Benefits of Olive oil

Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is the most common vegetable oil. It is commonly used in cooking, for frying foods or as a salad dressing.

Olive Oil, which is known as "Idi-agbo" among the Yorubas in western Nigeria, is also used for treatment of hair in addition to it health benefits.

It is known to boasts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and may even help protect against certain chronic diseases.

It is also believed that drinking a teaspoon of the oil has great health benefit which is the reason why it is commonly practised in the Mediterranean region.

This is because some people believe that drinking olive oil provides even more benefits than using it in a meal. Nevertheless, there is no research to support this claim.

It is proven to have great benefit on the heart and also reduces constipation.

Makes heart healthy

Observational studies conducted a few decades ago showed that heart disease is less common in Mediterranean countries, which may be attributed to their constant consumption of Olive.

One compound thought to play a role in supporting heart health is oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fat found in high large amount in olive oil. It may reduce the risk of heart disease when used in place of other fat sources.

Reduces constipation

Constipation is the friction of movement of stool through the bowel as a result of hard and dry stool. Thus, constipation is difficulty in defecating.

Olive oil is believed to be a remedy against constipation as it has long been used traditionally for the treatment of constipation.

Apart from the fact that Olive oil consumption prevents constipation, it can be used to treat the condition by mixing it with a glass of orange juice or a cup of warm milk.

Blood sugar stabiliser

Various researches have shown that Olive oil lowers blood sugar. One study in 25 healthy individuals showed a 22% reduction in blood sugar 2 hours after eating a meal containing olive oil, compared with the control group. Another study shows that virgin olive oil reduces blood sugar and cholesterol more than other kinds of fats. The study, conducted at Sapienza University in Romen, could explain the health benefits associated with a traditional Mediterranean diet for people with diabetes.

"Lowering blood glucose and cholesterol may be useful to reduce the negative effects of glucose and cholesterol on the cardiovascular system,” said Francesco Violo, lead author of the study.

Contains Antioxidants

People in Mediterranean countries have a lower risk of some cancers, and many researchers believe that olive oil may be the reason.

Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental and other pressures.

Oxidative stress produced by free radicals has been linked to the development of several diseases such as cardiovascular, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.

However, Olive oil is the main source of fat of the Mediterranean diet which has been shown to be effective against oxidative stress associated diseases.

Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk

The unsaturated fat appears to be highly protective against type 2 diabetes, as the blood sugar reduction impact of olive oil is believed to have insulin sensitivity.

A randomised clinical trial in 418 healthy people recently confirmed the protective effects of olive oil.

In this study, a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by over 40%.

Hair treatment

Even though Olive oil is not viewed as shampoo or hair conditioner, scientists see it as as one of five conditioning agents that help decrease friction on hair, detangle the hair, and minimise frizz.

Skin

The oil is commonly used among some group in western region of Nigeria as body cream which is believed to work against various skin abnormalities.