Try This: Olive Oil

Hi ,

Try This: Get The Most Out of Your Olive OilPreview: Here’s a sneak peek at what we’ll be talking about in today’s newsletter:

• Why olive oil is the most widely researched oil in the history of humanity.

• How to protect yourself from fake olive oil which makes up 80% of the market.

• Is olive oil safe to cook with?

• How to effortlessly include this high polyphenol fat into your diet.

In light of my recent trip to Italy, I wanted to put together a newsletter based on my love for high-quality, authentic extra virgin olive oil, EVOO for short. The smell, taste, and sensory experience that olive oil can bring is so satisfying to me, but what fascinates me even more is its unique anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that make it the most widely studied oil of all time. Olive oil is made up of mostly oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that has anti-inflammatory activity in the body (1). But olive oil’s anti-inflammatory nature isn’t solely due to its monounsaturated fat content. It’s that, and the fact that it comes with over 100 different polyphenols, that make it truly a one-of-a-kind heart-healthy fat.In this week’s newsletter, I’m going to break down how and why EVOO is so therapeutic and give you some practical ways to incorporate it into your diet for some major health gains. Plus, I’m going to give you some solid guidelines so you can pick out the highest quality EVOO you can get—that doesn’t cost much more than the fake stuff (more on this below).That way, you can be confident that you’re getting the real deal and all the therapeutic benefits that come along with it. Just to be clear, moving forward, when I mention EVOO that’s going to refer to extra virgin olive oil (in its untarnished, unrefined form) and olive oil will refer to your regular run-of-the-mill olive oil (in its mass-produced refined form).How does olive oil protect against chronic disease?The presence of both monounsaturated fats and polyphenols in EVOO gives it its unique anti-inflammatory properties. This is why EVOO has shown to be protective against chronic diseases rooted in inflammation like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, and Alzheimer’s—just to name a few.EVOO’s therapeutic nature is due to its impact on several different biological mechanisms including beneficially modulating cholesterol and blood sugar levels, inflammatory markers, and the gut microbiome. Let’s break this down further. EVOO: A heart-healthy fatEVOO and regular olive oil have repeatedly been shown to lower LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) and increase HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) (2). Contrary to popular belief, LDL cholesterol isn’t the primary driver of heart disease—there’s a lot more to consider than just that. HDL is a much better indicator of heart disease risk as well as other diseases related to metabolic dysfunction.Here’s where EVOO reigns supreme over vegetable oils: not only does it increase HDL, it also enhances its function (cleaning up cholesterol from the arteries and carrying it to the liver for disposal) and increases blood flow by promoting nitric oxide production (2).This effect was illustrated in a study where people at high risk for heart disease were given a liter of EVOO a week and told to consume at least 4 tablespoons every day. After a 5-year follow-up, their risk for heart attack, stroke, and/or death dropped by 30% compared to those on a low-fat diet (3). By no means am I recommending consuming a liter of EVOO a week to get these benefits, but it’s really difficult to overconsume, especially if you’re getting the quality kind. Of all the oils out there, EVOO seems to be the best and safest to be enjoyed liberally.EVOO’s impact on blood sugarAnother well-documented but lesser known benefit of EVOO is it's impact on blood sugar. For me, this was a pretty big deal because blood sugar is one of my favorite things to talk about on my podcast with leading experts in the field. Combine that with olive oil, and you have my attention!In a clinical trial, patients with poor blood glucose control were given a meal with either 10 grams of EVOO or nothing at all. The EVOO group had significantly less blood glucose, lipids, and ApoB-48, a marker of LDL cholesterol, one and two hours after the meal, and insulin was significantly higher and more sensitive compared to the control meal (4). This effect was seen again in a similar study where 10 grams of EVOOor 10 grams of corn oil was given to healthy subjects with a Mediterranean-style