Scientists discover olive oil directly impacts genes to halt inflammation
by S. L. Baker, features writer
(NaturalNews) Research has been steadily accumulating that olive oil, a main component of the Mediterranean diet, has extensive health-protective properties. For example, phytonutrient components of olive oil have been found to be effective against breast cancer cells (https://www.naturalnews.com/025633_c...) and studies suggest the abundance of olive oil in the Mediterranean style of eating may be the reason that diet helps prevent depression (https://www.naturalnews.com/027265_d...). Now scientists have discovered that phenolic compounds in olive oil directly repress genes linked to inflammation.
This could be especially important in halting the dangerous effects of metabolic syndrome. Characterized by excess abdominal fat, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood glucose levels, metabolic syndrome is linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and early death.
Research published in the journal BMC Genomics investigated changes in genes mediated by olive oil phenols (which are most abundant in the extra-virgin varieties of olive oil). The double-blind, randomized study, headed by Francisco Perez-Jimenez from the University of Cordoba, involved 20 research subjects, all with metabolic syndrome. For six weeks, the patients did not take any supplements or drugs and they were all placed on similar low-fat, carbohydrate-rich diets. Then, for breakfast, they ate either a breakfast containing virgin olive oil with a high content of phenolic compounds or a similar breakfast with low phenol content.
The research team took blood samples after the meals to check for the expression of over 15,000 human genes. The results? The high phenol olive oil clearly impacted the regulation of almost 100 genes -- many of which have been linked to obesity, high blood fat levels, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
"We identified 98 differentially expressed genes when comparing the intake of phenol-rich olive oil with low-phenol olive oil. Several of the repressed genes are known to be involved in pro-inflammatory processes, suggesting that the diet can switch the activity of immune system cells to a less deleterious inflammatory profile, as seen in metabolic syndrome," Dr. Perez-Jimenez said in a statement to the press. "These findings strengthen the relationship between inflammation, obesity and diet and provide evidence at the most basic level of healthy effects derived from virgin olive oil consumption in humans."
The ability of olive oil's phenolic compounds to reduce or prevent inflammation also provides a molecular basis for the reduction of heart disease observed in Mediterranean countries, where virgin olive oil represents a main source of dietary fat.
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I've been eating a lot of salads these hot/humid summer days, so using lots
of XXVOO and either vinegar or fresh lemon.
I did give in & quick-fry a crab cake in TTraditions Coconut oil yesterday.
Added some onions, green pepper, fresh garlic and baby spinach too.
That and a huge fresh tomato was plenty for me! No breads!
Regardless of how little I eat, I don't seem to lose any weight.
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Regardless of how little I eat, I don't seem to lose any weight.
The crab-cake and salad sound soooo good! I find that without adding exercise to eating smaller portions or healthier foods I don't lose any weight. Also, exercise with no food control doesn't work either. Have you been doing any exercise EarlyBird? I know with this weather lately it's not that easy.
I totally agree with the article! I've been following a mediterranean-style weight loss plan for a couple of months and, actually, it's a pretty good diet both to get rid of my extra pounds (I lost about ten so far) and to feel healthier!
My mom's side of the family comes from a greek island called Icaria (sometimes spelled Ikaria). It is a blue zone and people live to be well over 90 there and they move around a fair amount and they chain smoke. One analysis showed it was not the fish, but the veggies cooked in olive oil that contributes to this.
hey, take some cut up zucchini, peppers, onions, garlic and tomatoes: place them in a casserole dish and add a few tablespoons olive oil, some garlic, salt and pepper and oregano to taste and bake at 300 for 2 hrs, stir after one hr. We call this vegetable lathira.
I've been eating a lot of salads these hot/humid summer days, so using lots
of XXVOO and either vinegar or fresh lemon.
I did give in & quick-fry a crab cake in TTraditions Coconut oil yesterday.
Added some onions, green pepper, fresh garlic and baby spinach too.
That and a huge fresh tomato was plenty for me! No breads!
Regardless of how little I eat, I don't seem to lose any weight.
The crab cakes almost certainly were more than 25% potato.. if fat loss is your goal, you will do well if you restrict carbohydrate intake to less than 30gm average per meal. Intermittent fasting is a powerful tool for fat burning. (The desire to lose weight is better described as a need to lose bodyfat)
Just a little drizzle over your vegetables adds nice flavor and not heating the oil helps it not only to retain its flavor, but also reduces the risk of it losing its nutritional value.
The Weston Price Foundation recommends not cooking with olive oil because it oxidizes easily making it toxic to the body. They say to drizzle it onto food after it is cooked and instead to use saturated fats for cooking because they are more stable such as lard, butter, and coconut oil.
But history has shown many cultures cooking with olive oil. Another bit of controversy to make you go...hmmmmmm.
By nature of all cooking oils. It is their purpose - good and bad. Some oils can tolerate high heat, such as coconut oil.
Quote:
The oil qualifies as "cold pressed" because it was not heated while it was actually being pressed. The purpose of all this processing is to improve shelf life. Unrefined oil has a shelf life measured in months or even weeks on a store shelf, and about 3 weeks after its been opened. Refining removes anything and everything that will allow the oil to oxidize (react with oxygen) and therefore go rancid, so its shelf life in the store is about three years. (Almost unlimited, in fact, even after its been opened. When was the last time you threw out any olive oil?)
The only problem here is that:
An unsaturated fat�s whole purpose in life is to oxidize. It joins with a protein to make hemoglobin, a lipoprotein structure that transports oxygen to the cells. It forms the reactive portion of every cell membrane in the body, transporting both oxygen and chemical energy into the cell. By taking away everything that could make the oil oxidize, the process also removes everything your body needs for the oil to do its job. That creates relative deficiencies.
The high heats generate trans fats � polyunsaturates that have been twisted so that they are no longer chemically reactive, but that your body does not recognize because it has never seen them before at any time in its entire evolutionary history. Result: Your body uses trans fats in the places that the chemically reactive CIS fats are needed. This qualifies trans fats as a "metabolic poison", no different from carbon monoxide or cyanide other than in their degree of virulence.
Olive Oil Halts Inflammation
No breads!
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