(NaturalHealth365)  Over the past decade, the Mediterranean diet – with its focus on wild fish, extra virgin olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables – has become the darling of holistic healthcare providers for its ability to improve brain function and lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.

Much of the diet’s disease-fighting powers are provided courtesy of the beneficial nutrient that lies at its very heart – olive oil.  Now, new studies and clinical trials are highlighting the potential of extra virgin olive oil to improve bone health and neutralize the threat of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. (let’s take a closer look)

Extra virgin olive oil lowers the risk of hip fractures by up to 51 percent

For elderly adults, a hip fracture can be a catastrophic, life-threatening event. In fact, hip fractures carry a higher mortality rate than any other fracture.

Encouragingly, a recent review of studies showed that olive oil consumption was associated with a substantial 21 percent decrease in the risk of these debilitating fractures.

A study of participants aged 55 to 80 showed that extra virgin olive oil was more effective than two other diets – one featuring extra helpings of nuts and one characterized as “low-fat” – in decreasing the risk of hip fracture.

The team noted that participants who consumed the highest amounts of olive oil cut their hip fractures in half – a very notable result.  In other words, the study yielded clinical evidence of a safe, effective, low-cost, and natural intervention for a serious medical problem – for researchers, the stuff of dreams.

You can be certain that if a pharmaceutical drug were to achieve such results, the manufacturers would proclaim it from the rooftops, complete with media hoopla!

In related studies, researchers discovered a direct correlation between high olive oil consumption and higher “T-scores,” which indicate bone mineral density and fracture probability.  Significantly, study participants with the lowest T-scores ingested less olive oil and consumed more red meat.

The takeaway is obvious.  For those looking to reduce the risk of debilitating hip fractures, ramping up consumption of olive oil – in particular, extra virgin olive oil – makes good sense.

Do NOT be fooled by olive oil “imposters”

The troubling fact is that many olive oils sold today are not pure olive oil.  True extra virgin olive oil is produced by cold-pressing and doesn’t use chemicals or high-heat manufacturing – processes that destroy valuable nutrients, polyphenols, and fatty acids.

However, the market is currently awash with non-certified olive oils composed of inferior oils – such as pro-inflammatory, GMO-containing canola, corn, and sunflower oils – and further adulterated by adding artificial flavorings, chemicals, and coloring agents.

This adulteration can be found in over 50 percent of the oils sold as “extra virgin” in Italy.

The picture is even grimmer regarding olive oil sold in the United States.  Disgracefully, over 80 percent of olive oil marketed as “extra virgin” in the United States doesn’t even meet legal standards.

Oleocanthin in olive oil works like an NSAID drug to relieve pain – without side effects

Researchers once thought olive oil’s benefits were due solely to its high oleic acid content, a beneficial monounsaturated fatty acid.  But there is more to the story than that.

Recent research has shown that polyphenols such as oleuropein, tyrosol, and hydroxytyrosol play important therapeutic roles.  Oleocanthal, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory molecule in olive oil with pain-killing and anti-inflammatory effects, has also gained the attention of researchers.

Recent studies have shown that oleocanthal removes proteins that are the primary component of the amyloid plaques often found in Alzheimer’s patients – sparking hopes that this polyphenol can play a role in preventing and treating neurodegenerative disease.

For maximum benefit, look for extra virgin olive oil with a certification seal from the Olive Oil Council.  Also, avoid products sold in clear glass bottles.  Dark-colored glass bottles better preserve the oil’s valuable polyphenols.

Natural health experts advise ingesting between one and four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil daily.  You can drizzle olive oil over vegetables before roasting, combine it with balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard for a piquant salad dressing, or use it to create pesto, hummus, dips, and spreads.

No matter how you use extra virgin olive oil, you can be assured that this extraordinary oil is working overtime to protect the health of your heart, bones, and brain.

Sources for this article include:

NIH.gov
WSJ.com
LifeExtension.com
LifeExtenstion.com