Why You Should Try Olive Oil

There are lots of different options on the market for what type of oil to use in cooking. Grocery shelves are stocked with peanut, vegetable, canola, walnut and a variety of other oils. While it is fun to experiment with a variety of different types in your cooking, olive oil has several benefits that other foods do not.

Good Fats

All oils have high contents of fat, but fat is not necessarily a bad thing. Olive oil has a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids whereas most other oils have trans fats.

Antioxidants

Contains antioxidants that help detoxify your system. Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, carotene, lycopene, lutein and many other substances may play a role in helping to prevent diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and macular degeneration.

Heart Disease

Increases your body's levels of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), which helps control your body's levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). By increasing levels of good cholesterol, it shows to help your body protect itself from heart disease.

Diabetes

Studies show monounsaturated fats may reduce insulin levels and help control blood sugar, which is especially useful for those with type 2 diabetes. With this in mind it is both beneficial as a preventive treatment for the disease and something that to be included in the diet of diabetics post diagnosis.

Ulcers

Can help protect against ulcers because it is well tolerated by our stomachs and activates pancreatic hormones and bile secretion.

Gallstones

When olive oil activates pancreatic hormones and bile secretion it can also help prevent gallstones better than prescribed medications. Prior to gallstone surgery many patients are recommended a cleansing agent that is a mix with lemon juice.

Colon Cancer

Recent studies show a reduction in your chances of colon cancer. In these studies rats that were fed a diet supplemented with olive oil had a lower risk of colon cancer than those fed diets supplemented with safflower oil. This is nearly as low as those supplemented with fish oil, which is an established colon cancer-fighting agent.

There are many different types of olive oil at your local grocery store, including extra virgin, virgin, pure and light. Extra virgin is the purest form and is considered the best option because it is processed less than other types. Pure olive oil undergoes some processing, filtering and refining. Oil labeled "light" undergoes a significant amount of processing and only has a very mild olive flavor when compared to other types.