15 Benefits of Olive Oil for Health- Olive oil originates from Greece in Europe and is said to be better for health because it contains many antioxidants and good unsaturated oils.
Olive oil has a lot of polyphenols, so it is often included in the Mediterranean diet, which is usually followed by people suffering from heart disease or hypertension. For those who want to lead a healthy lifestyle, this oil should be on their diet list.
The benefits of olive oil are well known for health, beauty, and the kitchen. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), one tablespoon of olive oil contains:
- 119 calories
- 13.50 gr fat
- 0 carbs
- 2 grams of saturated fat
- 0 fibers
- 0 proteins
- 1.8 mg of vitamin E
- 8.1 micrograms of vitamin K
What are the benefits of olive oil for your health? It is important to become familiar with the different types of olive oil before using it.
Types of Olive Oil
1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is made from first pressing olive juice, which has a high polyphenol content. This type of olive oil is the healthiest because it is not processed too much. The characteristic of olive oil is its slightly spicy and bitter taste. The bitter taste indicates the high level of oleuropein in olive oil, which is useful for lowering blood pressure. The more bitter the taste, the better the quality.
This olive oil can be used for sautéing, frying at low temperatures, mixing salads, or boiling food.
2. Virgin Olive Oil
This olive oil does not go through a filtering process like other extra virgin olive oils. This type of olive oil is lighter than extra-virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil has a 2% higher acidity level, a higher boiling point, and fewer calories. This type of olive oil is usually used for frying foods low in fat.
3. Refined Olive Oil
This type of olive oil is pure olive oil, which is extracted through a filtering process. It is used to cook food, making the olives taste thin or even tasteless.
because the filtering process will affect the antioxidants in it. This oil remains long-lasting because it does not contain antioxidants. Vitamin E is usually added to this type of olive oil.
4. Pure Olive Oil
Pure olive oil is a mixture of pure olive oil and refined olive oil, which has a different aroma, taste, and antioxidant level.
This type of olive oil is usually used for smoking meat or frying food by deep-frying.
5. Lite or Light Olive Oil
This type of olive oil has gone through an additional filtration process to remove its taste, color, and aroma. Light types of olive oil are used for deep-frying or baking because of their weak taste.
Benefits of Olive Oil for Health
The health benefits of olive oil cannot be doubted. The following are the benefits of olive oil for health:.
1. Maintain heart health.
Olive oil, with its high content of unsaturated fatty acids, is very good for the heart and helps prevent heart disease.
Olive oil has been shown to be beneficial for the heart and is an important component of the Mediterranean diet. People who follow a Mediterranean diet when suffering from heart disease have a lower risk of death.
Olive oil has unsaturated fats that can lower cholesterol levels and normalize blood clotting, lowering the risk of heart disease, according to research.
2. Prevents skin and breast cancer
Olive oil is good for heart health and prevents cancer because it has inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Apart from that, it contains phenolics and vitamin E, which can prevent and reduce the risk of cancer, especially skin cancer and breast cancer. You can use olive oil both orally and externally to get its benefits.
Using olive oil as a sunscreen for skin cancer is the best way to avoid the harmful effects of UVA and UVB sunlight. This prevents dreaded skin cancer or dangerous skin cancer.
Excessive consumption of bad fats also often causes breast cancer. Olive oil has unsaturated fats and oleic acid, as well as bioactive compounds such as antioxidants, which can fight tumors that will develop into breast cancer.
3. Treating Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that can cause a gradual decline in memory, the ability to speak and think, and changes in behavior. This disease is usually diagnosed in people over 65 years of age.
Researchers found that the polyphenol content in extra virgin olive oil can prevent Alzheimer's disease. They also found that consuming extra virgin olive oil can protect the brain and improve learning ability. Alzheimer's disease is caused by a decrease in the formation of amyloid beta and neurofibrillary plaques in the brain.
4. Prevent strokes.
If the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, it is called a stroke. Lack of blood flow can cause biochemical reactions in brain tissue. Conditions like this have the potential to damage or even kill brain nerve cells. This disease can be life-threatening and cause irreversible damage. This disease is considered the second leading cause of death after heart disease. A study shows that the unsaturated fatty acid content in olive oil can reduce the risk of stroke.
5. Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, the symptom of which is joint pain, is caused by the body's immune system accidentally attacking normal cells.
Olive oil is known to be able to treat RA. This will reduce the pain and stiffness of RA patients. Olive oil, which is derived from oleic acid, has anti-inflammatory properties. Olive oil also contains polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, and other antioxidants.
6. Antioxidants
Olive oil contains high levels of antioxidants. So it is not surprising that olive oil is useful as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are needed by the body because they are good for health.
7. Anti-inflammatory
Olive oil has strong anti-inflammatory properties in addition to being useful as an antioxidant. Because ongoing inflammation can cause various health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's, cancer, and others, the body needs anti-inflammatories.
Studies show that extra virgin olive oil is effective in treating inflammation. In addition, other studies have found that the antioxidant content in olive oil can prevent inflammation.
