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If you could take a single pill that lowered your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, neurological diseases like dementia and Parkinson’s, and early death in general, would you? Bad news: There’s no medication that can do all those things. But if you believe the headlines, one food can: Extra-virgin olive oil. It may be the ultimate superfood.

“There really is no other food that offers this range of benefits,” said Mary Flynn, PhD, an associate professor at Brown University who’s been researching olive oil for more than 20 years. “There’s no medicine.”

New research from Harvard University showed people who eat more than half tablespoon/day had a 28% lower risk of dementia.

After decades of headline-making research, the olive oil bandwagon has plenty of passengers. On TikTok, videos about drinking daily shots of olive oil have received more than 1 billion views. Several companies now offer “medical-grade” olive oil that contains higher levels of beneficial compounds. Actors use it to clean their faces, and Jennifer Lopez credits olive oil, not Botox, for her age-defying glow. Earlier this year, Starbucks introduced a line of coffee drinks made with extra-virgin olive oil.

So how much is hype, and how much is backed up by research?

Olive Oil and Health: The Big Picture

For 6 decades, since the Study called attention to the Mediterranean Diet and olive oil, researchers have been examining health benefits of that golden fluid. And there are many.

A 2022 analysis, found each additional 5 grams you eat daily can lower your risk of dying overall by 4%.

Health Benefits of Olive Oil

Extra-virgin olive oil is rich with polyphenols, a powerful group of antioxidants that fight inflammation. 

“Inflammation is the base of any disease,” said Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietitian nutritionist at the Cleveland Clinic. “So if we look at inflammation as the base, then we can see that olive oil can help with the reduction of a lot of different conditions.”

Researchers haven’t been able to pinpoint how those polyphenols work, but they’ve consistently found similar effects across wide areas. 

“As a scientist, I’m curious: What is the mechanism? How does this thing work?” said Tassos Kyriakides, PhD, an assistant professor at the Yale School of Public Health. He is one of the organizers of Yale’s annual Symposium on Olive Oil & Health. “But big picture, does it really matter if it’s giving somebody a healthy outcome at the end? Does somebody from a village in Sicily care  how this thing helps me be 95 and as sharp as ever?”

Olive Oil and Your Heart

The Seven Countries Study looked specifically at cardiovascular disease. Sixty-five years later, the notion that olive oil helps your heart is accepted as fact, because it’s high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and polyphenols. The European Food Safety Authority permits extra-virgin olive oils with enough of a certain polyphenol to make heart-related health claims on their labels.

“That’s a big, big statement, based on a lot of accumulated evidence,” Kyriakides says. 

Kristin Koval, a 53-year-old writer from Boulder, CO, started eating olive oil daily 3 or 4 years ago. Her family has a history of heart problems related to genetically low HDL, the “good” cholesterol. 

“There really isn’t a good drug to bring the level up, and I don’t love to take medicine if I don’t have to,” she said. “I read about some foods that help. I couldn’t eat salmon or sardines daily, but olive oil you can incorporate into your everyday life, so I did.”

Since she started, her HDL numbers have gone up. For the last 2 years, they’ve been in the normal range. “My doctor is happy, and so am I.”

Olive Oil and Your Brain

That new Harvard study on olive oil and dementia-related deaths builds on previous findings. Anne-Julie Tessier, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition. She said they started the study because there’s so much evidence that the Mediterranean Diet helps with cognitive function, cognitive decline, and dementia risk. 

“Olive oil is a significant proportion of the calories in the diet, so it made it very interesting to look at fatal dementia specifically,” she said. Replacing just one teaspoon of margarine or mayonnaise with the same amount of olive oil each day lowered the risk by 8%-14%.

Kyriakides, too, has researched olive oil’s effects on the brain. One small study produced promising results: Daily consumption significantly improved dementia symptoms in people with mild cognitive impairment.

Olive Oil and Cancer, Diabetes, and More

While olive oil’s effects on cardiovascular and brain health have received the most attention, researchers have found numerous other benefits:

• Cancer: An analysis of 45 studies found that people who consumed the most extra-virgin olive oil had a 31% lower cancer risk than those who consumed the least.
• Diabetes: Research has shown that eating extra-virgin olive oil can lower fasting blood sugars and insulin resistance. One study found eating 25 grams a day lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes by 22%
• Pain relief: Oleocanthal, a polyphenol found in extra-virgin olive oil, has anti-inflammatory qualities similar to ibuprofen. Kyriakides considers himself living proof of this: Since he started using exclusively extra-virgin olive oil 9 years ago – yes, even for baking – he hasn’t taken a single ibuprofen or other common pain medicine, even after completing triathlons.
• Skin care: The research is less clear here – nobody’s proved that olive oil can clear acne, for instance – but those celebrities may be on to something. Olive oil’s phenolic compounds have higher antioxidant qualities than vitamin E, which has long been used in skin care, and its anti-inflammatory effects seem to help, too.
• Gut health: Researchers are just getting started here, but the results are promising. “The gut microbiome will see a lot of research activity going forward,” Kyriakides said. “Anything that has to do with the immune system, that’s where it’s processed. A healthy environment will give rise to a healthy system, which then affects everything else.”

