15 Benefits of Olive Oil
The health benefits of olive oil are not unknown. In fact, olive oil has been used for centuries in certain parts of the world. In the Mediterranean regions where olive oil is a staple in their diets, the people have much longer life expectancy and a much lower rate of cardiovascular diseases.
Recent research is only beginning to shed light on the many benefits of this great oil, referred to as ‘liquid gold’ in the olden days.
Chefs nowadays are recommending that people switch to olive oil for cooking purposes. This is because olive oil has benefits for diseases such as arthritis, cholesterol, blood pressure, weight gain, and even cancer.
Olive oil isn’t only useful when used in food however. It has a whole range of other benefits for you. Be it a skin problem, a hair problem, or any other sort of problem, olive oil has the solution to everything!
Here are some of the greatest benefits of using olive oil on a regular basis.
1. Olive Oil Has a High Monounsaturated Fat Content
Olive oil is a natural olive, extracted from the olive tree. Olive oil contains about 15% of saturated fat and roughly 10% of polyunsaturated fat like omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
The primary fatty acid in olive oil however is monounsaturated fat and this makes up about 74% of the total oil content.
In addition, monounsaturated fats are even heat resistant and this makes olive oil a healthy cooking option.
2. Olive Oil Has Anti-Oxidant Properties
Olive oil has anti-oxidant properties that can protect you from cell damage and even slow down your aging process. This is why in the Mediterranean regions where olive oil is a staple, people tend to live much longer.
Antioxidants also tend to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Studies have shown that olive oil can lower blood pressure and prevent the arteries from becoming hard.
In fact, according to one study, those who consumed olive oil had a 9% lesser chance of getting heart disease and 11% lesser chance of dying early than those who did not.
Another study confirmed that those who regularly consumed olive oil had a 41% lower chance of getting a heart stroke than those who did not.
3. Olive Oil Can Prevent Alzheimer’s
According to an American study, olive oil can help with memory and learning in mice. This supports a potential replication of the human disease of Alzheimer’s.
4. Olive Oil Can Strengthen Bones
Calcium isn’t the only thing that can make your bones stronger. Apparently, olive oil can do the same!
In a study of men who consumed Mediterranean food, olive oil was found to be a contributor to strong bones. These men were found to have high levels of osteocalcin which indicated stronger bones.
5. Olive Oil Helps With Cholesterol
Olive oil can also help you lower the ‘bad cholesterol’ in your body. This is because olive oil contains low levels of both saturated as well as polyunsaturated fats. As a result, you can control the cholesterol levels in your body.
Olive oil also contains a very high content of monounsaturated fat, approximately 80%. This helps maintain and build levels of ‘good’ cholesterol in your body.
There was research work done at the University of Minnesota according to which Mediterranean populations had much lower rates of heart disease as compared to Americans. This difference was attributed to the olive-oil rich diet of the Mediterranean people.
Another study conducted in Spain found that a diet that is rich in olive oil lowered cholesterol levels in the body.
6. Olive Oil Helps With Constipation
Olive oil is rich in vitamins E and K, omega-3 and omega-6 and even antioxidants. These also have major benefits for your colon and digestive tract. The texture and consistency of olive oil can help stimulate your digestive system by allowing the food to move more smoothly through your colon.
In fact, if you are someone who routinely suffers from constipation, olive oil can help regulate your system. Olive oil has a very high content of monounsaturated fats. These allow for increased mobility of food in your system so that food passes easily in your body. It also allows for easier bowel movements.
Olive oil can be consumed in various ways to treat constipation. You can for example consume raw olive oil twice a day every day. Olive oil acts as a lubricant allowing for better bowel movements. If however you do not like the taste and cannot consume plain olive oil, you can always mix it up with orange juice, lemon juice, warm milk, or even just a bowl of fruits.
Each of these also help cure constipation and consumed together with olive oil makes their effect all the more effective.
7. Olive Oil Can Help With weight Loss
What if you could continue to eat the foods you love and lose weight at the same time? According to research by the Harvard School of Public Health, olive oil is very effective in aiding weight loss.
The study compared the weight loss that occurred because of consuming two entirely different types of diets – low fat and Mediterranean.
At the end of the study it was concluded that only 20% of the original people partaking in the low fat diet continued to follow it.
8. Olive Oil Moisturizes the Skin
If you are someone who invests a lot of money regularly on expensive skin care products for your skin, you will be happy to know that olive oil is a great natural alternative to those chemical-based lotions and body creams.
Olive oil contains vitamin E which is an antioxidant. Vitamin E plays a key role in protecting your skin against any harsh environmental factors, such as the harmful rays of the sun, strong winds, as well as environmental pollutants.
