Cobram Estate Blog - Health and Olive Oil
Antioxidants and Health Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Date: 28/10/2008
Antioxidants work by neutralizing highly reactive, destructive compounds called free radicals. Free radical production is actually a normal part of life, part of the equation of simply breathing in oxygen. Usually, the body's natural defense systems neutralize free radicals that develop, rendering them harmless. However, environmental assaults on the body, such as UV-radiation, pollutants and alcohol, can overpower the body's ability to neutralize free radicals, allowing them to cause damage to the structure and function of the body's cells. There is good evidence that this damage contributes to aging and leads to a host of illnesses, including cancer and heart disease.
Consuming more antioxidants helps provide the body with tools to neutralize harmful free radicals. It is estimated that there are more than 4,000 compounds in foods that act as antioxidants. They are present in foods as vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and polyphenols, among others.
An Antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves.
Extra Virgin Olive oil is an important source of antioxidants. The most important are polyphenols antioxidants and tocopherols (vitamins E).
There are as many as 5.5 mg of polyphenols antioxidant in every tablespoon of olive oil (15 ml) and 1.6 mg of Vitamins E / 15 ml olive oil. Total proximate of antioxidants: 7 mg in every 15 ml of olive oil.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due the Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) for a 25-year old male for Antioxidants (Vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, etc) is 120 mg/day.
That means that extra virgin olive oil could be the 12% of the daily source of antioxidants in your diet if you just use two tablespoon of EVOO in your salads. And it could be almost the 30% if you drizzled it over fish/meat or roast vegetables or dipping with bread. While if you do the same with refined vegetables oil the ingestion of antioxidants is null.
Why is important to consume antioxidants?
Because they are associated with several salutary effects in human:
ATHEROSCLEROSIS. Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL) contribute to the progression of human atherosclerosis. Antioxidants have been shown to prevent LDL modification. The beneficial effects of a Mediterranean diet may be defined by the unique antioxidant properties of its phenolic compounds.
ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY. Olive polyphenols have been demonstrated to inhibit or delay the rate of growth bacteria such as Salmonella, Cholera, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Influenza in vitro. These data suggest a potential role of olive water polyphenol antioxidants in promoting intestinal and respiratory human and animal wellness, and as an antimicrobial food additive in pest management programs.
HEART DISEASE. Researchers are fairly certain that oxidative modification of LDL-cholesterol (sometimes called "bad" cholesterol) promotes blockages in coronary arteries that may lead to atherosclerosis and heart attacks. Vitamin E may help prevent or delay coronary heart disease by limiting the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol. It also may help prevent the formation of blood clots, which could lead to a heart attack. Reduction in inflammatory effects such as coronary artery disease including specific medical research into the pathways of improved endothelial health via downregulation of oxidative LDL.
CANCER. There is a growing body of evidence that reactive oxygen species are involved in the etiology of fat-related neoplasm, especially in patients suffering from predisposing inflammatory conditions where high quantities of reactive oxygen are produced. Recent studies have shown that the abundant phenolic antioxidant fractions of olive oil have a potent inhibitory ability on reactive oxygen species associated with colon and breast pathologies. Some polyphenol antioxidants, such as resveratrol, inhibit occurrence and/or growth of mammalian tumors.
OXIDATIVE STRESS FROM PASSIVE SMOKING Recent studies which involve administration of the phenolic fraction from olive water in rats exposed to oxidative stress from secondary smoke, show a dramatic reduction of stress and protective activity by polyphenols in the diet.
SKIN DAMAGE AND PHOTOPROTECTION. The skin damage produced by overexposure to sunrays and environmental stress is related to the destructive activity of free oxygen related radicals produced by skin cells. Polyphenolic components of olive oil have been compared to traditional antioxidants used by the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry to prevent skin damage. Results show polyphenols as having the highest activity as radical scavengers A variety of other beneficial health effects have been attributed to consumption of foods rich in polyphenolic antioxidants. Among these salutary effects discussed are anti-aging consequences such as slowing the process of skin wrinkling.
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