Health Benefits of Olive Oil

Abstract
Italians consumption of olive oil contributes to their
relatively high-fat intake due to its abundance of
monounsaturated fatty acids. Despite this, many of
the
health
benefits
associated
with
the
Mediterranean diet have been linked to olive oil
consumption and its array of phenolic compounds.
The activity of these compounds can be described
as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial. The clearest evidence on the health
benefits of olive oil now relate to its cardioprotective role. Future research is important,
especially from prospective studies and randomized
dietary intervention trials when feasible, to confirm

Objective & Methods

some of the still potential health benefits.

The purpose of this paper is to outline the

antioxidant properties of olive oil and highlight the
benefits of frequent consumption of this food item.
Increased consumption of extra virgin olive oil
(EVOO) is associated with better cardiovascular
health and decreased incidence of chronic
degenerative
diseases
such
as
cancer,
cardiovascular
diseases,
and
ageing-related
Introduction
diseases.
The
Mediterranean
diet
includes the consumption of
about 25-50 ml of extra
virgin olive oil (EVOO) a day
[2]. Benefits of olive oils
phenolic
compounds
(OOPCs) can be grouped
into 3 main categories [2]
which may be correlated to
the
low
values
of
accumulated incidence of
myocardial
infarction
in
Southern
European
http://oldwayspt.org/history-mediterranean-diet-pyramid
countries [1]. The four major
classes of OOPCs include
flavonoids, lignans, simple
phenols, and secoiridoids [1]

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mnfr.201200421/full.

The benefits of EVOO can be attributed to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory (among others)
activities of its phenolic compounds, illustrated I the
diagram below.

Ariel Rouse, Katlyn Nau, Caitlin Kroupa, Claudia Morffi,

Megan Menocal, Allison Pingel, Carissa Pascanik
Analysis and Discussion
Oxidation and Inflammation
Oxidation and inflammation are interrelated processes.
The phenolic compounds found in olive oil may have
beneficial health effects thanks to their antioxidant
capacity. They target reactive oxygen species (ROS),
which are natural byproduct of our metabolism that also
enter our body through food or the environment. ROS
target lipids, DNA and proteins and promote oxidative
damage, which ultimately results in oxidative stress and
inflammation. Both of these effects are connected to
chronic degenerative illnesses such as cardiovascular
diseases, cancer or ageing-related diseases. [1]
Correlation with Cardiovascular Disease and Other
Risk Factors
Various studies provide evidence that olive oil
consumption reduces Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). In
particular, the Spanish PREDIMED trial [3] and EPICSpain cohort study[7] focused on primary prevention of
CVD events and gave special emphasis to olive oil
consumption within the Mediterranean diet . The Spanish
PREDIMED trial randomly assigned 7447 elderly people
with cardiovascular risk factors to either a Mediterranean
diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil (1
liter/week, including a minimum of 50 ml/d for
participants and the rest for family needs) or with mixed
nuts or a control diet (with advice to reduce total fat).
There were 288 primary CVD events recorded during the
48-year follow-up and a significant 30% reduction in
CVD events in the olive oil-consumed group compared
with the control group. The EPIC-Spain cohort study (See
Figure 1) followed 40622 initially healthy people from
Spain over 13-14 yrs. It showed that olive oil
consumption, outside the context of the Medit. Diet,
correlated to reduced overall mortality (26%) and CVD
mortality (44%) [3].
Olive oil is also theorized to reduce risk factors for CVD
(such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes)
through its alteration of gene expression. This gene
expression alteration leads to increased production ad
protection of HDL cholesterol. A randomized controlled
trial found that a diet that incorporates a high phenolic
content (HPC) enhances the expression of cholesterol
efflux related genes (ABCA1 and PPAR family genes) in
vivo in humans [4]. This was compared to a diet
involving naturally virgin olive oil with a moderate
content of phenolic compound (MPC). The study found a
significant decrease in oxidized low-density lipoproteins
(LDL), an increase in HDL cholesterol, and protection of
HDL from oxidative damage when a HPC diet was used .
The expressions of ABCA1 SR-B1, PPARBP, PPARa, PPARy,
and other genes increased significantly after the HPC
intervention when compared to the MCP one. (see
Figure 2). The increase and protection of HDL
cholesterol is important, because HDLs bind LDL
cholesterol and regulate its presence. Due to the sample
size of this study (13 people), more studies are needed
to determine polyphenol effects on HDL functionality.
Two studies in particular relate to diabetes: the
PREDIMED study [3] and the study preformed on Tyrosol
supplementation [5]. The clearest evidence that olive oil
may prevent diabetes comes from PREDIMED study,
which included 3541 patients at high CVD risk that were
followed up for 41 years. The participants following a
Mediterranean diet rich in extra-virgin olive oil had a
40% reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus than
the control group. The PREDIMED also provided results
showing that an olive oil-rich Mediterranean diet can
improve glucose metabolism and reduce body weight

Graphs and Data

FIGURE 1: EPIC-Spain Cohort Study
The association between olive oil consumption (quartiles (Q) and per 10g/d) and
(a) overall mortality and cause-specific mortality ((b) CVD mortality, (c) cancer
mortality and (d) other causes of mortality) in the European Prospective
Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Spanish cohort study.

