Health Benefits of Olive Oil

Biological Background: Olive oil is extracted from ground olives (Olea europaea).

Nutritional Info: A tablespoon of olive oil contains 14 g of fat (mainly monounsaturated oleic acid), equivalent to 120calories.

Pharmacological Activity: Olive oil is rich in oleic acid, a monosaturated fatty acid, and phytochemicals oleurpein and hydrooxylorosol, potent anti oxidants. Olive oil can lower blood levels of an undesirable form of cholesterol, LDL, while raising the level of HDL, the desirable kind of cholesterol and help keep LDLcholesterol from being converted to a toxic or oxidized form, thus protecting arteries from the fatty plague. Olive oil can also reduce blood pressure and help regulate blood sugars. Oleuropein and hydrooxylorosol in oliveoil help fight cancers, especially braest cancer.

Eating Tips: Use olive oil for salads and cooking.

Stroke Prevention

Disruption of blood flow to the brain is known as stroke (or cerebrovascular accident - CVA) - a disorder that occurs in two basic forms: clot strokes and bleeding stroke, both potentially life threatening. About 80 percent of stokes among Americans are due to clot stroke - clots in blood vessels blocking the oxygen-rich blood flowing to the brain. The rest come from bleeding stroke when blood vessels in the brain rupture, spilling blood into the brain.

Foods that help ward off clots, keep blood vessel flexible and unclogged, and keep blood pressure normal are good bets for preventing strokes. Even one extra daily portion of the right foods may cut an astounding 40 to 60 percent or even more of your chances of having or dying of a stroke as some scientific studies have indicated. Such an effective and certainly safer and cheaper drug is in everyone’s possession right now.