It’s no secret that heart disease is the leading cause of death across the country and that diet plays a major role in whether or not we stay heart healthy.
That’s why when I’m making dinner, instead of reaching for the vegetable oil, I turn to the Mediterranean secret for a healthier heart — olive oil.
Now, research out of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that looked at the diets of 92,000 people for 28 years, is proving that the decision to stick with extra virgin olive oil is providing protection far beyond my heart…
A long history of benefits
Olive oil has long been acknowledged as one of the healthiest oils.
Now those Harvard researchers are finding how valuable olive oil is — not just for the heart — but for reducing premature death from numerous threats…
Lowering threats across the board
The researchers followed 92,000+ participants from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study for over 2 ½ decades, monitoring their diets and their consumption of olive oil versus other oils specifically.
And what they found came down to this…
Consuming just seven grams (just over a half tablespoon) of olive oil per day is enough to significantly reduce your risk of dying due to heart disease!
And those seven grams are also enough to lower your risk of death from multiple other conditions, including respiratory and neurological diseases.
In fact, when the researchers compared those who rarely or never consumed olive oil, those in the highest consumption category had a:
- 19 percent lower risk of cardiovascular mortality
- 29 percent lower risk of neurodegenerative mortality
- 17 percent lower risk of cancer mortality
- 18 percent lower risk of respiratory mortality
That’s a lot of bang from ½ tablespoon!
Additionally, their results showed that switching up just 10 grams of your normal margarine or butter for olive oil lets you grab an 8 – 34 percent lower risk of death from all causes.
That olive oil’s looking better and better all the time, isn’t it?
More tips for heart health
So if you want to cut your risks for these significant health threats, it seems clear that olive oil should be part of what’s for dinner tonight and every night.
If heart problems are particularly top of mind for you, don’t forget these other small changes that can provide additional support:
- Eating more fish – The omega-3s found in fish have been shown to reduce heart disease risk. If you don’t eat enough fish, or are concerned about mercury and other contaminents from fish oil, Peak Krill Oil™ is a cleaner, healthier option.
- Staying active – Exercise has been shown to strengthen your heart, even in the face of bad genes that boost your risks.
- Choosing your saturated fats wisely – While some saturated fats, like the ones in red meat, can increase your chances of cardiovascular disease, others appear to confer heart disease protection.
- Increasing your flavonoids – These potent antioxidants found in fruits like apples, blueberries and grapes, as well as teas have been found to reduce risk of death due to heart disease.
Sources:
Higher olive oil intake associated with lower risk of CVD mortality — ScienceDaily
Heart Disease Facts – CDC