by Playfuls Staff |
27th December 2006
People living in the Mediterranean are on to something: the beneficial effects of olive oil, which prevents cancer.
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Mediterranean seem especially healthy, as they are rich in olive oil, fruit, vegetables and pasta – all these prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s, obesity and heart disease. Four teaspoons of olive oil a day is all it takes to keep the risk of cancer away.
This seems efficient in southern Europe, where cancer rates are much lower than those in northern Europe. People in Spain, Italy, Greece live longer; rates of breast, colon, ovarian and prostate cancer are also significantly lower.
Dr Henrik Poulsen and his team at Copenhagen University Hospital studied 182 healthy men, aged 20 to 60, from five European countries. They subsequently followed a two-week diet that included olive oil.
After the two weeks, the researchers measured levels of 8oxodG, a substance in urine which indicates oxidative damage to cells. Oxidative damage is where the balance of a cell is disrupted, exposing it to substances that result in the accumulation of free-radicals – particles known to cause cancer.
Men who consumed just 25ml of olive oil a day showed a 13 per cent drop in 8oxodG. Men from northern Europe had higher levels of 8oxodG to start with – supporting the theory that a Mediterranean diet cuts the risk of cancer.
Poulsen said, “Every piece of evidence so far points to olive oil being a healthy food. Our findings must be confirmed, but these data provide evidence that olive oil consumption explains the difference in cancer incidence between north and southern Europe.”
He added, “Determining the health benefits of any particular food is challenging because it involves relatively large numbers of people over significant periods of time. We overcame these challenges by measuring how olive oil affected the oxidation of our genes, which is closely linked to development of disease”
Dr Poulsen insisted on the fact that a diet is truly healthy and efficient in preventing cancer when it is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish –olive oil is not a substitute for calorie control and regular exercise.
The scientists’ research offers evidence for the first time that olive oil may be part of the reason that certain types of cancers are less common in Mediterranean countries. Olive oil should replace saturated fats found in meat and butter. The phenols it contains act as powerful antioxidants.
