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Olive oil is beneficial for maternal-fetal health

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Adapted from Cortez-Ribiero et al (2022) and an article by Liji Thomas, MD, in News Medical, January 3, 2023

Numerous studies have shown that olive oil can have positive effects on pregnancy.
A recent systematic review published in the journal Nutrition Research is the first to summarize the evidence for the protective effects of EVOO consumption on maternal-fetal health.

Introduction

Nutrition plays a vital role in the health of a pregnant woman and the outcome of her pregnancy. Olive oil is a healthy source of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and phytochemicals such as polyphenols that promote favorable outcomes in pregnancy. In addition, olive oil is linked to lower rates of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), preeclampsia (a sudden, dangerous rise in blood pressure), and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) or large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants.

A systematic review included nine studies from Europe, the UK, and Argentina, conducted between 2008 and 2020. Study sizes ranged from 30 to 35,000 women.

  • Six studies were interventional, including five randomized controlled trials, and three were observational (case-control or cohort studies).
  • Maternal-fetal outcomes evaluated included SGA, LGA, GDM, premature birth, preeclampsia, and cardiovascular risk.
  • The intervenional studies evaluated the effects of EVOO, while the observational studies did not specify the grade of olive oil.

What did this study show?

  • EVOO in particular, and olive oil in general, is associated with a reduction in the risk of maternal and fetal adverse effects, including GDM, SGA, LGA, prematurity, and preeclampsia.
  • EVOO supplementation was associated with favorable cardiovascular effects in pregnancy, including a decrease in triglyceride levels.

What are the implications?

  • SGA increases the risk of poor fetal outcomes, while LGA increases the risk of birth complications. Both SGA and LGA were reduced in association with EVOO intake.
  • Both GDM and prematurity were reduced in one or more of the interventional studies. The anti-diabetic effects of EVOO may be attributed to the activity of polyphenols, which can improve insulin sensitivity.
  • Two studies evaluated the risk of preeclampsia: increased EVOO consumption reduced the risk in one study; the other did not find a reduced risk of preeclampsia but reported a reduction in gestational weight gain, a risk factor for preeclampsia.

This systematic review is an important, first-of-its-kind summary of the evidence that EVOO can confer protective effects on pregnancy outcomes. More studies focusing on the impact of olive oil consumption on maternal-fetal outcomes are needed.

Reference: Cortez-Ribeiro, AC et al. Olive oil consumption confers protective effects on maternal-fetal outcomes: a systematic review of the evidence. Nutr Res. 2022;110:87-95. doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2022.12.013.

Yale Symposium Discusses Olive Oil’s Many Health and Planetary Benefits

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Adapted from an article by Colin Poitras, September 21, 2022

Leading experts involved in research and education related to the olive tree and its products gathered in Rome recently to discuss the positive health benefits of olive oil during the Fourth Annual Yale Symposium on Olive Oil & Health, September 15–18, 2022.

Organized by Vasilis Vasiliou, PhD, and Tassos C. Kyriakides, PhD, of the Yale School of Public Health, the four-day symposium addressed a variety of themes central to olive cultivation and the future of olive oil as it pertains to human and planetary health.

Laura Di Renzo, of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, focused attention on the role of high-quality extra-virgin olive oils in preventing non-communicable chronic degenerative diseases (NCDDs) and the health benefits of a sustainable Mediterranean diet. NCDDs include obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic respiratory diseases, and many cancers. They have been the most frequent causes of prolonged disability and death worldwide.

Di Renzo highlighted the role of the sustainable Mediterranean diet in the prevention and treatment of NCDDs, including the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).

Attendees praised the symposium for helping to raise awareness of the health benefits of olive oil. Vasiliou and Kyriakides have been leading international advocates for the promotion of olive oil as an important part of a healthy diet.

Kyriakides, an olive oil sommelier, not only constantly tastes oils from all over the world, he consumes copious amounts of olive oil daily in his cooking in addition to his daily morning extra virgin olive oil shot.

It’s a delicious natural and healthfully nutritious food. The olive tree and olive oil have been bringing people together for thousands of years; as public health professionals it is our task to maintain and safeguard the olive tree and its numerous positive effects on human and planetary health. The olive tree can serve as a vehicle in our pursuit for sustainable and planet-friendly agricultural practices.

—Tassos C. Kyriakides, PhD, of the Yale School of Public Health

Evidence accumulated over the past six decades shows that olive oil promotes good health, Kyriakides said. A daily intake of 20 grams of olive oil (about two tablespoons) contains a polyphenol (at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives) that assists in the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress. The finding has been supported by the European Food Safety Agency. The US Food and Drug Administration also supports a qualified health claim that consumption of oleic acid (the main component of olive oil) may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Mediterranean Diet Significantly Reduces Depression

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Reprinted from an article in Science Tech Daily, May 26, 2022

Young men with a poor diet saw a significant improvement in their symptoms of depression when they switched to a healthy Mediterranean diet, a new study shows.

