In pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, health experts often tout the benefits of adding olive oil, often called “cold gold,” to your daily diet. This healthy and nutritious oil is rich in unsaturated fats, antioxidants, and other healthy compounds that set it apart from animal or processed oils.
Research shows that eating a tablespoon of olive oil every day can have many health benefits. Not only known as a natural laxative, it helps treat constipation by softening stools and soothing the digestive system, and is also associated with reducing various health problems.
According to the Cleveland Clinic study, the ability of olive oil to reduce constipation is due to the ability of the intestines to prevent excess water absorption, making bowel movements easier. In addition, increased intake of olive oil is associated with a reduced risk of dementia, the seventh leading cause of death, because some antioxidant compounds in olive oil can directly affect brain health.
Dr. Anne-Julie Tessier from Harvard explains, “Some antioxidant compounds in olive oil can cross the blood-brain barrier to directly affect the brain. Olive oil can also benefit cardiovascular health and indirectly affect brain health.”
Olive oil, considered a key component of the Mediterranean diet, has been shown to be linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and respiratory problems. Studies show that eating just half a tablespoon of olive oil every day has health benefits.
To improve nutrient absorption, experts recommend eating a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Opting for a cold-pressed process and not refining the oil ensures the preservation of antioxidants and bioactive compounds.
Whether it is infused into ice cream, added to coffee, or eaten on an empty stomach in the morning, this liquid gold can be not only a culinary delight, but the key to a long, healthier life.
