An on-again-off-again trending topic, especially in the plant-based community, is oil-free. I shared a recipe in a plant-based group a while back and got kicked because “oils are detrimental to your health.”
Some say no oils; others say all the oils! The fear of PUFAs, contamination, extraction methods, etc., leaves people unsure, but it seems people are more confused than anything. Should you eat oils? If so, which ones?
Unfortunately, some people forget dietary fats are essential. Fats give your body energy and support cell function. Fats help absorb certain nutrients, support hormonal production, and keep organs warm (1). Instead of cutting out all fats, it’s best to figure out which fats are good and which aren’t.
For instance, seed oils. If you’ve read our blog, What You Should Know About Seed Oils, you know seed oils contain high amounts of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) called linoleic acid. The body is not made to have more than 1-2% (daily calorie intake) of linoleic acid. Studies have shown that more than 2% of linoleic acid may lead to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes (2).
You don’t need to cut out seed oils entirely; just use them in moderation. The real question is, what can you use in their place? I like using avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil.
This topic can be tricky for newcomers, considering a few years back, an older study from 2011 was shared all over social media. The study claimed that 69 percent of imported olive oil samples and 10 percent of California olive oil samples labeled as extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) failed to meet the IOC/USDA sensory standards for extra virgin olive oil (3).
The study reported that the following brands failed to meet extra virgin olive oil standards like UV absorbance, Pyropheophytin (PPP), and/or 1,2-Diacylglycerols (DAGs) (4):
- Bertolli
- California Olive Ranch
- Cobram Estate
- Colavita
- Filippo Berio
- Lucini
- Pomperian
- Star
Interestingly, the study was funded by Corto Olive, California Olive Ranch, and the California Olive Oil Council. Usually, the funding alone would influence me to think the study wasn’t reliable, considering the funders are a conflict of interest. Still, one of the funding brands (California Olive Ranch) failed. The other was not tested according to the study (or was excluded from the final results).
In a more recent study (2015), three of the 88 samples labeled as extra EVOO failed to meet purity criteria, indicating possible adulteration with commodity oil and/or solvent-extracted olive oil. This study demonstrated a less than 5 percent rate of adulteration based on purity criteria for desmethylsterols and triterpene dialcohols, nothing like the 2011 study claimed (5).
I will be fully transparent and say this study doesn’t say who funded it, but the California Olive Oil Council conducts studies annually to determine the quality of olive oil. In the 2020/2021 assessment, 99 percent of extra virgin olive oil brands passed (6). In other words, the common concern that most oils are adulterated or fake simply isn’t true.
That said, I am comfortable buying EVOO in the store without fear of it being fake or adulterated. I think EVOO is a great and healthier alternative to seed oils. I love using EVOO for dressings and sauces or cooking at temperatures no greater than 400ºF.
Types of Olive Oil
Of course, there are many other olive oils besides extra virgin, so let’s discuss the different types and their quality.
- Cold-Pressed Olive Oil means it was pressed without heat, therefore, richer in flavor. It is of higher quality and superior to other olive oils and will have a higher price tag (7).
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil is cold-pressed, bears the most health benefits, and is considered the highest quality. It retains most of its natural flavor and aroma and is suitable for cooking temperatures up to 400ºF (8).
- Virgin Olive Oil is a cold-pressed, unrefined oil with a milder taste than extra-virgin olive oil. It is the second highest quality olive oil but is heat resistant and best used at low temperatures (8).
- Extra Light Olive Oil is lighter in flavor and color but not in fat or calories. It’s ideally used anywhere a high-flavor oil would be intrusive, like baking (7).
- Pure Olive Oil is a low-quality oil used when the extraction quality is not as good as expected. It is a blend of extra virgin or virgin-type olive oil and refined olive oil (8).
- Refined Olive Oil is considered a low-quality olive oil and contains the least amount of virgin olive oil, which is where the health benefits come from (8).
- Olive Pomace Oil is the lowest quality olive oil extracted from the residue after the olive is pressed. It is mixed with virgin oil to help to improve the quality and is only for suitable high-heat cooking (8).
With so many olive oil varieties available, understanding the quality and use of each type is crucial when deciding which type would be best for you.
Health Benefits of Olive Oil
Although quality is the most important factor when choosing olive oil, understanding the health benefits each type provides is also important. Although extra virgin olive oil usually bears the most benefits for human health, I’ve compiled dozens of studies highlighting olive oil’s overall benefits.
Rich in Nutrients
Our body needs nutrients to flourish. Without vital vitamins and fats, our bodies won’t function properly. Extra light olive oil contains roughly 62 percent monounsaturated fat and 10 percent polyunsaturated fat and is rich in vitamins E and K (9). Extra virgin olive oil contains roughly 65 percent monounsaturated fat 8.5 percent polyunsaturated fat, and phytosterols (10). Of course, there are several other types of olive oil, and nutritional values may differ between types, brands, and seasons.
Antioxidant Properties
Antioxidants can help fight damage from harmful free radicals. The buildup of free radicals has been linked to chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease (11). Olive oil’s phenolic compounds have robust antioxidant properties that positively impact the structure and biological activity of the human body (12). One study noted olive oil’s scavenging abilities and the biological fates of hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, and tyrosol due to its antioxidant properties (13). Another study showed olive oil’s antioxidant properties are so robust it can inhibit some genes and proteins that cause inflammation (14).
Antibacterial Properties
An antibacterial property is when a substance, or in this case, an herb, can destroy or suppress the growth and reproduction of bacteria (15). One study demonstrated EVOO extract in choline/glycerol had potential antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant S. aureus and several ESKAPE pathogens (16). In another study, olive oil’s polyphenols had an inhibiting effect against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (17).