Conclusion
In summary, the phenolic compounds found in extra
virgin olive oil are associated with decreased risk of
chronic diseases such as CVD, obesity, and
diabetes. It is thought that these compounds
mitigate the oxidative and inflammatory damage
within the body. The EPIC-Spain cohort study found
that olive oil consumption correlates to reduced
overall morality and CVD risk. Other studies have
proposed specific mechanisms by which phenolic
compounds lead to such results. One study found
that a diet high in phenolic content (verses
moderate level) enhances the expression of certain
genes that are involved in increasing HDL levels
(the good cholesterol) and decreasing LDL levels
(the bad cholesterol). Another study found that
supplementation of Tyrosol, a specific phenolic
compound in olive oil, has been seen to maintain
and even increase cell pancreatic B-cell viability.
Pancreatic B-cell apoptosis is a common problem
seen in patients with Type 2 diabetes, Therefore,
the incorporation of HPC (high phenolic compound)
olive oil in the diet may reduce incidence of Type 2
diabetes.

Future Implications

FIGURE
2:
Expression Study

Gene

Geometric
mean
(95%
confidence interval) of the ratio
(HPC olive oil/MPC olive oil) of
RQ changes in gene expression
after interventions. Dot axis
displays
the
significance
between olive oils at P<.05 level.
*P<.017 significance after HPC
versus MPC intervention.

FIGURE 4: Olive Oil Grades

The International Olive Oil Council has
established the below quality grades for
olive oil. The greatest health benefits are
found in the unrefined, young virgin
olive oil grades.

http://apollooliveoil.com/healtholiveoil.php.

Statistically significant decrease in cell

viability
WITHOUT
Tyrosol
supplementation

More research is needed to identify health effects of

consuming virgin or extra-virgin olive oil verses
ordinary olive oil (See Figure 4). Also, EVOO by
itself is not the total cause for perceived benefits in
health, so individuals should not assume causality
between increased olive oil consumption and
definitive cardiovascular health. The overall
Mediterranean diet has various characteristics that
would also influence these rates: high consumption
of vegetables, legumes, fruit, and cereals; frequent
an moderate wine intake; moderate consumption of
fish and white meat; moderate intake of dairy
products; low consumption of red meat; 40% of
total energy from fat 20% comes from
monounsaturated fatty acids mainly from olive oil).
In addition, although incorporating olive oil in the
diet is relatively common for European countries,
Americans may be reluctant to change their dietary
habits. The University of Tennessee Medical Center
[7] suggests substituting olive oil for butter as an
easy way to incorporate this heart-healthy
ingredient in the everyday diet. Olive oil can be
readily substitutedin most dishes where margarine
or butter is used for frying. However, keep in mind
that extra virgin olive oil breaks down and starts to
Butter/Margarin
Olive Oil
smoke faster than regular olive oil. If you plan to fry
e
food use regular
olive oil instead. Use the
1 teaspoon
3/4 teaspoon
conversions below to substitute your next dish.

Cell viability increases (or

is at least maintained)
with
Tyrosol
supplementation

1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons
1/4 cup
1/3 cup
1/2 cup
2/3 cup
3/4 cup

2 1/4 teaspoons
1 1/2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons
1/4cup
1/4cup + 2 tablespoons
1/2 cup
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon

1 cup

3/4 cup

References
1.

FIGURE 3: Effects of Tyrosol on Cell Viability

2.

Effect of tyrosol on tunicamycin-induced cell death. (A) NIT-1 cells

were treated with 2 g/mL tunicamycin for indicated times and cell
viability was measured by MTT assay. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01. (B) Cell
viability was measured after tyrosol (0, 10, 25, 50 M) treatment for 24
h or 48 h *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01. (C) NIT-1 cells were exposed to
tunicamycin including different concentrations of tyrosol for 24 h and
cell viability was measured. TM, tunicamycin; *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01
versus control; ##, P < 0.01 versus TM-treated.

3.

4.
5.
6.
7.

Health effects of olive oil polyphenols: Recent advances and possibilities for the use of health claims. Retrieved
at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mnfr.201200421/full.
Antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phenolic activities in extra virgin olive oil. Retrieved at
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958166911006811.
The role of olive oil in disease prevention: a focus on the recent epidemiological evidence from cohort studies and
dietary intervention trials. Retrieved at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-ofnutrition/article/the-role-of-olive-oil-in-disease-prevention-a-focus-on-the-recent-epidemiological-evidence-fromcohort-studies-and-dietary-intervention-trials/067113B01A4A7254066C542D640BC1AE/core-reader.
Olive oil polyphenols enhance the expression of cholesterol efflux related genes in vivo in humans. A randomized
controlled trial. Retrieved at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095528631200285
Tyrosol, an olive oil polyphenol, inhibits ER stress-induced apoptosis in pancreatic -cell through JNK signaling .
Retrieved at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006291X1531041X
Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of coronary heart disease in the Spanish EPIC Cohort Study.
Retrieved at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19903723.
Use Olive Oil in your Daily Diet. Retrieved at: http://www.utmedicalcenter.org/healthy-tips/85/use-olive-oil-in-yourdaily-diet/