Cholesterol-busting olives
virgin olive oil can protect the human body from 'bad' cholesterol
has recently arrived from Spain researchers.
Further evidence to support the idea that a daily dose of extra virgin olive oil can protect the human body from 'bad' cholesterol has recently arrived from Spain researchers.
Scientists from the Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Barcelona and the Department of Lipids and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, IMIM performed a study to measure the incorporation of oleic acid and antioxidants (phenols and vitamin E) to low density lipoprotein (LDL) after acute and short-term ingestion of virgin olive oil and to determine whether this incorporation contributes to an increase in LDL resistance to oxidation.
They studied 16 healthy volunteers aged 25-65 years, observing changes in the fatty acid profile, vitamin E, phenolic compounds and LDL oxidation-related variables after the postprandial phase and after daily ingestion of olive oil for one week.
The researchers observed that after ingesting virgin olive oil, an increase in antioxidants (vitamin E and phenolics) and oleic acid in LDL occurred together with an improvement of LDL resistance to oxidation.
Full findings are published in the February issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
