How Healthful, Exactly, Is Olive Oil?

Ok, it may not be shocking news, but research (yet more research) recently published in the Journal of American Cardiology indicates that olive oil, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, is a powerfully healthful alternative to butter, a staple of the all American diet. And now the numbers. The study, which tracked the mortality of more than 90,000 adults from from 1990 to 2018, found that higher olive oil intake, compared with no or little intake, was associated with a 9 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, a 17 percent lower risk of cancer mortality, a 29 percent lower risk of neurodegenerative disease mortality, and an 18 percent lower risk of respiratory disease mortality. Wait, there’s more. In a related note, a Journal editor advises that the greatest benefits are associated with extra virgin olive oil, which has far more antioxidant compounds than refined oils. No surprise there either: as with most foods, less processing = greater health benefit.