Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Olive Oil (Extra Virgin, Pure, Unrefined)
Another study in laboratory conditions from the University of Edinburgh that published in 2017 found that oleic acid, the primary ingredient in olive oil, can help prevent cancer-causing genes, and may help to prevent cancer developing in the brain. (50)
The researchers said that it is too early to say if dietary consumption of olive oil may help prevent brain cancer, however their findings point towards possible therapies based on olive oil to prevent brain cancer from occurring.
How Much Olive Oil to Consume Daily
How much olive oil should you take every day to help improve your heart health, lower cholesterol, and treat hypertension?
Doctors from WebMD say that many studies show that taking 2 tablespoons a day of extra virgin olive oil can help to treat high cholesterol and lower blood pressure. To help lower your risk of coronary heart disease, you could take between 3 and 4 tablespoons of EVOO. (41)
Some people take a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil followed by a glass of lemon juice. This helps to remove the oily taste from your mouth and gives you a good dose of vitamin C. Mixing lemon juice and olive oil is also great for liver cleansing – see more information in my article “A Powerful Mixture for Cleansing Your Liver“.
So add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil a day to your diet – add it to your salad dressing or coat the olive oil on fish, meat or veggies before baking or roasting them, or drizzle olive oil on your morning toast or in your yogurt or mashed potatoes.
Is Olive Oil Bad for You? Side Effects of Drinking Olive Oil
Olive oil is an extremely healthy oil that is packed with goodness that can benefit your health.
One of the obvious side effects of consuming extra virgin olive oil is that it is high in calories. However, doctors from the Mayo Clinic say that you should switch to olive oil in place of margarine or butter. (42)
Olive oil can also go rancid. So, if there is an “off” smell or a musty smell to your olive oil, you should discard it. Rancid olive oil loses much of its antioxidants.