Depression is a widespread mental health issue that affects roughly 300 million people globally each year. It is a substantial risk factor for suicide, the largest cause of mortality among young people. The 12-week randomized controlled trial, conducted by experts from the University of Technology Sydney, was recently published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

According to lead researcher Jessica Bayes, a Ph.D. candidate at the UTS Faculty of Health, the study was the first randomized clinical trial to examine the influence of a Mediterranean diet on depressive symptoms in young males (aged 18 to 25).

“We were surprised by how willing the young men were to take on a new diet,” Bayes said. “Those assigned to the Mediterranean diet were able to significantly change their original diets, under the guidance of a nutritionist, over a short time frame.”

“It suggests that medical doctors and psychologists should consider referring depressed young men to a nutritionist or dietitian as an important component of treating clinical depression,” she said.

The link between food and mood

The research contributes to the emerging subject of nutritional psychiatry, which seeks to investigate the impact of particular nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns on mental health. The study’s diet was rich in colorful vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, as well as oily fish, olive oil, and raw, unsalted nuts.

“The primary focus was on increasing diet quality with fresh whole foods while reducing the intake of ‘fast’ foods, sugar, and processed red meat,” Bayes said. “There are lots of reasons why scientifically we think food affects mood. For example, around 90 percent of serotonin, a chemical that helps us feel happy, is made in our gut by our gut microbes. There is emerging evidence that these microbes can communicate to the brain via the vagus nerve, in what is called the gut-brain axis.”

“To have beneficial microbes, we need to feed them fiber, which is found in legumes, fruits, and vegetables,” she said.

Roughly 30 percent of depressed patients fail to adequately respond to standard treatments for major depressive disorder such as cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressant medications. “Nearly all our participants stayed with the program, and many were keen to continue the diet once the study ended, which shows how effective, tolerable, and worthwhile they found the intervention,” Bayes concluded.

Reference: Bayes J, Schloss J, Sibbritt D. The effect of a Mediterranean diet on the symptoms of depression in young males (the AMMEND study): a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022;116(2): 572-580. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqac106

Fresh-pressed extra virgin olive oil provides multiple health benefits

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oil, on its own and as part of the well-studied Mediterranean Diet, has demonstrated significant positive effects on the body and mind.

Heart: Consuming more than 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil a day translates to a “14% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 18% lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Replacing 5 grams a day of margarine, butter, mayonnaise, or dairy fat with the equivalent amount of olive oil was associated with 5% to 7% lower risk of total CVD and CHD.”1

Brain: The Mediterranean Diet has positive effects for “both cognitively impaired and unimpaired older populations, especially on their memory, both in the short and long run.” Plus, boosting the diet with additional intake of foods “such as extra-virgin olive oil…might have a more significant impact on the improvement of cognitive performance among seniors.”2

Gut: EVOO lowers levels of bad bacteria and stimulates good bacteria: “The gut microbiota and health of the intestinal environment are now considered important factors in the development of obesity, metabolic disease, and even certain neurodegenerative conditions via the gut-brain axis. Recently, data are emerging which demonstrate that the health-promoting benefits of EVOO may also extend to the gut microbiota.”3

Biological Aging & Bone: People who stick more closely to the Mediterranean Diet “are on average almost 1 year biologically younger than their chronological age, as compared to those with low adherence,” thanks to its polyphenol-rich foods like extra virgin olive oil. Polyphenols are also linked with higher bone mineral density. “In particular, high consumption of extra-virgin olive oil leads to lower risk of osteoporosis-related fractures.”4

Skin: Olive oil works well in beauty formulas and may enhance your skin because it “provides a safe and stable emulsion delivery system. The antioxidant activity of olives makes them a candidate for moderating the effects of the aging process on the skin by limiting biochemical consequences of oxidation.” Simple translation: It seems to help guard against the ravages of the environment.5

References:

  1. Guasch-Ferré, M., et al. “Olive Oil Consumption and Cardiovascular Risk in U.S. Adults.” Journal of the American College of Cardiology, April 2020; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2020.02.036.
  2. Klimova, B. et al. “The Effect of Mediterranean Diet on Cognitive Functions in the Elderly Population.” Nutrients, June 2021; doi: 10.3390/nu13062067.
  3. Millman, JF, et al. “Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and the Gut-Brain Axis: Influence on Gut Microbiota, Mucosal Immunity, and Cardiometabolic and Cognitive Health.” Nutrition Reviews, December 2021; doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa148.
  4. Esposito, S., et al. “Dietary Polyphenol Intake Is Associated with Biological Aging, a Novel Predictor of Cardiovascular Disease: Cross-Sectional Findings from the Moli-Sani Study.” Nutrients, May 2021; doi: 10.3390/nu13051701.
  5. Gonçalves, S. and Gaivão, I. “Natural Ingredients Common in the Trás-os-Montes Region (Portugal) for Use in the Cosmetic Industry: A Review about Chemical Composition and Antigenotoxic Properties.” Molecules, August 2021; doi: 10.3390/molecules26175255.