The benefits of olive oil have been known for a long time because of its natural potential. Its content can now be found in a variety of beauty ingredients, as you can see in the benefits of hair massage with olive oil, and also often used as a substitute for palm oil for stirring and frying. The price is really expensive, but is balanced with all the health benefits provided.
You may be wondering why there are many types of olive oil, ranging from extra virgin olive oil which is often referred to as evoo, general virgin olive oil or purified olive oil.
Extra virgin olive oil or often referred as EVOO, is olive oil with the highest value or class among others. Extra virgin olive oil is made only by crushing the olives and extracting the juice without any purification or additional chemicals.
Speaking of content problems, this kind of olive oil has more original content of olives than the usual one. The benefits of this oil are usually obtained for salad dressings or other products that do not require the heating process, also often used for a mixture of baby foods. It can also offer some benefits of olive oil during pregnancy.
Meanwhile, the second grade of this oil is virgin olive oil which is the second pressing product of olives. The benefits of olive oil are almost the same as evoo, with a cheaper price.
Below that grade is refined or purified olive oil, which is given heat treatment and added with some chemicals. The texture is lighter with a clear yellow color as is the case with cooking oil in general. What are the benefits of this refined olive oil? It is usually used for grilling or frying dishes because the smoke point is high.
Now other than using it for other purposes, olive oil can also be digested in its original form. Drinking olive oil is possible, and it gives you some unique benefits, such as:
Health Benefits of Drinking Olive Oil
1. Has Anti-inflammation Properties
Besides the benefits of extra virgin olive oil for hair, consuming olive oil directly can give you one of its benefits, to reduce inflammation. In the 50 ml olive oil there is a oleocanthal content of about 10 percent of the usual dose of ibuprofen. Do you know what it is?
It is a medicine that works to reduce inflammation by producing prostaglandin compounds, the cause of the inflammation.
The research also added the benefits of olive oil to relieve inflammation due to its oleic acid content. Oleic acid will reduce the rate of important inflammatory markers such as C-reactive proteins. Antioxidants in olive oil also inhibit some genes and proteins that encourage inflammation.
2. Contains High Antioxidants Properties
Aside from benefits of taro root, you can also rely on olive oil for its antioxidants. Olive oil contains vitamin E and K as well as its strong antioxidant content. Know that antioxidants are compounds that can actively capture free radicals, the cause of various types of chronic diseases.
In addition, the benefits of olive oil from its antioxidant content is able to fight inflammation and help protect blood cholesterol from oxidation. It makes you more protected, and more healthy at the same time.
3. Rich in Healthy Monounsaturated Fats
About 14% of olive oil content is saturated fat, while 11% is polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Meanwhile, the main fatty acids in olive oil are monounsaturated fats called oleic acid.
Well, a lot of research that has proven the benefits of olive oil because of its oleic acid content. Oleic acid is shown to reduce inflammation and malice may have a beneficial effect on genes in relation to cancer. Even this fat is also resistant to high temperatures making it the right choice for cooking oil substitutes.
4. Protecting Against Heart Disease
In relation to heart disease, the benefits of olive oil are lowering inflammation, protecting bad cholesterol from oxidation, increasing the lining of blood vessels and can help prevent excessive blood clotting.
More interestingly, olive oil has been shown to lower blood pressure, which is one of the strongest risk factors for heart disease and premature death.
5. Fighting Alzheimer’s Disease
One of the causes of Alzheimer’s is the build-up of beta-amyloid plaques in brain cells. Well, one of the studies shows the benefits of olive oil that can help to eliminate this plaque. In addition, a human study shows that a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil is beneficial for brain function.
6. Doesn’t Make You Fat
It’s easy to see virgin oil with its benefits of extra virgin olive oil for weight loss, one of its popular usefulness. If eating fried food can make you fat, do not worry if frying it using olive oil.
That’s why a lot of research leads to a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil on how it relates to weight. In fact, other studies mention how the addition of olive oil in food is related to increased levels of antioxidants in the blood.
7. Has Anticancer Properties
People in Mediterranean countries have a lower risk of developing some cancers, and many researchers believe that this is one of the benefits of olive oil.
However, some studies have found that olive oil actually contains some substances that are strong against cancer. But of course, this statement still requires a lot more research.Â
Caution
As you can see here, olive oil can actually be a healthy part of your diet. Even though drinking it is totally fine, the amount needed to be consumed in order to get these benefits is still debatable.
Even though the benefits of olive oil have been proven by so many researches, most of them still don’t have exact information about the recommended amount. But logically, you shouldn’t drink it excessively, since you’ll be getting a lot of trouble instead of benefits.