meal. Two hours after eating, the EVOO group had lower blood sugar, LDL, oxidized LDL, higher insulin secretion and sensitivity compared to the corn oil group (5).This shows that EVOO positively impacts blood sugar and lipids levels when eaten with a meal. This could be due to the effect that dietary fat has on curbing blood sugar, however, the corn oil group didn’t experience these same benefits. Therefore, the quality and composition of fat must be key, but it might just be those polyphenols that give EVOO the extra edge. Some background on polyphenolsLike I mentioned before, EVOO is so special because it contains heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory monounsaturated fats and free-radical fighting polyphenols. The polyphenols in EVOO can vary tremendously from one bottle to the next. Agricultural environment, olive type, the extraction process, storage, and manufacturing conditions all factor into its final polyphenol composition (1). Hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, and their derivatives make up about 90% of olive oil’s polyphenols.  Together they scavenge free radicals, inhibit inflammatory gene expression, improve endothelial function, and suppress LDL oxidation (1)(6)(7)(8).For this reason, they are effective in combating heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, and many other inflammatory-based chronic diseases (1)(7).Olive oil’s antioxidant activity is strongly related to its polyphenols content However, most kinds on the shelves today have negligible amounts. Why? Commercially manufactured olive oil undergoes harsh chemical treatments to extract the oil from the fruit. To make matters worse, it’s also highly refined to purify any solvent left behind from the extraction process. This makes production cheaper, but it comes at the cost of losing its polyphenols.That’s why it's so important to make sure you’re getting the good stuff—cold-pressed, unrefined (organic if you can) EVOO that still has its polyphenols intact. Studies show high polyphenol olive oil (as in EVOO) leads to significantly better cardiovascular health outcomes than low polyphenol olive oil (i.e. refined olive oil) (9)(10).Unfiltered EVOO usually has some wispy remnants from the olives floating around in the bottle. If that doesn’t bother you, it’s a great way to get in additional polyphenols and their benefits.The EVOO-microbiome connectionMost of the polyphenols in EVOO escape digestion, making their way down to the colon where they act as prebiotics, feeding good gut bugs like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium (11)(12) and sterilizing the bad bugs (13).EVOO’s proliferation of good gut microbes increases the production of short-chain fatty acids which strengthens the gut barrier and supports the immune system by upregulating the production of antibodies that support an optimal immune response to viruses and bacteria (14).The polyphenols in EVOO come with the rest of its nutritional matrix (fatty acids, sterols, tocopherols—that’s the major form of vitamin E) which enhances absorption (15). We’re not exactly sure how much olive oil it takes to modulate the gut microbiome, but beneficial effects have been observed at doses of 3 to 4 tablespoons a day (11)(16).Now that we know why EVOO is so good for you, let’s get into how to maximize its therapeutic benefits!The ProtocolI. The dos and don’ts to consider when choosing your EVOO. Did you know that as much as 80% of olive oil on the shelves is actually fake (17)? Crazy, right? We put total faith in manufacturers that the label on the bottle represents exactly what’s inside, but the sad truth is, most olive oils are adulterated (18), which means they’re cut with cheap seed oils (like soybean and canola) to cut production costs.Even some EVOO sold in the US isn’t actually “extra virgin”. There’s actually a whole book about this (Extra Virginity: The Sublime World of Olive Oil) that explains olive oil’s history and crooked evolution into fraudulency. Nonetheless, we can’t put the full blame on manufacturers. Currently, there are no laws in place that screen for olive oil authenticity, and the FDA doesn’t mandate quality testing. Luckily, the International Olive Oil Council (IOC), California Olive Oil Council (COOC), and North American Olive Oil Association (NAOO) exist and set quality standards for producers to receive a seal of authenticity.Here are my foolproof guidelines you can follow to be certain you’re getting the highest quality, authentic EVOO. Try This: 1. Be on the lookout for EVOO that meet the following criteria:

