A study published on Monday by the American College of Cardiology found that adding less than a tablespoon of olive oil to the diet reduces the risk of death from heart disease, lung disease, brain disorders, and cancer. Dr. Marta Guasch Ferre and her colleagues analyzed data from 60,582 women and 31,801 men over a 28-year period through two continuous assessments of adults in the United States.
Participants' diets were evaluated through a questionnaire every four years, where they were asked about the average frequency of consuming certain foods, types of fats and oils, as well as the types of oils they used for cooking and eating.
The data showed that compared to participants who rarely consumed olive oil or never did, those who added half a tablespoon or more to their daily diet had a 19% lower risk of death from heart disease. They were also 17% less likely to die from cancer and 18% less likely to die from lung disease.
This level of olive oil consumption was also associated with a 29% reduced risk of death from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, according to the researchers.
Additionally, using 10 grams, or less than a tablespoon, of olive oil daily instead of the same amount of margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy products reduced the risk of premature death by as much as 34%.
Marta Guasch Ferre, a study co-author, stated in a press release that the results by her and her team support current dietary recommendations to increase the intake of olive oil and other unsaturated plant oils, as reported by UPI.
