Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Extra-virgin olive oil
Atherosclerosis develops from an excessive inflammatory response that causes damage to the lining of our blood vessels (the endothelium) and the smooth muscle of the artery wall. Atherosclerotic plaques form, kind of like band-aids, to cover up these damaged areas. Each step in the process through which plaques develop is regulated by the action of messenger molecules produced by the cells in the blood vessel lining and muscular walls.
A variety of compounds in extra virgin olive oil, including its monounsaturated fats, vitamin E and anti-oxidant phenols, intervene to halt virtually every step of the atherosclerotic process.
Numerous studies have shown that replacing saturated fat in the diet with olive oil's monounsaturated fats significantly lowers blood levels of cholesterol, especially LDL-cholesterol.
The monounsaturated fat in olive oil (oleic acid) also increases blood levels of HDL (good)-cholesterol. It does this, in part, by decreasing the activity of a protein called CETP (the cholesterol ester transfer protein), which dismantles HDL by moving the fats (cholesteryl esters) it contains into other cholesterol molecules. Since more cholesterol esters remain locked up in beneficial HDL, this action also means that less are available for use in the production of potentially harmful LDL.
LDL cholesterol does not cause any damage to the blood vessel unless it has first been damaged by free radicals itself. Each LDL molecule actually contains its own supply of antioxidants to protect itself against free radical damage. Olive oil, which contains both vitamin E and a number of antioxidant phenols, delivers fresh antioxidant troops to LDL, and also protects the endothelium (the lining of the blood vessels) from free radical damage.
By preventing this damage, olive oil short circuits the formation of the numerous inflammatory compounds that would have been generated in response, promoting the development of blood clots and plaques.
Atherosclerosis develops from an excessive inflammatory response that causes damage to the lining of our blood vessels (the endothelium) and the smooth muscle of the artery wall. Atherosclerotic plaques form, kind of like band-aids, to cover up these damaged areas. Each step in the process through which plaques develop is regulated by the action of messenger molecules produced by the cells in the blood vessel lining and muscular walls.
A variety of compounds in extra virgin olive oil, including its monounsaturated fats, vitamin E and anti-oxidant phenols, intervene to halt virtually every step of the atherosclerotic process.
Numerous studies have shown that replacing saturated fat in the diet with olive oil's monounsaturated fats significantly lowers blood levels of cholesterol, especially LDL-cholesterol.
The monounsaturated fat in olive oil (oleic acid) also increases blood levels of HDL (good)-cholesterol. It does this, in part, by decreasing the activity of a protein called CETP (the cholesterol ester transfer protein), which dismantles HDL by moving the fats (cholesteryl esters) it contains into other cholesterol molecules. Since more cholesterol esters remain locked up in beneficial HDL, this action also means that less are available for use in the production of potentially harmful LDL.
LDL cholesterol does not cause any damage to the blood vessel unless it has first been damaged by free radicals itself. Each LDL molecule actually contains its own supply of antioxidants to protect itself against free radical damage. Olive oil, which contains both vitamin E and a number of antioxidant phenols, delivers fresh antioxidant troops to LDL, and also protects the endothelium (the lining of the blood vessels) from free radical damage.
By preventing this damage, olive oil short circuits the formation of the numerous inflammatory compounds that would have been generated in response, promoting the development of blood clots and plaques.
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