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That olive oil sitting on your shelf may lose up to 40% of its health benefits if it’s been there for six months, according to a study presented in the March Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists.

The study analyzed several varieties of extra-virgin olive oil produced from groves in the Italian countryside at production and during storage. After three months of storage, the antioxidant activity in the oils remained unchanged. However, antioxidants decreased by about 40% for almost all of the oils after six months.

“The protective role of virgin olive oil is the result of its specific composition including phenolic compounds known to act as antioxidants,” says lead researcher Antonella Baiano of the University of Foggia in Italy. The health benefits of extra-virgin olive oil may include preventing conditions related to coronary disease, stroke and certain types of cancers.

Researchers recommend consumers store extra virgin olive oil in small glass bottles (one liter maximum because the oxygen contained in the headspace determines its oxidation), in a dark location, at a temperature lower than 68-77°F (20-25°C).

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Labels: antioxidants, cooking oil, extra-virgin olive oil, healthy diet, Mediterranean Diet, study, virgin olive oil

Olives cannot be eaten right off of the tree; they require special processing to reduce their intrinsic bitterness. These processing methods vary with the olive variety, region where they are cultivated and the desired taste, texture and color.
Some olives are picked green and unripe, while others are allowed to fully ripen on the tree to a black color. Yet, not all of the black olives available begin with a black color. Some processing methods expose unripe greens olives to the air, and the subsequent oxidation turns them a dark color. In addition to the original color of the olive, the color is affected by fermentation and/or curing in oil, water, brine or salt.

Olives are very nutrient-rich, containing heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, and antioxidant phytonutrients, including polyphenols. With all of that goodness, it's no wonder that olives play a central role in the Mediterranean Diet, which has been found to promote vitality and offer protection against a host of different diseases.

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Labels: healthy diet, healthy snacks, Mediterranean Diet, monounsaturated fat, olives

Fennel is a versatile vegetable that plays an important role in the food culture of many European nations, especially in France and Italy. Fennel's aromatic taste is unique, strikingly reminiscent of licorice and anise, so much so that fennel is often mistakenly referred to as anise in the marketplace.

Fennel's texture is similar to that of celery, having a crunchy and striated texture.
Fennel is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is also a very good of dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, folate, and molybdenum. In addition, fennel is a good source of niacin as well as the minerals phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper.

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Labels: anise, fennel, healthy food, licorice, Mediterranean Diet, vegetable

Did you know that countries where people use olive oil regularly, especially in place of other fats, have much lower rates of heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and asthma?

These countries enjoy a Mediterranean-style diet, which studies continue to uncover as being among the healthiest in the world. For example one study which followed participants for over six years discovered that those most closely following a Mediterranean 'olive oil and salad' dietary pattern had a 50% reduced risk of overall mortality! Another study published in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that the naturally high concentration of phenolic compounds with their antioxidant properties found in extra-virgin olive oil, (that is properly cold pressed and stored in opaque containers), may be one of the key reasons for the lower incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease in the Mediterranean region.

The monounsaturated fats in olive oil have also been found to be used by the body to produce substances which are relatively anti-inflammatory. By reducing inflammation, these fats can help reduce the severity of arthritis symptoms, and may be able to prevent or reduce the severity of asthma. And not least of all, let's not forget it's great flavor!

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Labels: anti-inflammatory, eating healthy, extra-virgin olive oil, Mediterranean Diet, monounsaturated fat

By now we know that certain types of food do more for our health than others, but when it comes down to it, a lot of the research we read states that a particular item "may" promote heart health. Researchers sorted through 50 years of studies to weed out the definites from the maybes and discovered that only some diets claiming heart-healthy benefits are supported by strong evidence.

They found that the Mediterranean diet, incorporating plenty of vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, whole grains, cheese or yogurt, and fish, legitimately promotes heart health, and diets rich in vegetables and nuts also serve to lower your risk for heart disease. While there's some evidence about the ability for omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, alcohol, vitamins E and C, beta carotene, folate, fruit, and fiber to positively affect heart health, the jury is undecided on whether or not these elements live up to the claims.

While more research needs to be done to qualify those dietary factors as being heart healthy, there is conclusive evidence that diets high in red meat, butter, refined grains, and high-fat dairy products, high-glycemic index foods, and trans-fatty acids are harmful to heart health. If you're concerned about heart health, revising your diet to resemble the typical Mediterranean diet could be a good place to start.

Thanks again FitSugar!

Labels: eating healthy, fruits and veggies, healthy diet, heart disease, heart healthy, Mediterranean Diet, Nuts, Whole grains

It’s no surprise that the Mediterranean diet is linked to good health. Small reliance on meat and scant use of butter limit the saturated fat that raises blood cholesterol and possibly promotes development of some cancers.

The Mediterranean diet includes a large proportion of fish, which is rich in omega-3 fats that reduce inflammation, which seems to raise both heart and cancer risks. An abundance of fruits, vegetables and beans provides the many different phytochemicals that protect blood vessels and guard cells against cancer-causing substances. Now, studies show that olive oil may bolster each one of these benefits.

Originally, scientists thought olive oil’s primary benefit was its monounsaturated fat.