• Comes in a dark, glass container

• The label says: cold-pressed, unrefined, extra virgin olive oil

• Avoid buzzwords like “light”, “pure”, or “premium” 

• Look for a seal of approval from IOC, COOC, or NAOO

• Look for a manufacturing date, harvest date, and/or expiration date

• Look for countries of origin

• Buy organic if you can

2. To make it easier on you, here are some of my favorite brands that meet the above criteria:

• Small batch: The Furies Organic, Unfiltered, Cold-Extraction Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I personally love this brand because they are women-owned and operated, use only the freshest ingredients, and are committed to sustainability in every way. 

• Mass-market: Bragg Organic Unfiltered, Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Premium: Brightland Alive Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This high polyphenol EVOO is quality tested, certified organic, and cold-pressed.

II. To cook with or not to cook with? That is the question! If you’re in the wellness space you’ve probably heard that olive oil is best used for dressing cold salads and low to medium-heat cooking due to its low smoke point. The idea is, the more structurally stable the fat, the higher the smoke point, the more heat it can tolerate. So cooking at high heat with a fat that has a low smoke point will result in oxidation, an inflammatory toxic byproduct.Newer research is starting to uncover some flaws in the smoke point argument. Turns out, the polyphenols in EVOO actually make oxidation more difficult. One study actually found that EVOO oxidation was similar to coconut oil (a saturated fat that’s very heat-stable) after increasing cooking time (up to 360 min) and temperature (up to 356°F)(19).What’s more, EVOO had less oxidation than cooking oils with higher smoke points (i.e. sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil), but the same wasn’t true for refined olive oils. As mentioned prior, the refining process strips polyphenols away, putting these under the same oxidation umbrella as refined omega-6 vegetable seed oils (19). As you can see, the smoke point argument is a little more nuanced than we originally thought, but that’s okay—most things are. My friend Chris Kresser does an excellent job explaining why olive oil is safer to cook with than we originally thought in more detail here.Recent studies like the one I laid out above make me feel more comfortable using EVOO for cooking stir fry dishes and sautéeing vegetables, but more studies are needed to definitively confirm this. Since the verdict may still be out, using animal-based saturated fats like grass-fed butter, beef tallow, and lard are probably the safest for high-heat because that’s what our ancestors historically used for cooking. III. How to get in 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil a day. This seems to be the sweet spot for gaining the metabolic benefits of EVOO on our health and gut microbiome. If you’re not already getting this much, below are some tips you can try to reach this goal.Try This:1. Have a spoonful first thing in the morning. My mom does this every morning and says it helps a ton with her digestion. There’s some research behind this, too. An observational study found that just one teaspoon of olive oil a day for 4-weeks significantly improved constipation. Another found that 97% of people with high intake of olive oil experienced more regular bowel movements than those who did not (20). 2. Liberally apply to your vegetables. High-quality olive oil increases the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols in your veggies (21). In fact, absorption of nutrients is directly related to the amount of oil added (22).Some people might be skeptical about this one since olive oil is a calorically dense food, but like my friend Shawn Stevenson says, “It’s not as simple as what’s on the label”. There’s so much more that comes into play, it’s the interaction of that food (and our environment) with our genes and the bugs in our gut that determines the overall effect it has on our bodies. If you’re still not sure, a meta-analysis found that people who ate a diet rich in olive oil had significantly less weight, waist circumference, and BMI than control diets (usually some variation of a low-fat diet) (23). Another study found no association between higher olive oil intake (about 3.5 tablespoons) and weight gain. In fact, they found the opposite to be true—high intake of olive oil was not associated with weight gain.Try This:1. Roasted veggies with EVOO, herbs, and spices. Now that we know that good quality EVOO can tolerate the heat, baking or roasting vegetables at higher temperatures (350°F) with EVOO drizzled on top is best. I do about 90% non-starchy cruciferous vegetables (baby broccolini, or Brussels sprouts) and 10% starchy vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes)—any more than that, and my blood sugar spikes.Pro tip: add a little extra anti-inflammatory action with herbs and spices like fresh crushed garlic, rosemary, ginger, or turmeric. 2. Big fat salad with EVOO. This is probably my favorite way to get a few tablespoons of EVOO in. Depending on your pour, I do the 5-second rule and count to 5 (Mississippi seconds) while drizzling my salad, this equals about 2 to 3 tablespoons.The health benefits we get from EVOO are pretty remarkable. Investing in a high-quality, cold-pressed, unrefined, unfiltered, (preferably) organic, EVOO and adding just a couple of spoonfuls a day to the foods that you’re already eating can provide a return on investment that’s pretty high and totally worth it. Together, the monounsaturated fats and polyphenols that makeup EVOO are truly unique, providing anti-inflammatory action that’s just as therapeutic as it is delicious. Whether you are looking for an extra boost of antioxidants to fight off inflammation, support your health, or enhance the flavor of a dish, give my protocol a try! Let me know what you think of the EVOO brands I suggested, I’d love to hear about your experience tasting something new!References: For the full list of 23 references cited here, head on over to my blog.Here's to your health,Dhru Purohit