Why Olive Oil Is So Good For You
Anyone who is trying to transform their diet into one that is much more beneficial for their health can consider including virgin olive oil in their daily food intake. This is because olive oil is so high in beneficial compounds that it can add an overall boost to many of the body’s systems.
The specific ingredient in Virgin Olive Oil that has one of the most beneficial effects is oleic acid. This is an antioxidant
Although reducing the chance of developing tumors is critical, it is also important to keep your cardiovascular health as high as possible. Because olive oil can regulate cholesterol levels it can significantly reduce your chances of having a heart attack or suffering a stroke. The blood contains two types of cholesterol which are known as HDL and LDL (HDL is the one that is dangerous to the cardiovascular system). You want to keep both of these within certain levels and in proportion to each other. LDL cholesterol can, however, oxidize in the body and become less beneficial but using virgin olive oil can keep the LDL cholesterol in your body from oxidizing in the first place.
It may not seem like it would be important to use virgin olive oil but you need to know that not all olive oils are made alike. You want to make sure it is as unprocessed as possible and virgin olive oil is the second least processed of all of the grades of olive oil. Because it has not been processed as much as later pressings higher levels of beneficial compounds will still remain in the oil itself. The only oil with higher levels of antioxidants and beneficial elements is the first pressing, or extra virgin, oil.
Many people may be concerned that using virgin olive oil in cooking will be difficult but this is not the case. The easiest method is to simply substitute olive oil instead of the butter and animal fats that you may currently be using. Because virgin olive oil can be quite flavorful it can be an excellent way to lightly dress salads or use as a healthy dip for bread and can replace fattening alternatives this way as well. If you are choosing to use virgin olive oil, try using it in areas where it does not need to be heated as much since it can allow more of the flavor to come through in the foods you are making.
Many Mediterranean cultures use olive oil in their daily lives and diets. They also have lower rates of heart disease and stroke. That alone clearly illustrates what a good choice it is to include it in your diet.
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