Is Olive oil healthy for the heart?

Is Olive oil healthy for the heart?

- The Naturachol team.

Oils in general have earned a bad reputation for being a risk factor for causing heart disease. Oils, though, are essential for creating many dishes that we love to eat. Oil is necessary to sauté vegetables and meat, grill food on the barbecue and is an ingredient in many salad dressings and dips. Thus a question that arises is what oil is healthy for the heart.

Olive oil for cholesterol lowering

What are unhealthy oils and Why?

Not all oils are created equal. Some oils have a greater concentration of Omega-6 fatty acids and are considered bad for heart health1.

  • soybean oil
  • corn oil
  • cottonseed oil
  • sunflower oil
  • peanut oil
  • sesame oil
  • rice bran oil

Scientists have hypothesized that too much omega-6 may contribute to chronic inflammation2. Chronic inflammation is an underlying factor that causes cardiovascular disease by inducing cholesterol plaque formation in the blood vessels of the heart3. Such plaque formation can lead to a blockage of blood vessels that supply the heart causing a heart attack.

Why is Olive oil considered a healthy oil for the heart?

In contrast to oils above, others containing high levels of omega-3 fatty acids are considered healthy for the heart. The omega-3 oils may inhibit inflammation, which reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease4.

One oil that contains high levels of Omega-3 is Extra virgin olive oil, which is known for its versatility, rich flavor, and health benefits. 

Extra virgin olive oil has been renowned for promoting heart health, as is the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet. Multiple studies have shown that conformity with this traditional diet is associated with better cardiovascular health outcomes, including clinically meaningful reductions in rates of coronary heart disease5.

One mechanism by which extra virgin olive oil benefits heart health is by reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is considered the “bad cholesterol”6. LDL cholesterol, especially the oxidized form of it, promotes narrowing and hardening of blood vessels (known as atherosclerosis), which increases the risk of having a heart attack7. Extra virgin olive oil also contains a substance known as oleuropein which has been shown to protect heart blood vessels from damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules).

Benefits of olive oil

What are other ingredients in olive oil that benefit the heart?

The high content of oleic acid and polyphenols in olive oil have been postulated to help with blood pressure control. Both experimental and human studies have demonstrated the anti-hypertensive effects of olive oil8. Blood pressure control is essential for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease9.

The processes by which olive oil protects against heart disease can be summarized as follows:

  1. Decreases Inflammation in heart blood vessels
  2. Reduces levels of LDL cholesterol
  3. Helps with blood pressure control

Thus, replacing the other oils on the kitchen shelf with olive oil is certainly a heart healthy option. There are many ways to incorporate olive oil into our daily routine. Adding olive oil into our foods is one approach. Another is to consume a supplement that contains the beneficial ingredients of olive oil. One such supplement is Naturachol. It was developed based on a clinical study that demonstrated that the combination of oatmeal, olive oil, and Red Rice Yeast extract lowers cholesterol in patients. It is an all natural supplement manufactured in the USA.

Stay healthy!

- The Naturachol team.

References:

  1. 1. Gunnars, K. B. (2019, December 12). Are Vegetable and Seed Oils Bad for Your Health? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-vegetable-and-seed-oils-bad.
  2. Hibbeln JR, Nieminen LR, Blasbalg TL, Riggs JA, Lands WE. Healthy intakes of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids: estimations considering worldwide diversity. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jun;83(6 Suppl):1483S-1493S. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/83.6.1483S. PMID: 16841858.
  3. Fight Inflammation to Help Prevent Heart Disease. (2021b, August 8). Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/fight-inflammation-to-help-prevent-heart-disease.
  4. Wardhana, Surachmanto ES, Datau EA. The role of omega-3 fatty acids contained in olive oil on chronic inflammation. Acta Med Indones. 2011 Apr;43(2):138-43. PMID: 21785178.
  5. Martínez-González MA, Gea A, Ruiz-Canela M. The Mediterranean Diet and Cardiovascular Health. Circ Res. 2019 Mar;124(5):779-798. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.313348. PMID: 30817261.
  6. Smith RD, Kelly CN, Fielding BA, et al. (2003) Long-term monounsaturated fatty acid diets reduce platelet aggregation in healthy young subjects. Br J Nutr 90: 597-606.
  7. Suciu CF, Prete M, Ruscitti P, Favoino E, Giacomelli R, Perosa F. Oxidized low density lipoproteins: The bridge between atherosclerosis and autoimmunity. Possible implications in accelerated atherosclerosis and for immune intervention in autoimmune rheumatic disorders. Autoimmunity Reviews. 2018;17(4):366-375.
  8. Massaro, Marika et al. “Effects of Olive Oil on Blood Pressure: Epidemiological, Clinical, and Mechanistic Evidence.” Nutrients vol. 12,6 1548. 26 May. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12061548
  9. Ettehad, D., Emdin, C. A., Kiran, A., Anderson, S. G., Callender, T., Emberson, J., Chalmers, J., Rodgers, A., & Rahimi, K. (2016). Blood pressure lowering for prevention of cardiovascular disease and death: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet, 387(10022), 957–967. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(15)01225-8

 

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*There is no guarantee of specific results, and the results may vary from person to person. The statements on this website has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Dr. Tarique Perera is not responsible for side-effects of any kind incurred as a result of consuming Naturachol. The average reduction in total cholesterol achieved was 20% in the following clinical study: The Combination of Red Yeast Rice Extract, Oatmeal and Olive Oil Reduces Serum Cholesterol. Journal of Human Nutrition 4(1):130-135 (2021).