With Valentine’s day just passed, and February being the month of love, we are feeling the love this week especially when it comes to our favourite fruit, olives of course.
There are so many things to love about olives and olive oil, but in case you didn’t know what we most love, besides the delicious flavour, is the health benefits that come from this amazing fruit and its oil.
Here are seven reasons to love olives and olive oil:
- Keeps you smiling
Studies found that a higher intake of olive oil and polyunsaturated fats found in fatty fish and vegetable oils was associated with a lower risk of depression.
- Improves memory
Olives contain polyphenols, a natural chemical that reduces oxidative stress in the brain. Eating a daily serving of olives improves memory by 25% according to research from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
- Good for your waistline
Eating 10 olives before meals reduced appetite by 22% according to studies in Italy. Olives contain monounsaturated fatty acids which slow down digestion and stimulate the hormone cholecystokinin, a hormone that sends messages of satiety to the brain. Moreover, these acids also stimulate the production of adiponectin, a chemical that burns fat for five hours after ingestion.
- Keeps your heart happy
Olive oil lowers the levels of total blood cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. At the same time it does not alter the levels of HDL-cholesterol (and may even raise them), which plays a protective role and prevents the formation of fatty patches, thus stimulating the elimination of the low-density lipoproteins.
- Enhances fertility and reproductive system
Olives have healthy fats, the fats are critical for manufacturing hormones and maintaining the reproductive health of both men and women, says Jeremy Groll, MD, author of Fertility Foods.
- Reduces risk of cancer
The phytonutrient in olive oil reduces inflammation, which can decrease the risk of breast cancer and its recurrence. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants, especially vitamin E, which is thought to minimize cancer risk. Olive oil is also the highest in monounsaturated fat, which doesn’t oxidize in the body, and it’s low in polyunsaturated fat, the kind that does oxidize, thus lowering oxidative stress.
- Keeps you looking young
Because Olives contain oleic acid, which keeps skin soft and healthy, eating olives daily can improve the appearance of wrinkles by 20%. In addition, olives contain vitamin E which is an excellent antioxidant for skin health.
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