How Polyphenol-Rich Extra Virgin Olive Oil Looks After Your Mental Health As Well As Protecting Against Heart Disease
Extra virgin olive oil is hugely beneficial to our mental well-being. It’s the main ingredient of the Mediterranean diet, which in my opinion, is the healthiest way of eating for both long and short-term benefits.
Some of the many health benefits of extra-virgin olive oil include improved immune function, increased bone density, reduced heart disease risk, and lower diabetes risk.
Olive Oil, Wellness, and Longevity Zones
High-quality extra virgin olive oil is good for your physical health and can also improve your mental well-being. Olive oil, a key component of the Mediterranean diet, may be why people who live in longevity zones like Ikaria, Greece, rarely suffer from depression, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.
The large-scale study called “The SUN Project” found that by switching out less healthy cooking oils for olive oil, the risk of developing depression dropped by nearly half. Let’s take a look at some of the ways olive oil helps to keep the brain functioning optimally and protects against degeneration.
Olive oil is a key ingredient in the Mediterranean diet, generally considered the healthiest way of eating. Some benefits of olive oil include boosting immunity, increasing bone density, preventing heart disease, and reducing diabetes risk.
Furthermore, olive oil has various benefits for mental health and well-being. In particular, as a fundamental aspect of the popular Mediterranean diet, it may be why people living in areas known for longevity (e.g., Ikaria, Greece) very rarely experience depression, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease.
Results from the “The SUN Project” suggests that consuming olive oil decreases your chance of developing depression by 50%.
Olive oil has many benefits for the brain, including protection against degeneration.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is High In Mental Wellness-boosting Polyphenols
Free radicals cause oxidation, which is when cells in your brain start to break down. Like how a cut apple turns brown or an old car gets rusty, the same thing happens to your brain cells over time.
The health advantages of olive oil are mainly due to its abundance of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants.
olive oil is rich in phenolic compounds that function as powerful antioxidants and scavengers of free radicals. Polyphenols also work to keep bottled olive oil fresh.
The high polyphenol content in Moroccon extra virgin olive oil is determined by the type of olive, the climate, and terrain where it was grown, and when the crop was harvested.
The only olive variety used to make Moroccan Olive Oil is Picholine Marocaine, which produces oil high in polyphenols and oxidative stability.
Lastly, our olives are picked while they’re still young and green. If left to age on the tree, the fruit will turn red or black and might increase in size (and thus produce more oil). But polyphenol levels will go down. Our farmers have a lot of expertise in this area, they time their harvest perfectly to preserve as many polyphenols as possible.
The Polyphenols In Moroccon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
As reported, this year’s harvest has produced a low acidity level of 0.2%. With the highest polyphenol count yet seen in our extra virgin olive oil.
Polyphenol Hydroxytyrosol
Unlike other polyphenols, Hydroxytyrosol can cross the blood-brain barrier, making it effective in scavenging free radicals and protecting the nervous system.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Contains Essential Vitamins
Olive oil contains vitamins E and K, which have been linked to better brain health:
Vitamin E, an effective antioxidant, helps prevent mental deterioration as we age by protecting the brain from free radical damage. When vitamin E is present with vitamin C, it aids in maintaining good memory and slows down memory loss. Furthermore, this combination has significantly reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
After a stroke, vitamin E can help by minimizing the damage and redirecting blood flow around the area.
Incorporating Vitamin K into your diet is easy- it’s found in green leafy vegetables and olive oil. This essential vitamin isn’t just for keeping your brain sharp as you age but can also increase processing speed.
Vitamin K can improve your memory and may also play a role in Alzheimer’s prevention. This is because patients are often found deficient in vitamin K upon testing.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Decreases Risk Of Depression
Olive oil has many benefits, including reducing the risk of depression.
The Standard Diet (SAD) is mostly made up of unhealthy trans fats. These come from fast food, processed foods, and vegetable oils like canola, sunflower, soybean, and safflower oil. They’re extracted with high temperatures and chemical solvents.
Research suggests that olive oil can fight depression. In one study, The SUN Project, participants who replaced unhealthy vegetable oils with olive oil saw a 50% decrease in their risk of developing depression.
Trans fats harm our physical health and affect our mental well-being.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Increases Brain-Boosting Chemicals
Did you know that olive oil improves physical health and mental function? This is because it helps to increase levels of two key brain chemicals: BDNF and NGF.
BDNF and other similar compounds help to encourage the formation and repair of brain cells. BDNF, specifically, is a protein that stimulates new brain cell growth. Furthermore, BDNF has been shown to offset the negative effects of stress on the brain. Low levels of BDNF are associated with depression.
The nerve growth factor helps sensory nerve cells, which give us information like sight and sound, to grow and repair themselves.
Furthermore, monounsaturated fats found in olive oil can potentially increase levels of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is important because it acts as a neurotransmitter for memory and learning.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil helps Protect The Brain From Degenerative Diseases
One of the lesser-known benefits of olive oil is its ability to keep your mind sharp as you age. A recent study showed that seniors who consume more monounsaturated fats have better overall memory recall and cognitive function.
Research suggests that the Mediterranean diet can help lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by up to 40%. Furthermore, this eating habit has also been linked to improved mental wellness.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is An Essential Part Of The MIND Diet.
People who follow this variation of the Mediterranean diet have an impressive 53% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
The prickling itch you sometimes feel at the back of your throat after eating olive oil is caused by a naturally occurring compound called oleocanthal.
Oleocanthal is an anti-inflammatory polyphenol that can travel to the brain and clear it of beta-amyloid proteins linked with Alzheimer’s.
The vitamin E in olive oil can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.
Source: The MIND Diet: Eating for a Healthy Brain (detailed guide)
Leave a reply