Because 75% of the fatty acid “building blocks” that make up olive oil come from monounsaturated fat, and only 13% from saturated fat, it’s easy to see why blood cholesterol goes down when olive oil replaces butter and high-fat meat as the main source of fat. Analysis relates olive oil to the Mediterranean diet’s link with lower blood pressure, as well.

Olive oil also offers several health advantages over more polyunsaturated vegetable oils. Monounsaturated oils seem to cause less production of the bile acids in the digestive tract that promote colon cancer development.

Because monounsaturated fat is more stable than polyunsaturated fat, it is less likely to generate the free radicals that create harmful blood cholesterol (“LDL”). LDL damages blood vessels and can create changes in genes that may lead to cancer. Finally, although olive oil does not provide the healthful omega-3 fat found in seafood, it does strengthen omega-3’s anti-inflammatory effects.

Research now shows that many of olive oil’s health benefits may actually come from the more than 30 plant compounds it contains. These compounds’ antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects promote heart health and protect against cancer.

Choose least processed
Olive oil compounds also increase enzymes that block activation of carcinogens and improve their removal from the body. These compounds appear to slow development of cancer cells and increase their self-destruction. While many of these benefits have been seen in laboratory studies rather than controlled human intervention trials, they are supported by what we see in population studies of the Mediterranean diet.

All types of olive oil provide the monounsaturated fat linked with health benefits, but to get the highest levels of the protective plant compounds, choose “extra virgin” or “virgin” oil, the least processed forms. Store it away from light and heat to maintain phytochemical content.

“Pure” olive oil is still high in monounsaturated fat, but has lost protective plant compounds in refining. “Light” olive oil is lighter in flavor and color, not fat or calorie content.

Some people may choose light olive oil for baking or recipes where an olive oil flavor is undesirable, but so many of the protective phytochemicals have been removed in refining those versions that canola oil may be a healthier alternative. (Canola oil also provides some omega-3 fat and more vitamin E.)

From a cook’s perspective, olive oil may not be the best choice for cooking at a high temperature. The sediment naturally found in extra virgin olive oil can make it more likely to burn or smoke. Canola and peanut oils have a higher smoke point.

No single oil is the best choice in all situations, but research now shows that olive oil is a major component of the Mediterranean diet’s healthy reputation.

Nutrition Notes is provided by the American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C.© 2006 MSNBC Interactive

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Labels: cancer, eating healthy, extra-virgin olive oil, healthy diet, Mediterranean Diet, olive oil, Omega-3s, phytochemicals, study

Cashew nuts might help the body maintain normal blood pressure by making arteries better able to expand and contract, according to a report published in the June 2006 American Journal of Hypertension.

Lemonade, with its abundant citric acid, might help in warding off kidney stones, according to the buzz at a recent meeting of urologists.

And the humble artichoke has emerged as an even better source of disease-fighting antioxidants than chocolate, blueberries, or red wine, according to a Norwegian study of 1,100 foods.

Reports like those might make you think you can protect your health by simply working a few star ingredients into your diet. But decades of research has convinced many experts that the overall pattern of eating--not just individual foods--has the strongest effect.

Case in point: The diet of people living in the Mediterranean region. Long known for its heart-protecting benefits, this dietary pattern might also help prevent cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, new evidence suggests. And no single component of the diet appears to do it alone.

Brain food

In a study published in June 2006 in the journal Annals of Neurology, researchers at Columbia University analyzed the diets of more than 2,200 older adults. Those who ate closest to the Mediterranean model were about 40% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s over the follow-up period (four years on average) than those who least adhered to it.

A middle group, who followed some but not all of the Mediterranean pattern, cut their risk by 15 to 21%.

When the researchers investigated the data for individual foods, though, no single nutrient or food group had a measurable effect on Alzheimer’s risk.

The authors surmised that it’s the cumulative makeup of the Mediterranean diet that accounts for most of its benefits. It’s full of vegetables and legumes, low in saturated fat, and moderately high in fish, which supplies lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids. It also includes unsaturated fat from virgin olive oil and nuts.

What you can do

Maximizing the potential health benefits of food is more about following certain principles than eating certain “superfoods.” The foundation of the Mediterranean diet includes:

• Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to increase your intake of different phytochemicals, the substances in plants thought to help fight disease. In studies of blueberries, pomegranate juice, chocolate, and even coffee, researchers nearly always attribute the health benefits to phytochemicals, which include antioxidants such as lutein and lycopene.
  
  
• Choosing real foods over supplements so that you get the whole range of plant chemicals in each, plus the fiber.
  
  
• Snacking on nuts. They’re rich in fiber and substances called sterols that can help lower cholesterol. But remember that they’re also high in calories, so keep portions to about an ounce.
  
  
• Getting at least two small servings a week of fatty fish, such as wild salmon or sardines. Pregnant or nursing women and young children should avoid fish that is high in mercury.
  
  
• Minimizing artery-clogging saturated fat and trying to avoid the even more dangerous trans fat, which comes from partly hydrogenated vegetable oil. Use heart-healthy olive oil instead.

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Labels: antioxidant, healthy diet, Mediterranean Diet, Nuts, olive oil, phytonutrients, salmon, sterols, superfoods, Whole Foods