Story at a Glance:
•For thousands of years, olive oil was valued as much as a medicine as a food, and modern research has largely confirmed that reputation. Most notably, in large randomized trials, adding extra virgin olive oil to a Mediterranean diet reduced heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation.
•Most of olive oil’s benefits come from a small fraction of compounds (e.g., polyphenols) that refining destroys and that degrade with time, heat, and light. As a result, two bottles labeled extra virgin can differ more than tenfold in the compounds responsible for its benefits.
•One of these, oleocanthal, was discovered because it stings the throat the same way ibuprofen does, and it was then found to block the same enzymes. Likewise, olive oil lowers markers of inflammation, and the Mediterranean diet has the most evidence of any diet for helping rheumatologic and autoimmune patients. Additionally, olive oil applied directly to arthritic knees relieved pain better than an NSAID gel.
•Olive oil has long been one of the most commonly faked foods. However, testing shows the larger problem today is genuine oil that has gone stale or rancid before it ever reaches the shelf.
•Contrary to popular belief, extra virgin olive oil holds up to cooking better than most of the oils promoted in its place.
•In this article, we will explore the science behind olive oil, how to recognize fresh oil, the brands we trust, how we use it in our diet, and the olive leaf extracts we use to treat viral illnesses.
One of the greatest problems in medicine today is that everything has become so rushed there is rarely time for a doctor to truly get to know their patients, and as a result, much of what matters most gets lost. Because of this, when I started this newsletter, I hoped to correspond with everyone who reached out to me, but as this publication has grown, that has no longer been possible.
The best solution I’ve found is these monthly open threads, where anyone can ask whatever is on their mind (e.g., questions that have accumulated over the last month). That lets me make a point of replying, and lets others with the same question see the answer. Each month, I also pair the thread with a topic I’ve long wanted to cover but that doesn’t quite warrant its own article.
This month’s topic is olive oil, a food most of us already have in our kitchens, yet few appreciate......
