2023-09-29 09:04:28
Today, the world celebrates World Heart Day 2023, and on this occasion we learn regarding the benefits of olive oil for your heart health.
The World Heart Federation says, “World Heart Day is a reminder to everyone to take care of their hearts. This year’s campaign focuses on the essential step of knowing our hearts first… because we only love and protect what we know.”
According to the Primary Health Care Corporation of Qatar, World Heart Day is celebrated annually by focusing on a theme that takes into account the main issues of heart health.
The World Heart Federation confirms that at least 80% of premature deaths due to cardiovascular diseases can be avoided by controlling 4 main risk factors, including an unhealthy diet, tobacco use, lack of physical activity, and alcohol use.
Half a spoon of olive oil daily
A 2020 study found that consuming more than half a tablespoon (14 milliliters) of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.
In 2022, researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that people who consumed more than half a tablespoon of olive oil daily had lower rates of premature death from cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease, compared to people who never or rarely consumed it.
“Olive oil is a hallmark of the Mediterranean diet, and its association with lower mortality is well-established in southern European countries,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Frank Ho, at the time. “But this is the first long-term study to show such health benefits here in the United States.” United State”.
Of all edible vegetable oils, olive oil contains the highest percentage of monounsaturated fats, which lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and increase “good” cholesterol (HDL). It has been shown to lower blood pressure and contains plant compounds that provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties known to reduce the disease process, including heart disease.
Types of olive oil
There are several types of olive oil on store shelves, ranging from regular olive oil to extra virgin olive oil, known as EVOO.
EVOO is the fatty part of olive juice extracted only through mechanical and physical processes without any refining. The terms “first pressing” and “cold pressing” indicate that EVOO is a natural, unrefined product that has undergone a single pressing process without any processing to change its quality. .
Regular olive oil, on the other hand, is refined, bleached, deodorized, and then blended with 5% to 15% EVOO to obtain a product that is lighter in flavor, smell, or color, and is a product that is marketed as “pure” or “light.” .
Dr. Frank Ho’s study did not differentiate between grades of olive oil, but he said that European studies showed better health results with pure olive oil, which contains a greater amount of plant compounds and antioxidants than edible oils. The doctor said that future research may compare different grades of olive oils to obtain beneficial effects.
Cardiovascular diseases and cholesterol
The World Heart Federation says that high cholesterol kills 2.6 million people and causes heart disease and stroke.
The liver makes cholesterol necessary to produce hormones and compounds that the body needs. With the addition of cholesterol in food, the increase can cause narrowing of the arteries and block blood flow, leading to heart disease and other diseases, according to the World Heart Federation.
When cholesterol builds up in the arteries, it is sometimes referred to as plaque or cholesterol plaque.
There are two types of cholesterol: good, or “high-density lipoproteins” (HDL), and bad, or “low-density lipoproteins” (LDL).
A 2008 study showed that more than 50% of adults in high-income countries had high total cholesterol levels, more than twice the level in low-income countries, according to the World Heart Federation.
It is believed that the way this idea works is that low-density lipoproteins become the means by which cholesterol is transported throughout the body. Too much of it can form into plaques that narrow the arteries, block blood flow, or even break down and lead to a heart attack or stroke. High-density lipoproteins collect cholesterol from around the body and return it to the liver for disposal.
The World Heart Federation confirms that all guidelines point to the necessity of maintaining a healthy weight, incorporating exercise into our lifestyle, and quitting smoking as some basic steps to reduce the impact of unbalanced cholesterol.
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