8. A healthy brain
The brain is mostly composed of fatty acids. Olive oil is beneficial for brain health, which will improve memory and concentration. Olive oil is also useful for preventing cognitive abilities from weakening, which can be caused by oxidative stress.
9. Prevents obesity
Obesity, or overweight, is a condition where the accumulation of fat in the body is abnormal. If this condition continues to be allowed to continue, it can affect the sufferer's health. Apart from having an impact on appearance, it will also increase the risk of various health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Obesity is one of the biggest health problems. Apart from physical health, the impact will also affect the sufferer's psychology, such as depression and stress.
Well, research conducted on Spanish students who consumed food prepared using olive oil showed that olive oil does not contain factors that cause obesity. Even if consumed regularly, olive oil will not cause obesity problems.
Based on other research, it has been found that consuming olive oil is useful for increasing antioxidant levels in the blood, which can reduce weight.
10. Anti-Bacterial
Olive oil contains nutrients that can prevent or kill bacteria, including Heliobacter pylori bacteria. This bacteria lives in the stomach and causes stomach acid to rise and stomach cancer. The amazing benefits of olive oil are that this oil is able to fight eight bacteria, three of which are antibiotic-resistant.
11. Prevent Osteoporosis
For those of you who have bone problems such as osteoporosis, you can use olive oil as a natural nutrient for bones. Olive oil can help increase calcium in bones, and the effect will be good for bone density.
12. Overcoming Constipation
Constipation, or constipation, is a condition where bowel movements decrease or sufferers experience difficulty defecating for a long time. It is called constipation when the sufferer defecates less than three times a week. Olive oil is known to be useful for treating constipation. The consistency and texture of olive oil will help stimulate digestion.
13. Overcoming inflammation of the skin
Inflammation of the skin can be caused by various things, for example, sensitive skin, sunburn, or itching. Of course, this condition should not be ignored because it will get worse. To overcome this, you can use olive oil. Olive oil contains anti-inflammatory properties that are useful for treating inflammation of the skin. You simply apply olive oil to your problematic skin.
14. Prevents high blood pressure
The unsaturated fat content in olive oil is not only able to reduce cholesterol levels but can also prevent an increase in blood pressure. The essential fatty acids, known as omega-3, contained in olive oil have been proven effective in lowering blood pressure.
15. Counteracts Free Radicals
Free radicals are dangerous because they will cause health problems. Free radicals can cause inflammation, damage cells, and even trigger cancer. Free radicals themselves can enter the body from anywhere, be it from the air, the food you consume, exposure to sunlight on the skin, and so on. It is very important to reduce the number of free radicals in the body to prevent various problems.
Olive oil has the benefit of warding off free radicals. The polyphenol antioxidants contained in olive oil help the detoxification process so that they can fight free radicals.
Olive oil is useful for warding off free radicals so that it can reduce health risks caused by free radicals.
Benefits of Olive Oil for Babies
The benefits of olive oil are well known, whether for health, beauty, or kitchen purposes. Apart from that, olive oil is also beneficial for babies. The following are the benefits of olive oil for babies:
1. Baby Massage
Massage for babies has many benefits, including improving the quality of a baby's sleep, calming babies, and being beneficial for their health. Baby massage is also the right time to strengthen the bond between parents and babies. One of the oils recommended for massaging babies is olive oil.
2. Reduces dirt on the baby's head
Olive oil can help treat cradle cap or dirt, such as a layer of dry, peeling skin on a baby's head.
3. Overcoming diaper rash
Diaper rash can occur in babies. Olive oil is known to be able to treat rashes caused by using diapers.
The method is to mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of water.
Then rub it on the part where the rash is present.
However, if your baby's rash doesn't subside, you should immediately take him to the doctor.
4. Baby Hair Health
Apart from cleaning the baby's scalp, rubbing olive oil on the baby's head is useful for softening the hair, strengthening the hair, and moisturizing the baby's hair.
5. Treating Coughs in Babies
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises doctors to recommend natural home treatments for coughing in babies. Giving breast milk when a baby is sick is an effective treatment. You can support this with a treatment using olive oil.
Please mix 3–4 teaspoons of olive oil with 2-3 drops of rosemary, eucalyptus, and papermint oil.
You can rub this mixture on your little one's chest or back.
If you apply this oil before bed, it will help your little one sleep more soundly.
Even though olive oil has many benefits for your little one, you still have to pay attention to giving it to babies. The structure of a baby's skin is not the same as that of an adult, nor is the structure of one baby's skin different from that of another baby. There are babies who are suitable for treatment using olive oil; there are also babies who are not suitable and actually experience irritation. This condition will occur if your child has an allergy to olive oil. You should also consider using it if you have a history of family members who are allergic to olive oil. If you are still in doubt, you can consult a doctor first.
Olive oil does have many health benefits, but you must pay attention to the use of olive oil for diabetics, breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women, and patients who will undergo surgery. It would be better, in these conditions, to avoid consuming olive oil.
Thus the discussion regarding the benefits of olive oil for health. I hope it is useful.