Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
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Study shows extra virgin olive oil staves off multiple forms of dementia in mice

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Adapted from an article in Science Codex by the Temple University Health System, November 25, 2019

Boosting brain function is key to staving off the effects of aging. And if there was one thing every person should consider doing right now to keep their brain young, it is to add extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) to their diet, according to research by scientists at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM).

Previous LKSOM research on mice showed that EVOO preserves memory and protects the brain against Alzheimer’s disease.

In a new study in mice published online in the journal Aging Cell, LKSOM scientists show that yet another group of aging-related diseases can be added to that list—tauopathies, which are characterized by the gradual buildup of an abnormal form of a protein called tau in the brain. This process leads to a decline in mental function, or dementia. The findings are the first to suggest that EVOO can defend against a specific type of mental decline linked to tauopathy known as frontotemporal dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease is itself one form of dementia. It primarily affects the hippocampus—the memory storage center in the brain. Frontotemporal dementia affects the areas of the brain near the forehead and ears. Symptoms typically emerge between ages 40 and 65 and include changes in personality and behavior, difficulties with language and writing, and eventual deterioration of memory and ability to learn from prior experience.

Senior investigator Domenico Praticò, MD, describes the new work as supplying another piece in the story about EVOO’s ability to ward off cognitive decline and to protect the junctions where neurons come together to exchange information, which are known as synapses.

“The realization that EVOO can protect the brain against different forms of dementia gives us an opportunity to learn more about the mechanisms through which it acts to support brain health,” he said.

In previous work using a mouse model, in which animals were destined to develop Alzheimer’s disease, Dr. Praticò’s team showed that EVOO supplied in the diet protected young mice from memory and learning impairment as they aged. Most notably, when the researchers looked at brain tissue from mice fed EVOO,

they did not see features typical of cognitive decline, particularly amyloid plaques—sticky proteins that impair communication pathways between neurons in the brain. Rather, the animals’ brains looked normal.

The team’s new study shows that the same is true in the case of mice engineered to develop tauopathy. In these mice, normal tau protein turns defective and accumulates in the brain, forming harmful tau deposits, also called tangles. Tau deposits, similar to amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease, block neuron communication and thereby impair thinking and memory, resulting in frontotemporal dementia.

Tau mice were put on a diet supplemented with EVOO at a young age, comparable to about age 30 or 40 in humans. Six months later, when mice were the equivalent of age 60 in humans, tauopathy-prone animals

experienced a 60 percent reduction in damaging tau deposits, compared to littermates that were not fed EVOO. Animals on the EVOO diet also performed better on memory and learning tests than animals deprived of EVOO.

Dr. Praticò and colleagues now plan to explore what happens when EVOO is fed to older animals that have begun to develop tau deposits and signs of cognitive decline, which more closely reflects the clinical scenario in humans.

Reference: Lauretti E, Nenov M, Dincer O, Iuliano L, Praticò D. Extra virgin olive oil improves synaptic activity, short-term elasticity, memory, and neuropathology in a tauopathy model. Aging Cell. 2020;19(1):e13076.

Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

The province of Aragon in northeastern Spain (between Barcelona and Madrid) is known for its lean and tender lamb. Lamb cooked in clay ovens is a specialty, in fact, of a Spanish restaurant chain called Asador de Aranda. In the meantime, satisfy your lamb cravings with this easy-to-prepare rack of lamb flavored with garlic, rosemary, and fresh extra virgin olive oil.

Ingredients

  • 2 racks of lamb (each with 8 bones), frenched
  • 6 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup fresh rosemary needles, plus extra sprigs for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Line a rimmed sheet pan or shallow roasting pan with foil.

Step 2

In the bowl of a small food processor, combine the garlic, olive oil, rosemary, and balsamic vinegar. Pulse to finely chop the garlic and rosemary. Coat the lamb on all sides with the mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Arrange the racks of lamb bone side down on the sheet pan or roasting pan. Allow the lamb to stand at room temperature for one hour.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 450°F and make sure the oven rack is in the middle. Roast the lamb for 20 to 25 minutes (for medium-rare), or until the internal temperature reads 125°F. (Roast the lamb longer if you prefer it more done.) Loosely cover the lamb with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Carve into individual chops before serving. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired, and serve with additional olive oil.

Serves 6 — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Portuguese Barbecued Chicken (Frango no Churrasco)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Centuries ago, the seafaring Portuguese established trade routes throughout the world, an endeavor that brought them into contact with many exotic foods. Among them was a potent little chile called piri-piri. Today, incendiary piri-piri sauce is a popular condiment in Portugal and on the African continent. If you can’t find it in the international aisle of your local supermarket, it is available online.

Ingredients

  • One 3 1/2 to 4 pound chicken, preferably organic, giblets removed
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • Sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons piri-piri sauce or your favorite hot sauce, plus extra for serving
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Sprigs of parsley, for garnish
  • Lemon wedges, for garnish

Directions

Step 1

Light a grill, set it up for indirect grilling, and preheat to medium-high. (Alternatively, the chicken can be roasted in a 400°F oven on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Cooking time will be 45 to 50 minutes—the same as if the bird was grilled indirectly.)

Step 2

Butterfly the chicken: Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, remove the backbone from the bird. Turn the chicken skin side up and gently flatten it with the palm of your hand. Transfer to a rimmed sheet pan.

Step 3

On a cutting board, smash the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and mince the garlic to a paste. Add the garlic and salt to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add the paprika, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and piri-piri sauce, cover, and shake vigorously. Pour about 2 tablespoons of the mixture over the chicken and use your hands to rub it on both sides. (You’ll use the remainder as a baste after the chicken has cooked for 30 minutes.) Season the chicken with freshly ground black pepper.

Step 4

Arrange the chicken skin-side up directly on the grill grate away from direct heat. Close the grill lid. After 30 minutes, baste the bird with the olive oil mixture. Replace the lid and continue to roast the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes more, basting once or twice, until the bird is golden brown and cooked through. (There is no need to flip the chicken as it’s being grilled over indirect heat.) The internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh should be 165°F when read on an instant-read thermometer.

Step 5

Transfer the chicken to a clean sheet pan. Let it rest for 5 minutes before carving. Arrange on a platter or plates and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. The dish is especially nice when served with rice and/or a green salad.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from bbcgoodfood.com

Gazpacho

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Here’s another great recipe I picked up from chef Arantxa Lamas during my time in Spain. It’s keto-friendly, too—a plus in my book.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, each cored and sliced into eighths
  • 1 small onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, or more to taste
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea), to taste
  • Optional garnishes: Finely diced red or green bell pepper, red or white onion, or cucumber

Directions

Step 1

In a nonreactive mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Stir to macerate the vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 2

Use an immersion blender to puree the gazpacho. Strain through a food mill. Taste, adding more salt or vinegar, if needed. Cover and chill until serving time. Serve in chilled bowls with your choice of garnishes and a few drops of olive oil.

Serves 4 — Recipe courtesy of chef Arantxa Lamas