Latest data published by the European Commission confirm a 40 percent decline in olive oil production compared to the previous year.

Production in E.U. is estimated to reach 1,391,000 tons, compared to 2021/22. And, significantly below the 2,100,000 ton average of the previous five years.

According to the E.U.’s quarterly short-term agricultural outlook report, the low harvest and dwindling olive oil stocks might sustain further olive oil price increases.See Also:Global Olive Oil Production Predicted to Rebound

The European Commission’s Department of Agriculture and rural development, which authored the report, noted how olive oil prices in Spain experienced the most significant increase in the E.U. compared to the average of the last five years.

In mid-July, the department estimated that producer olive oil prices ranged from €600 per ton reported in Spain to €720 per ton recorded in Italy.

The report’s authors stated that higher prices impact overall consumption, especially in the main olive oil-producing countries.

A few weeks ago, the Spanish Union of Small Farmers (UPA) noted how olive oil sales remained strong in the first six months of

Still, department experts warned that it is likely that overall olive oil consumption at the end of the crop year will be lower than previously expected, given these price developments.

The commission forecasted consumption to barely exceed 1 million tons in Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal, down from more than 1.2 million tons in the previous crop year.

The report also noted how olive oil imports are expected to rise to 200,000 tons from the 151,000 tons of the previous season. Meanwhile, exports are expected to decrease from 800,000 to 600,000 tons.

Such trends will impact olive oil storage, expected to close the season at 281,000 tons, one of the lowest levels of the last 10 years. The average of the previous five years exceeded 650,000 tons.

Introducing the report, E.U. experts noted how weather uncertainties and unusual market conditions impact European farmers in every country and affect many agricultural commodities.

Production costs remain significantly high for olive farmers. In a recent statement Cristóbal Gallego, president of the olive oil-producing cooperative Jaencoop in Spain, warned that high production costs do not allow growers to enjoy a better income despite strong sales and rising prices.

The department noted that there is no sign that retail food prices could decrease to 2021 levels. As living costs stay high, household budgets remain constrained, and food expenditure continues to be affected.

The Mediterranean diet not only benefits human health, but it also offers a wide range of advantages for dogs, too.

“With the numerous health benefits of olive oil for the human diet, you may have wondered, ‘is olive oil good for dogs too?’” Kym Hough, the chief marketing officer of California producer McEvoy Ranch, told Olive Oil Times. “The resounding answer is yes, olive oil offers many benefits for dogs.”See Also:Health News

“Olive oil contains phytonutrients, vitamin E and omega‑3 fatty acids which help keep dog’s skin moisturized and well-nourished for a healthy, beautiful coat,” she added. “Additionally, olive oil is rich in antioxidants, which have been shown to fight free radical damage and boost the immune system effectively.”

According to Rover, a pet care services platform, olive oil helps your dog’s health in four ways: skin, weight, taste, and immune system.

Recent studies confirm that extra virgin olive oil prevents dry skin, soothes scaling skin, supports heart health, and reduces inflammation. For senior dogs, these can be life-changing benefits to help dogs stay agile, flexible, and active.

The benefits of extra virgin olive oil include its ability to promote healthy skin, ease itching associated with allergies and reduce inflammation.

Christopher Reeder, a board-certified dermatologist at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Franklin, Tennessee, told Chewy that the luster and shine in dogs’ coats could be observed after about 30 days of dietary olive oil.

However, experts caution that while putting olive oil directly on the skin may be tempting, dogs tend to lick this off. Rather than get into a sticky mess, they suggest adding a teaspoon to their food.

Small amounts of olive oil may be added to dog food to help maintain ideal body weight. However, vets caution against giving olive oil to dogs suffering from intestinal conditions such as diarrhea or vomiting.

Olive oil can boost immune functioning and help prevent or delay cognitive decline. Key antioxidants such as Vitamin E protect cell membranes from free radical damage. Dogster, a magazine, notes that olive oil is beneficial for senior dogs and helps keep their minds vibrant.

The Chewy report recommends extra virgin olive oil due to its low acidity and rich nutrient contents. However, a holistic veterinarian Judy Morgan, suggests no more than one teaspoon of olive oil for 20 pounds (9 kilograms) of body weight per meal.

According to the Spanish Olive Oil Interpro, a tablespoon of olive oil once or twice weekly is the typical amount to add to your dog’s food.