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Replacing saturated fat with olive oil may reduce disease risk

Using olive oil instead of margarine, butter and other saturated fats can help protect against cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular disease, dementia and other conditions, according to a study published Monday.

“It’s a combination of reducing the amount of saturated fat and increasing the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil,” says Howard LeWine, the medical editor of Harvard Health Publishing at Harvard Medical School.

“The bottom line is to use olive oil whenever you can, as a substitute for saturated fats, when cooking or in salad dressings,” says LeWine, who has no connection with the study.

The research analyzed the diets of people enrolled in two large US government-funded studies: the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The researchers compared the results of the studies to the participants’ death records over time.

Men and women who replaced just over two teaspoons (10 grams) of margarine, butter, mayonnaise, or dairy shortening with the same amount of olive oil had a 34% lower overall risk of death than people who ate little or no no olive oil, according to one of the study’s authors, Marta Guasch-Ferre, a researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

“This is the first long-term study, including more than 90,000 participants and conducted over 30 years, conducted with the American population, on olive oil and mortality. Previous studies have been conducted with populations in the Mediterranean and Europe, where olive oil consumption tends to be higher,” Guasch-Ferre said via email.

“Our results provide additional support for recommendations to replace saturated fat and animal fat with unsaturated vegetable oils, such as olive oil, for the prevention of premature death,” he added.

Participants who reported ingesting the highest amounts of olive oil had a 19% lower risk of dying from heart conditions, a 17% lower risk of dying from cancer, a 29% lower risk of dying from neurodegenerative disease, and an 18% lower risk of dying from cancer. respiratory disease. Mortality rates were compared to those who never or rarely consumed olive oil instead of saturated fats, Susanna Larsson, associate professor and epidemiologist at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, said in an editorial.

Both the study and the editorial were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The connection between olive oil and fewer deaths from brain disease was “new,” Larsson wrote. “Considering the lack of preventive strategies for Alzheimer’s and the high mortality related to the disease, this finding, if confirmed, is of great public health importance.”

Beloved in the Mediterranean

Olive oil, or “lader” in Greek, is a key element in the award-winning Mediterranean diet, which studies have shown may reduce the risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, dementia, memory loss, depression and breast cancer. The diet — which is more of an eating style than a restrictive diet — has also been linked to stronger bones, a healthier heart and longevity.

Although the Mediterranean diet is based on traditional foods from the 21 countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea, it revolves around one fundamental theme. The focus is on simple, plant-based cuisine, featuring vegetables and fruits, whole grains, pulses, seeds and nuts, and a heavy emphasis on extra virgin olive oil.

In Greece, the birthplace of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is so present in everyday life that when natives think someone is going crazy, they say they are “choris ládi” or “losing oil”.

But food isn’t the only focus of the Mediterranean style, which recently claimed the top of the best diets ranking for the fifth time in a row. It’s a lifestyle that also emphasizes movement—walking, biking, gardening—as well as mindful eating and the social benefits of dining with friends and family.

healthy behaviors

A preference for healthy behaviors was also found among men and women who ate more olive oil, according to Guasch-Ferre. They were likely to be more physically active and eat more fruits and vegetables than those who ate less olive oil. They were also less likely to smoke.

“It is true that it can be difficult to discern the actual effects of olive oil versus the effects of other healthy behaviors,” said Guasch-Ferre, adding that more studies are needed to find out if similar results will be found.

However, the study made adjustments for some potential confounders, “including dietary factors, lifestyle factors, history of heart disease, as well as socioeconomic status.”

“No scientific evidence supports the notion that ingesting more olive oil can cause weight gain,” added the researcher. “Olive oil likely increases satiety, which could potentially reduce unhealthy snacking.”

This content was originally created in English.

original version

Reference: CNN Brasil

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