our health. But anyway virgin olive oil is much healthier than the other cooking oils.
Just like olive oil, coconut oil and avocado oil are also very good for cooking.