According to the World Health Organization, high blood pressure is the cause of most heart diseases and strokes. Approximately, 7.1 million deaths a year are caused by it. Several studies conducted in this field reveal that olive oil is helpful in curing this ailment. Monosaturated fat and polyphenols present in the olive oil help in controlling high blood pressure.

How does olive oil help in reducing blood pressure?

Nearly 77 percent of the fat present in olive oil is monosaturated, which is the healthiest kind of fat. Fat of this kind keeps the heart healthy and also prevents cancer. Monosaturated fat also helps in reducing the bad cholesterol without affecting the good cholesterol. Once the cholesterol is controlled, it is easier to control blood pressure.
Olive oil contains polyphenols which act as antioxidants. These are responsible for this oil’s anti-hypertensive qualities by protecting the body against free radicals.

Both the monosaturated fats and the polyphenols restrict the bad cholesterol from settling on the walls of the artery. This reduces the likelihood of heart diseases. There are many instances of patients who have been able to reduce medicine consumption for high blood pressure by the increased use of olive oil.

The Mediterranean diet and olive oil

The Mediterranean diet that stresses the use of olive oil is a modern nutritional recommendation. Despite its name, the diet does not adhere to a typical Mediterranean cuisine. The key elements of the diet include high quantity of olive oil, vegetables, fruits, and unrefined cereals, and average quantity of diary products, fish and meat products. The diet also recommends less consumption of wine. The Mediterranean diet is ideal for patients with high blood pressure. Vegetables, pasta, fish and almost everything else in this cuisine is cooked with the healthy olive oil. The intention is to increase the consumption of monosaturated fat which keeps the body healthy.

Research on health benefits of olive oil

Researchers of the University of Barcelona conducted a study on the effects of olive oil, which is published in the Journal of Nutrition. The researchers chose both Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean men. The assumption was that the non-Mediterranean men do not consume as much olive oil as the Mediterranean men do. Both the groups were asked to consume 25ml of olive oil per day through the three-week duration of the study.

The results revealed that a monosaturated fatty acid called the oleic acid was 2-3% higher among men belonging to the non-Mediterranean regions. The oleic acid level of the other group did not show any significant change. Apart from this, the systolic blood pressure levels of the non-Mediterranean group dropped by about 3% after the experiment.

After the study was completed the researchers concluded that a moderate consumption of olive oil is helpful for reducing the systolic blood pressure levels of men who do not consume a typical Mediterranean diet.

Olive oil is an extremely useful food component. The oil not only lowers high blood pressure but also keeps your heart healthy. Use this oil to keep your family happy and healthy. Cook your meals with the healthy olive oil and enjoy the benefits.

Author Bio: Sally Grey specializes in writing articles about health, diet, longevity and health specialists like Brenda Rusnak. Brenda Rusnak is a health care specialist who writes about healthy-aging and prevention. For more information about healthy-aging and Brenda Rusnak, check her out at brendarusnak.com.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
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