A UK doctor has hailed a common kitchen staple as 'the single most powerful health-promoting, disease-preventing food on the planet'. Dr Sam Watts, who regularly shares his medical insights on social media and is also an expert in Ayurveda - an alternative medicine system rooted in India - recently extolled the virtues of consuming olive oil with every meal.

Olive oil, a liquid fat derived from freshly pressed olives, is a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet and is predominantly produced in Italy, Spain, and Greece. The quality of the oil is graded, with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) being the top tier.

While the health benefits of olive oil are widely recognised, Dr Watts shed light on how to maximise its nutritional value and what happens when it's consumed daily.

He stated: "So, extra virgin olive oil is widely regarded in the clinical literature as probably being the single most powerful health-promoting, disease-preventing food on the planet.

"But what some of the additional research shows is that when you have olive oil with your meals, alongside your meals, or as a part of your meals, it profoundly changes the metabolic impacts of the food. So, for example, we know that it lowers blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, improves heart health, and we know it improves brain health.

"So, the impacts and health benefits of extra virgin olive oil are always there, irrespective of when we have it. But if we have it alongside other foods, it drastically improves the metabolic benefits of those foods and mitigates and protects against things like elevated blood sugar, elevated cholesterol, and it's also been shown to help with more effective weight management.

"So, using extra virgin olive oil every day as part of a really strong, robust diet is one of the most powerful health-promoting practices we can adopt."

The health advantages of EVOO are well documented. It's packed with heart-protecting mono-unsaturated fatty acids, contains modest amounts of vitamins E and K, and boasts a host of bioactive compounds.

These compounds possess anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-cancer, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective properties.

A 2023 study revealed: "Compared with other dietary fats and low-fat diets, EVOO is superior in the management of clinical biomarkers including lowering blood pressure and LDL-c, increasing protective HDL-c, improving glycemic control, and weight management.

"The protective effects of EVOO are likely due to its polyphenol content rather than the monounsaturated fat content. It is therefore important to promote the regular use of EVOO in the context of healthy dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet for maximal health benefit."

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Harvard Health Publishing states: "Regardless of the type, olive oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids, containing about 75% by volume. When substituted for saturated fat, monounsaturated fats help lower your "bad" LDL cholesterol.

"The health benefits of olive oil have been attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, observational studies have shown a link between lower risks of cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and even dementia in people who consume higher amounts of olive oil than those who use little or none."

Olive oil's remarkable health credentials are also thought to stem from its abundance of natural plant polyphenols. Research from 2018 suggests these compounds may help reduce illness and slow the progression of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative conditions, as well as cancer.

"Biological activity of polyphenols is strongly related to their antioxidant properties. They tend to reduce the pool of reactive oxygen species as well as to neutralize potentially carcinogenic metabolites. A broad spectrum of health-promoting properties of plant polyphenols comprises antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-atherogenic, anti-thrombotic, and anti-mutagenic effects," the study noted.