Olive oil, as we all know, is extracted from olives. It contains about 14% saturated fat, of which 11% is omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.
In addition, olive oil contains a lot of monounsaturated fats, namely oleic acid in a proportion of 73%. For the oleic acid olive oil is considered to be much more beneficial than oils obtained from other plants (sunflower oil and rapeseed oil).
Oleic acid is known for its anti-inflammatory effect and is therefore beneficial in balancing our body health and preventing cancer. The anti-inflammatory effect comes from the rich amount of oleocanthal in olive oil, which has properties similar to ibuprofen.
Besides the benefits of oleic acid, olive oil has many other benefits such as:
– It is a good antioxidant, which is why it helps prevent and fight chronic diseases;
– It is anti-inflammatory, helping to prevent the oxidation of our cholesterol and therefore prevents the appearance of many chronic diseases including heart disease, metabolic diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and obesity.
– It has positive effects on the nervous system and has shown good results in preventing depression and anxiety.
– Its consumption is beneficial for the skin and hair whether we speak of internal or external use.
Olive oil and our diet
Even though olive oil is a fat, it has shown that it is not a fattening food. It is fully present in the Mediterranean diets where, as OECD statistics have shown, we have a population with the highest lifespan in Europe (Spain and Italy).
With this in mind, I recommend a simple recipe based on olive oil that you could introduce to your diet. It is inspired by Mediterranean cuisine.
Bruschetta with olive oil and basil
For 6 bruschettas we will need the following ingredients:
6 slices of bread 14mm thick (I recommend using bread with cereals to widen the range of nutrients we consume)
1 clove of garlic
4 large basil leaves
35g olive oil
3 cherry tomatoes
Preparation method:
Put baking paper on the baking tray, place the slices of bread.
Now, let’s prepare a sauce: grind the garlic with the basil leaves. When the garlic and the basil look like a paste add the olive oil. Mix everything very well and spread a teaspoon of this sauce on each slice of bread.
Cut the tomatoes into small slices and place them on top of the bread.
You can add a few small pieces of cheese, prosciutto, chorizo, or bacon, but the bruschettas are very tasty without any additives.
Preheat the oven at 170 degrees with ventilation, and then bake the slices of bread for 7 minutes.
When serving, you can add some more basil-flavored olive oil or plain olive oil.
Good appetite!
Sources:
Kathleen M. Zelman. (2020). Health Benefits of Olive Oil. Web Md, https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-health-benefits-of-olive-oil.
Jillian Kubala. (2019). What are the health benefits of olive oil? Medical news Today, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266258.
Joe Leech. (2018). 11 Proven Benefits of Olive Oil. healthline, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-olive-oil.
OECD. (2018). Life expectancy at birth, by gender, 2018. OECD Library, https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/da5bba97-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/da5bba97-en.