For decades we’ve been told that high fat foods are killing us.
And if you weren’t buying into that, well, neither was the science.
The latest heavyweight study to tip the health scale towards a diet with lots of good fat is just out. And it’s news that women everywhere need to know.
Women on a Mediterranean-style diet, one that included an extra four tablespoons a day of olive oil, were able to reduce their risk of breast cancer by an amazing 68 percent compared to those on a low-fat diet!
The results of this study out of Spain published in JAMA Internal Medicine followed 4,000 women for five years. So it wasn’t some slap-dash research, but very carefully designed.
This new study also adds to the growing body of research that puts olive oil in a category all of its own.
Olive oil could help fight breast cancer
Previously it has it been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack, diabetes, stroke, and dementia. And now we can add breast cancer. I’d like to see Big Pharma say that about any of its drugs.
The researchers are hoping to see those breast-cancer results validated in further studies. But given that it’s extra virgin olive oil we’re talking about, not a costly and risky drug, there’s no reason for us to wait.
Especially given what previous studies have found about other benefits of the same diet, which, in addition to olive oil, is high in fruits, veggies and fish, and low in meat and dairy products.
Three years ago, the first phase of this research tested 7,500 subjects with either type 2 diabetes or at least three other cardiac risk factors. It found the ones who ate a Mediterranean diet featuring either additional nuts or olive oil were 30 percent less apt to get a heart attack or stroke than those on a low-fat diet.
And earlier this year, results of memory tests given to older volunteers assigned the same diets showed similar results. And those on the extra virgin olive oil regimen had the best scores of all.
But remember — not all extra virgin olive oils are created equal, and some have even been found to be fakes. To be sure you’re getting the “real thing,” look for oil in dark glass bottles that are stamped with a “best by” date at least two years away. (Remember — olive oil, unlike wine, doesn’t improve with age.)
And while Old-World olive oil might sound more romantic, your best guarantee might be a California brand that’s certified “extra virgin” by the California Olive Oil Council.
Surprisingly, where olive oil is concerned, “buy American” might be especially good advice!
Jenny Thompson is the Director of the Health Sciences Institute and editor of the HSI e-Alert. Through HSI, she and her team uncover important health information and expose ridiculous health misinformation, most notably through the HSI e-Alert.
Visit www.hsionline.com to sign up for the free HSI e-Alert.
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