EVOO: More Than Just a Healthy Fat
Our bodies need fat. Fat helps us absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K. It helps your body grow and develop. It keeps our joints working smoothly. Our hair and skin need it to stay soft and moisturized, not flaky and itchy.
The Canadian government’s Healthy Canada website says, “For good health, include a small amount (2-3 tablespoons or 25-50ml) of unsaturated fats each day.” And fat helps our brains, according to Psychology Today. Read the complete articles here: Healthy Canadians, Psychology Today
A diet where you use EVOO for cooking (like the Mediterranean diet) generally tends to increase vegetable intake since it makes vegetables taste so much better. Also, using EVOO at meals helps people to eat less, because including fat in a meal makes the meal more satisfying and delays the onset of hunger after the meal. All fats do this, but EVOO is the best choice because it is considered a healthy source of fat for many scientifically-backed reasons.
EVOO & The Mediterranean Perspective
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is considered a metabolically active, functional food. It supports metabolic health, overall human functionality, including minimal negative environmental industrial impact, if any. Olives are good for the planet and for humans!
EVOO is rooted in culture and connection, primarily from its ancient Mediterranean history. This way of living and its food culture is built upon a whole array of satisfying foods that nourish us when incorporated into your diet as the primary source of fat. It can complement or in some cases even replace other medicinal interventions as it sustains and restores metabolic health.
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes consumption of EVOO along with:
- Abundant whole, plant-forward foods.
- Fiber-rich seasonal vegetables, fruits, and legumes.
- Grass-fed and pasture-raised animal protein in moderation.
In a large prospective study of over 120,000 adults, even modest intake, as little as ½ tablespoon daily—was associated with less weight gain over time compared to other fats like margarine and butter.
The Mediterranean diet also curates an intentional attitude toward food consumption that is proven to aid in human health. This positive approach to eating invites us to:
- Slow down and listen to our body's natural cues and wisdom.
- Eat real, whole foods with pleasure.
- Share meals in community.
- Honour our environment and our body's needs.
Decades of research consistently show that the Mediterranean diet, revolving around cooking dishes and flavouring foods with EVOO, is one of the most effective strategies for preventing and managing chronic and metabolic diseases.
A Scientific Look at EVOO
Don't take our word for it. Take a look at the numerous ways EVOO benefits our health (below). Our list of the Health Benefits of EVOO is compiled with references from EVOO and Balsamic Vinegar Distributor, MillPress Imports along with the Olive Wellness Institute, a science repository on the nutrition, health and wellness benefits of olives and olive products, which is all subject to extensive peer review. Check out the following menu to explore the effect on EVOO and chronic disease.
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Overweight and Obesity
Positive relationship between adherence to Mediterranean Diet and weight management/BMI (49-62)
Fatty Liver Disease
Reduced liver steatosis and improved insulin sensitivity in an insulin-resistant in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, independent of weight loss (48)
Mood Disorders
Reduction in severity of depression in individuals with existing depression (46-47)
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Improved cognitive function in cognitively healthy participants, and 13% reduction in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease (45)
Overall Cancer Incidence
Convincing evidence of a reduction in breast cancer specifically and overall cancer incidence or mortality (44)
Suggestive evidence for a reduction in gastric, pancreatic, liver and head/neck cancer (44)
Risk of Mortality
Reduced overall mortality (19-21)
Reduced mortality from Cardiovascular Disease (19-21)
Reduced mortality from cancer (19-21)
Cardiovascular Disease, Coronary Heart Disease, and Myocardial Infarction
Lower blood pressure (19, 21-31)
Improved blood lipid profile (↓Triglycerides, Total Cholesterol and Low-Density Lipoprotein-oxidation; ↑High Density Lipoproteins) (21-23, 25-27, 32-35)
Lower in endothelial dysfunction (19-21, 22, 25, 27, 28)
Lower Body Mass Index (BMI) (19, 22)
Lower Waist Circumference (WC) (19,22, 36)
Inflammation
Overall 30% reduction in CVD mortality with Mediterranean Diet and EVOO vs low fat diet (23)
Lower oxidative stress and inflammation (19, 22-24, 26, 27)
Diabetes or Glycemic Control in existing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Lower incidence of T2DM (24, 37, 38)
Lower body weight (36)
Increased glucose metabolism in existing T2DM (36, 38-40)
Lower fasting glucose and insulin (38, 41, 42)
Increased insulin sensitivity (38, 41-43)
Increased vasodilation (40)
Lower HbA1c in an Australian population with existing T2DM (7.1% to 6.8%); 55% relative risk reduction of developing diabetes (39)
EVOO and Women's Health
EVOO, especially as part of the Mediterranean diet, has been shown to have beneficial effects for women at all stages, including for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a metabolic disease that affects fertility, perimenopause, and menopause. For women—especially during perimenopause and menopause—metabolic shifts can increase the risk of weight gain, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease.
A systematic review of Mediterranean diet interventions in menopausal women found:
- Sustained weight loss.
- Reduced blood pressure.
- Improved cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Decreased abdominal visceral fat.
This highlights EVOO's role not just in prevention—but in aiding hormonal and metabolic resilience particularly in women.
EVOO Retains Health Benefits after Heating
Extra Virgin Olive Oil has proven it is a safe and even ideal oil for frying. According to the International Olive Oil Council, in proper temperature conditions, without over-heating, it undergoes no substantial structural change and keeps its nutritional value better than other oils, not only because of the antioxidants but also due to its high levels of oleic acid. Its high smoking point (210ºC) is substantially higher than the ideal temperature for frying food (180ºC). Those fats with lower critical points, such as corn and butter, break down at this temperature and form toxic products.
Mary Flynn, PhD, RD, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island has conducted numerous studies on olive oil. According to Flynn, EVOO is a superior food grade oil for human consumption. Not only is it more stable than other oils, it retains its nutritional components when heated compared to other vegetable oils where healthful properties are lost.
Flynn says, "High quality extra virgin olive oil can be heated to 420°F before it reaches smoke-point (ie begins to smoke and starts to form unhealthy compounds), which is higher than nearly every other vegetable oil.
"Olive oil is much more stable when heated compared to most vegetable oil.
"Cooking with olive oil below the smoke-point does not destroy most of its health benefits, or make it less healthy – under normal cooking conditions, most of the therapeutic minor components are retained. Some studies have subjected olive oil to high temperatures (180°C/356°F) for long periods of time (from 90 minutes to over 20 hours). These conditions do tend to decrease the content of some phytonutrients, yet even under such extreme conditions, some phytonutrients remain."
CLICK HERE to read more about Extra Virgin Olive Oil and frying.
At Prairie Oils, we find all this information incredibly exciting!
There certainly is something to this timeless product that people have known about for thousands of years. Great flavour is a wonderful thing to experience, but the remarkable thing about EVOO is that our tastebuds are alerting us to the presence of something extraordinary. Our bodies are responding to healthful foods! Adding Extra Virgin Olive Oil to your diet will increase not only your enjoyment of food, but increase your health and wellbeing.
Come visit us to experience Super Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil or book your group a Tasting Event today. Becoming familiar with fresh Extra Virgin Olive Oil’s flavour characteristics and chemistry will help you make an educated decision about which olive oil is compatible with both your health and your palate. So you can enjoy your food and your life!