My colleagues and I are sifting through medical studies, news stories and other sources from recent months to learn more about olive oil’s potential impact on health.  One study we found suggests some food groups in the Mediterranean diet – including olive oil – could be more important than others in helping you live a healthier and longer life.

That’s the word from the British Medical Journal. The publication, over the summer, cited a study on its web site prepared by researchers from the University of Athens Medical School. Here’s the news release summarizing the results.

It turns out that eating a Mediterranean diet with extra helpings of olive oil, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes could help people live longer, the study suggests. You should avoid eating too much meat and an excessive amount of alcohol. Drinking wine in moderation is OK.

By contrast, eating a Mediterranean diet loaded with fish, seafood and cereals didn’t seem to help people live longer, even if they went easy on dairy products.

“While several studies have concluded that the Mediterranean diet improves chances of living longer, this is the first to investigate the importance of individual components of the diet,” notes ScienceDaily.

Researchers spent 8-1/2 years examining the eating habits of more than 23,000 Greek men and women.

To learn how a Mediterranean diet could reduce depression, check out our consumer blog.

On another health topic, go to the Kitchen Stewardship web site, which is featuring “Super Foods” including olive oil. The blog includes Super Foods recipes as part of its October Fest Carnival of Super Foods.

Bon appétit,

Claude S. Weiller
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
California Olive Ranch

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.