José Antonio R. Piedrabuena -- Why should we consume olive oil?

The fact that people are buying less is not a question of prices, it is a question of a taste for healthy living. It is related to the fact that half of Spaniards do not exercise, are overweight, get little sleep and eat little fruit and vegetables. These deficiencies can be reduced if we use one of our best products: olive oil.

Even though Spain has one of the five best olive oils in the world, there are some hoaxes, prejudices, silly recommendations such as using a spray to sprinkle it on salads, or that it is fattening.

The oil is an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, improves bone mineralisation, regulates blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, is a poly-vitamin and a powerful anti-ageing agent.

Its oleic acid prevents cardiovascular diseases by reducing total cholesterol in the body, as it helps to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL), while preserving good cholesterol (HDL). Its sterols compete with cholesterol absorption in the intestine, thereby lowering blood cholesterol.

It also helps to keep blood pressure down, relieving the effects of arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory power. Due to oleocanthal and terpenic alcohols, it increases the excretion of bile acids, resulting in the elimination of cholesterol in the faeces. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (aine), similar to ibuprofen, paracetamol or diclofenac, but is natural and without side effects, with anti-cancer properties because some cancers need an inflammatory substrate. By the same token, it is anti-diabetic and contributes to weight loss in obesity, which also has this inflammatory substrate.

Its phytosterols compete with cholesterol absorption in the intestine and lower high triglycerides. Its tocopherols improve cardiovascular flow, protecting the heart, and also improve blood circulation, preventing blood clots.

According to a study by the University of NavarraThe study was carried out with 187 volunteers and published in the magazine AtherosclerosisA Mediterranean diet enriched with virgin olive oil and nuts can reverse atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries in just one year".

Dietary fats play a key role in the ongoing process of cell construction and cell renewal, as they provide the building blocks for the cell membrane and the membranes of the mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of our cells. Depending on the type of fats present in the diet, the construction of these membranes is carried out with different structures, so that there are fats that give rise to membranes that are resistant to oxidative stress caused by free radicals and others that make them vulnerable to it. Olive oil provides in its fatty acids the ideal components for the construction of a cell membrane that is more efficient in its vital dynamics and more resistant to oxidation, while the consumption of other types of fats produces membranes that are more fragile and prone to oxidation. This also explains the link between oil consumption and a decrease in cancers.

Oil protects us against ageing

The antioxidants in the oil are accompanied by the necessary proportion of cofactor minerals that enable antioxidant action, such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron and zinc, which is the oil's secret recipe. This makes it necessary to improve osteoporosis, from middle age onwards.

Vitamins A and E help to improve the appearance and smoothness of the skin, and vitamin E stabilises and regulates the production of female hormones. All this makes its consumption very beneficial for the reproductive organs, as well as facilitating pregnancy and childbirth.

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