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Although inflammation is a natural bodily response, chronic inflammation can lead to detrimental health effects. Chronic inflammation has been linked with many diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, and certain cancers (18). Studies have found olive oil’s oleic acid content can reduce inflammatory markers (19,20). Other studies discovered virgin olive oil’s phenolic compound has anti-inflammatory abilities similar to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (21,22).
Pain-Relieving Properties
As of 2016, an estimated 20.4% of U.S. adults (50.0 million) had chronic pain, and 8.0% of U.S. adults (19.6 million) had high-impact chronic pain (23). One study found virgin olive oil improved symptoms of pain, stiffness, and physical function in exercise-induced anterior knee pain (24). In studies, olive and fish oil supplementation significantly improved handgrip strength, joint pain, and morning stiffness in rheumatoid arthritis patients compared to only fish oil (25). Another study indicated olive oil helped manage rheumatic arthritis manifestations like inflammatory pain in the fingers and knees (26).
May Help Manage Stomach Ulcers
Stomach ulcers are open sores that develop on the stomach lining or upper portion of the small intestine due to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) or long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (27). In vitro, olive oil’s polyphenols demonstrated antibacterial properties against eight Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori) bacteria strains; three were antibiotic-resistant (28). In human studies, 30 grams (1 ounce) of EVOO taken daily for two weeks eliminated 10 to 40 percent of H. Pylori cases in participants (29).
May Promote Heart Health
Unfortunately, heart disease is the world’s number one cause of death (30). Due to the incredibly complex determinants of heart disease and various possible contributions, it’s hard to pinpoint an exact way to prevent it. Still, you can at least take steps to lower your overall risk. That’s where olive oil may come in.
Research shows diets with main fat sources from olive oil could be useful against cardiovascular disease risk factors (31). Several studies have demonstrated olive oil’s ability to lower blood pressure, including the dependence on hypertension medication (32,33,34). Other studies indicate olive oil’s anti-inflammatory properties improve blood pressure and protect against low-density lipoprotein or LDL (bad) cholesterol oxidation (35,36,37,38). One study concluded olive oil may have thrombosis (blood clot) prevention properties (39).
May Support Brain Health
Brain health refers to cognitive health, motor functions, emotional functions, and tactile functions. Brain functions may decrease across several areas as we age due to neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or even amyloid plaques (40). Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia, multiple sclerosis (MS), and other brain diseases are associated with inflammation (41,42,43).
In test tube and animal studies, olive oil helped remove amyloid plaques and demonstrated neuroprotective properties against degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s (44). In human studies, diets rich in olive oil, like the Mediterranean diet, improved brain function and cognition (45). A meta-analysis of case-control, cohort, and intervention studies concluded that olive oil consumption decreased stroke risk (46).
May Reduce Blood Sugar Levels
As of 2020, 34.2 million (1 in 10) Americans have diabetes, and another 88 million (1 in 3) Americans have prediabetes (47). On the bright side, studies indicate dietary changes like monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil may help prevent diabetes (48). Another study found that Mediterranean diets that included olive oil consumption positively influenced glucose levels (49). A randomized trial concluded that a Mediterranean diet without calorie restriction prevents diabetes in subjects at high cardiovascular risk (50).
Anticancer Properties
Statistics say that 158.3 of every 100,000 individuals will die from cancer, but what if they didn’t have to (51)? Olive oil’s phenolic compounds have chemopreventive and anticancer properties (52). Studies have calculated that roughly 25 percent of colorectal cancer, 15 percent of breast cancer, and 10 percent of prostate, pancreas, and endometrial cancers could be prevented by diets rich in olive oil consumption, like the Mediterranean diet (53). Several studies indicate olive oil’s antioxidants reduce oxidative damage and may prevent cancer (54,55). In vivo, dietary olive oil’s monounsaturated fatty acid has demonstrated the ability to fight breast cancer cells (56,57).
As I said earlier, dietary fats are essential. Many think of dietary fats and think they’ll become fat; this simply isn’t true. Several studies have found that olive oil consumption is not linked to weight gain, demonstrating the opposite effect – weight loss (58,59). So don’t eliminate all dietary fats; choose high-quality dietary fats with health benefits, like extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, or cold-pressed olive oil.
Product Recommendations with Olive Oil
Earthley uses organic, extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil in their products. Follow the recommendations of any supplement; some of my recommendations from Earthley include:
- Earthley’s All-Purpose Salve is the perfect remedy for minor scrapes, cuts, rashes, burns, and more. Safe for all ages, this multi-purpose salve stick is a must-have for any family.
- Earthley’s Anti-Itch Soap cools the itch of poison ivy, sumac, and oak using nourishing oils to soothe and heal the skin naturally. Say goodbye to the dry itch and hello to beautifully radiant skin.
- Earthley’s Arnica Salve is fragrance-free (no scent at all), absorbs quickly, and nourishes your skin while it works. Comes in an easy-to-use, non-messy stick. Feel the pain of a bump fade away in minutes…and watch it heal fast with arnica!
- Earthley’s Earache Ease is the go-to, all-natural product for all ear complaints. Sinus Pressure? This can help. Swimmer’s Ear? We got you covered! Just plugged up and achey? No worries, we can help with that, too. This organic formula is strong enough to work for adults but gentle enough to ease earaches in kids.
- Earthley’s No More Yeast Salve is an all-natural, anti-fungal solution to help fight infections caused by yeast and candida. This salve uses oils that naturally fight yeast. It can help with female yeast infections, athlete’s foot, jock itch, cradle cap, yeast diaper rashes, and more. Get rid of itchy, fungal rashes fast with No More Yeast!
Disclaimer: This post is not intended as medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and nothing in this post is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure anything. If you have questions, please do your own research or seek advice from a health professional.
