The importance of Olive Oils Polyphenols

Why polyphenols must be on a healthy diet

Surely, you have heard many times about polyphenols in olive oil.

But, do you know what polyphenols are?

Polyphenols are antioxidant compounds, which stand out for fighting free radicals in our body that cause the wear and tear of our cells. Thus, they are responsible for causing us aging and in some cases serious diseases.

All polyphenols have antioxidant properties, and some of them also have anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, antibacterial and estrogenic activity. Besides they are modulators of the activity of numerous enzymes, including digestive enzymes.

We find them in foods of plant origin, that should be as fresh as possible and of the best quality, to ensure a minimum loss of nutrients so as not to lose that desired effect of polyphenols. 

The presence of polyphenols will be high in: olive oil, grapes, cocoa, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, pomegranate, beets, eggplant, nuts, soybeans, green tea, red wine, lentils, peas, yerba mate, beer, and others.

Did you know which properties of olive oil are good for your health?

The olive oil was connected to its status as fat, to the high percentage of oleic acid in its composition, and its beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. But it also has other properties as a great antioxidant capacity, and that prevents or reduces many oxidative processes associated with several physical illnesses like cardiovascular diseases. In addition, reduces levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases levels of good cholesterol (HDL); prevents some types of cancer (especially reduce de incidence in the intestine, colon, pancreas, endometrium, prostate, and breast cancer); and prevents or reduces hypertension, and diabetes.

In the digestive system: it reduces gastric motility, favors the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the intestine. Furthermore, the presence of sitosterol in virgin olive oil prevents partially the absorption of cholesterol and increases the absorption of calcium, iron, and magnesium. It is also known the mild laxative action of olive oil that reduces constipation and halitosis.

Virgin olive oil has the same calories as any other fat (9 kilocalories per gram), it is the most recommended fat for those who want to lose weight.

Olive oil is recommended also to prevent aging: its contents help to supply the production of antioxidants and reduces the effects of oxidation.

Olive oil is beneficial for the skin: this action is based on the same process that acts on general aging. As well, with age, occurs the thinning of the dermis and the epidermis, the fibrosis of the collagen, and the loss of elastin.

So, how is it possible to know if the olive oil has abundant levels of polyphenols?

There are several clues that you can check to know it:

• The olive oil has to be virgin because the refining process removes most of the polyphenols in the olive oil.
• It is important that the virgin olive oil should be of the early harvest. An indication could be the color of the olive oil. In general, the greener, the better. Late harvested olive oils tend to be more Golden.
• The virgin olive oil must have a certain bitter taste, leaving a slight pungency in the throat.
• It is important to know the year of harvest. You can check in the label the year of harvest (although only the top quality extra virgin olive oils tend to indicate it).

However, the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) has already approved an official method of analysis of polyphenols, and the European Union (EU), in its list of authoritative statements from properties of the healthy food, has included the polyphenols of olive oils as a beneficial substance. The sentence that EU allows to be written in the labels of olive oils with high levels of polyphenols is: “The polyphenols of the olive oil contribute to the protection of the blood lipids against oxidative damage”.

The best olive oils are produced in Mediterranean climates because of their mild water stress that increases their polyphenols.
Some olive oil brands put extra effort into obtaining high-polyphenol oils. On aim.store you will find excellent options of olive oils. Do not hesitate to look for someone on this site!

Did you know all these? and how important are they to benefit your health?

Do you already consume olive oil? if you don’t … What are you waiting for?