Over the last few years there has been a huge amount of enthusiasm over the many benefits of olive oil and we are finding that with more research even more positive attributes of this small fruit are coming to light. Most people are now aware that consuming olive oil has some amazing positive effects on our bodies. What some may not have heard is that new evidence suggests that olive oil is not only beneficial for our bodies, but also our minds.
According to Spanish researchers from the University of Navarra and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a diet rich in olive oil can protect from mental illness. The study included 12,059 volunteers who were part of the SUN Project, a prospective study among Spanish university alumni, aimed to identify the dietary determinants of stroke, coronary disease and other disorders. The researchers followed these volunteers for over 6 years and gathered data on lifestyle factors such as diet as well as medical history. At the beginning of the study none of the volunteers suffered from depression, and by the end of the study, 657 new cases were detected.
The data from this study revealed that volunteers that had a high intake of trans fats, a hydrogenated fat found mainly in processed foods, had up to 48 percent increased risk of depression compared to volunteers who did not consume these fats. In addition, the researchers discovered 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.
Previous research has shown that people who follow the Mediterranean diet, which is high in olive oil and other polyunsaturated fats were 30% less likely to suffer from depression.
While many people hold the belief that diet can have an impact on one’s mental health and consuming high amounts of processed foods is linked to depression, previous research done on rats, found that repeated administration of extra-virgin olive oil produces anxiolytic and antidepressant effects via neurochemical alterations in brain. Some of these effects include the ability to handle stress more effectively and may reduce anxiety levels.
Reports have shown that low levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are involved in producing depression as omega-3 fatty acids are important component of nerve cell membrane and help nerve cells to communicate with each other, which is an essential step in maintaining good mental health.
Sources: http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/olive-oil-health-news/olive-oil-may-protect-from-depression/11915
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3725699/
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