Olives and oleic acids
A study largely underwritten by the American Heart Foundation found that on the Mediterranean island of Crete, the mortality rate due to cardiovascular illnesses was the lowest in the world. They compared the figure and the diets with those of Finland and the United States. Those countries have the highest death rates from heart attacks.
The difference was in the types of fat in the diets. In countries with the highest rate of cardiovascular diseases, diets were heavy in saturated fats, which increased cholesterol levels. The saturated fatty acids are found in animal fats, such as butter and lard. Mono unsaturated fatty acids do not have cholesterol. Olive oil contains 56-83 percent of these acids, also called oleic acids.
Olive oil is rich in mono unsaturated fats, which may lower blood cholesterol. A recent study found that LDL (bad) cholesterol levels can be reduced by some 7% by substituting olive oil for margarine. Eating four or five tablespoons of olive oil daily dramatically improves the blood profiles of heart attack patients. And 2/3 of a tablespoon daily lowered blood pressure in men.
If you're trying to reduce the amount of fat in your diet to avoid the risk of heart attack, think of olive oil as an ideal replacement. Anything you can sauté' in butter, you can sauté' in olive oil. Not only will you be helping your heart, but you'll also be pleasing your taste buds.
The healthy aspects of olive oil are not limited to its positive effect in the battle against heart disease. The evidence is strong that it also retards cancer growth.
For example, olive oil seems to strengthen cell membranes, which makes them more stable and better able to resist the invasion of the "free radicals" that roam around through the body causing so much damage. Lately, free radicals have become major suspects as a leading cause of cancer.