Lecture 5: Olive oil and diseases

1
C. Olive oil Quality1. Olive oil composition and
quality

• 5. Olive oil and diseases

2
Antioxidant activity and olive oil

• sterols
• tocopherols
• carotenoids
• polyphenols
• Reduce the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol
• (associated with atherosclerosis)
• Reduce cardiovascular diseases
• Limit cancer diseases

3
Can olive oil help prevent heart attacks ?

• several studies in Mediterranean countries have
  shown that the incidence of heart disease is
  lower than would be expected by blood cholesterol
  levels
• this discrepancy can be explained by the high
  amount of olive oil in the diet in this region

4
Olive oil and CHD

• high doses of vitamin E over at least two years
  can significantly reduce coronary heart disease
  (CHD) risk (31-65)
• high-dose vitamin E supplementation
  significantly reduced the incidence of non-fatal
  heart attacks

5
Olive oil and cancer (part I)

• Epidemiological studies suggest that olive oil
  exerts a protective effect against certain
  malignant tumors (breast, prostate, endometrium,
  digestive tract).

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Olive oil and cancer (part II)

• A number of research studies have documented that
  olive oil reduces the risk of breast cancer.
• Eating a healthy diet with olive oil as the main
  source of fat could considerably lower cancer
  incidence.

7
Olive oil and asthma

• for sufferers of asthma, adopting a Mediterranean
  Diet has been shown to provide benefits that can
  help bring asthma under control
• the antioxidants provided by olive oil are very
  likely to improve lung and airway support
• the rich array of anti-inflammatory compounds
  found in core elements, such as extra virgin
  olive oil

8
Olive oil and cholesterol (part I)

• olive oil has a central role in the Mediterranean
  diet, providing a strong source of
  mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats
• these contributions to an overall healthy diet
  can have positive effects on cholesterol levels
  by helping to maintain a better balance between
  HDL (good) cholesterol and LDL (bad)
  cholesterol

9
Olive oil and cholesterol (part II)

• diets high in mono-unsaturated and
  poly-unsaturated fats tend to decrease LDL levels
• recent studies have revealed that other than its
  high mono-unsaturated content, unprocessed (such
  as extra-virgin) olive oil contains non-fat
  components such as certain phenolic compounds
  that have a wide range of health benefits
  including positive effects on cholesterol (both
  good and bad) levels and LDL oxidation.

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Summary of 5th Lecture

• Antioxidant activity of olive oil
• Olive oil and coronary heart disease
• Olive oil and asthma
• Olive oil and cholesterol