Olive Oil- Elixir For Diabetes

OLIVE OIL- Elixir For Diabetes

 

 

 

 

M. Tsimidou, ... D. Boskou, in Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition (Second Edition), 2003

Olive oil is part of a cuisine that is simple, light, and placid, with defined tastes and full of harmony, the so-called Mediterranean cuisine. Olive oil resistance to the development of rancidity is combined with a vast array of flavor and color hues and distinct features due to differences in cultivars of olives from which the oil is extracted. A good-quality olive oil blends perfectly with the greens. The exquisite taste of olive oil is very often complemented by the sharp taste of vinegar, lemon, or tomato. In salads or in cooking, olive oil is usually mixed with herbs and spices, which are also an important element of the Mediterranean diet. Olive oil shows a remarkable resistance during domestic deep-frying of potatoes or in other uses at frying temperatures due to its low unsaturation. It is, therefore, recommended not only as a salad oil but also for cooking and frying.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is a key component of the traditional Mediterranean diet and a growing body of evidence supports its inclusion as an important part of an antiinflammatory diet. Olive oil is rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. Additionally, virgin and extra virgin olive oils, unrefined versions made by pressing freshly picked olives, have high quantities of polyphenols, which have potent antioxidative properties. The benefits of olive oil likely derive from a synergistic relationship between these key components.

Growing evidence from intervention-based trials indicates that olive oil reduces key cardiovascular risk factors. Olive oil, particularly the high-polyphenol virgin or extra virgin varieties, improves lipid profiles and reduces dyslipidemia through an improvement in the quantity and function of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.  Additionally, olive oil has been shown to decrease blood pressure in patients with hypertension, improve endothelial function in patients with atherosclerotic disease, and reduce markers of inflammation.  Further evidence suggests that regular olive oil consumption, independent of total energy intake, decreases the risk of new-onset diabetes.