Olive oil is light in texture which makes it the ideal moisturizer for your skin, even if it tends to get oily sometimes. Regardless of weather or skin type, olive oil is the only thing you need to get you and your skin through the day.
All you have to do is rub a little bit of olive oil on to your face immediately after showering. Make sure your skin is still slightly damp as you massage the oil gently onto your face. Leave the oil on for roughly 20 minutes before washing it off with water that is slightly warm.
If you are someone who generally ahs dryer skin, you can even let the oil stay on your face overnight and wash it off first thing in the morning. This is likely to deeply moisturize your skin and you will feel an obvious softness when you touch your face.
9. Olive Oil Improves Skin Health
Nowadays, there is a stitch towards ‘natural’ beauty solutions. People are increasingly moving away from cosmetics that are full of chemicals towards more organic substances.
When it comes to skincare, we all want soft and glowing skin. We are usually willing to try all sorts of household concoctions to get the skin of our dreams.
Olive oil is rich in Vitamin E. In addition to moisturizing the skin, vitamin E also improves overall skin health by treating skin problems such as acne and inflammation, and protecting the skin from more serious problems such as skin cancer.
To get the maximum benefits of olive oil, it can be useful to mix it up with honey and yogurt. Honey provides moisture to the skin and yogurt exfoliates the skin. These two ingredients, together with olive oil can leave you with deeply nourished, glowing skin.
All you have to do is mix these ingredients together, apply to your face and leave on for about 15 minutes, before washing off with slightly warm water.
It is recommended that you do this skin treatment with olive oil, at least once a week.
10. Olive Oil Helps With Aging
With age, the skin of your face begins to sag and you can develop wrinkles. Although there are many anti-aging creams available in the market that promise to get rid of wrinkles and other early signs of aging, most of these products have harmful chemicals that do more good than harm to your skin. Why not opt for a safer, more natural solution. Olive oil has anti-aging properties.
All you have to do is mix a little bit of olive oil with some lemon juice and some salt. Then apply this to your face, gently exfoliating your facial skin. You need to carefully apply this mask to the areas of your face that you think are extra rough or dry.
It is a good idea to apply this mask at least twice a week every week once you cross the age of 30.
11. Olive Oil Is a Good Makeup Remover
Store-bought makeup removers are often terrible for health. They contain chemicals that can be absolutely detrimental for your skin. It’s always better to rely on natural alternatives wherever you can.
Olive oil is a great makeup remover. All you have to do is take a cotton ball, dip it in olive oil and use it to remove the makeup from your face, particularly around the tender eye area.
Olive oil is gentle and will not harm the soft area around your eyes.
12. Olive Oil Can Be Used As a Lip Scrub
Olive oil is a great natural moisturizer for your lips as well. There is no need to rely on expensive, branded lip creams, scrubs and chapsticks. Olive oil can do the trick!
All you need to do is mix olive oil with a little bit of brown sugar and some lemon juice and voila. You have your lip scrub ready.
Because of its moisturizing properties, olive oil is the perfect remedy for chapped or dry lips, particularly in the drier winter season.
Use this scrub for 5 whole minutes on your lips before going to bed each night and you will wake up with lips that are soft and supple. Yummy!
13. Olive Oil Can Help With Cracked Heels
In drier weather, particularly in the winter season, it is common to suffer from cracked heels. Not to worry! Olive oil has moisturizing properties that can help. It’s recommended to use olive oil together with hot lemon water for maximum results. After this treatment, make sure to wear socks so that your feet remain moisturized throughout the day.
14. Olive Oil Leads To Healthy Hair
Olive oil is perhaps a miracle worker for your hair. Using olive oil in your hair regularly can make your hair longer, stronger, and reduce hair fall. In fact, olive oil can also prevent scalp conditions such as dandruff. This is because olive oil contains vitamin E that is a key ingredient in keeping your tresses lustrous and strong.
It’s extra beneficial to use olive oil in combination with nourishing ingredients such as honey and egg yolk. Honey is moisturizing for the hair while egg yolk is full of protein that is essential for strong hair.
Mix olive oil with honey and yogurt and apply to the hair. Leave on for about 25 minutes before washing with water that is only slightly warm. Be prepared for hair that is smoother, silkier and stronger than ever before!
15. Olive Oil Can Be Used Before Shampooing
Olive oil can be used to massage your scalp well before shampooing. All you need to do is heat up the oil in cup and massage it onto your scalp.
Once you wash it off with shampoo, you will notice that your hair looks much shinier than before. Olive oil also helps reduce scalp irritation and makes your scalp is healthy.
These are just some of the many benefits of olive oil. So stop waiting and grab your bottle of olive oil right away.