Content uploaded by Liubov Ben-Noun (Nun)
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Liubov Ben-Noun (Nun) on May 24, 2018
Content may be subject to copyright.
A preview of the PDF is not available
HEALTH BENEFITS OF OLIVE OIL
Abstract
This research deals with the health effects of olive oil. What is the history of olive oil? What is its composition? The mechanisms of its action? What is the Mediterranean diet? What are its health effects? Can olive oil be recommended for use by humans?
The Biblical texts related to olive oil were examined from a contemporary viewpoint.
... A lot of archeological evidence has witnessed that inhabitants in this region consumed olives since the copper age. Over the millennia, olive oil has been used not only as a dietary ingredient, but also as lamp fuel, for cosmetics and pharmacological uses, for special rituals such as anointing royalty, warriors, etc. Greek philosophers have showed interest to examine its nutritional and medicinal benefits, while Aristotle and Hippocrates have recommended the olive oil for treatment of many diseases, such as dermatitis, stomach and intestine problems, as well as sun protection and burnt skin [1][2][3][4]. ...
... In addition to the antioxidant effect, i.e. the direct scavenging of reactive species, the EVOO polyphenols' modulation of gene expression plays a key role in their anti-inflammatory properties. A strong scientific evidence supports the association of phenolic compounds with the prevention or reduced risk of diseases caused and characterized by oxidative stress or inflammation, such as cancers, digestive disorders, metabolic syndrome, obesity, atherosclerosis and CVDs [19,24,27,31,[49][50][51]. Beside antioxidant and anti-inflammation effects, polyphenols are also responsible for antihepatotoxic, antidiarrheal, anti-ulcerous in the digestive system, anti-allergic, anthelmintic, anti-osteoporosis effects, but also have anti-bacterial and antiviral effects [3,4]. ...
... CVD is a group of disorders such as chronic heart disease, stroke, rheumatic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, congenital heart disease, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis and most of them proliferate in general by the accumulation of fatty deposits on the inner walls of the blood vessels causing a blockage of blood circulation to the arms, legs, brain, or heart [7,17]. There is an evidence that EVOO's fatty acids play an essential role in the management of CVDs and do not cause deposits and blockage in the blood vessels [3,4,17,82]. Current recommendations for primary prevention of CVD highlight the importance of dietary patterns including dietary sources of healthy fats, such as those high in unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat. ...
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), also called the”Elixir of the youth and health” by the Ancient Greeks, is a cornerstone in the Mediterranean diet, which has been recognized as one of the healthiest and most sustainable dietary pattern and lifestyle. In this chapter, a brief overview of the major and minor components of EVOO is given followed by a review of their health benefits. In particular, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and cardiovascular protective effects of EVOO are emphasized. At the end of this chapter, the reader would benefit by realizing that EVOO, as a functional food, proves the Hippocrates’s quote “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”.
... Jumah, Elgebaly, & Mahmoud, 2019; Capurso, Crepaldi, & Capurso, 2018a;Ichihashi et al., 2018;Kabaran, 2018;Wani et al., 2018), may contribute to olive oil's overall therapeutic characteristics by activating epigenetic gene expression pathways (ALHaithloul et al., 2019;Arpón et al., 2017;Ben-Nun, 2018;Capurso, Crepaldi, & Capurso, 2018b;Caramia et al., 2012;Ichihashi et al., 2018;Kabaran, 2018;Kouka et al., 2018;Nanda, Mahmood, Bhatia, Mahmood, & Dhawan, 2018;Rigacci & Stefani, 2016). As alluded to above, the use of olive oil formulations and (other plant oils and extracts) (Das & Satyaprakash, 2018;Vaughn, Clark, Sivamani, & Shi, 2017) to treat skin disorders traces back to antiquity (Hippocrates, 460BCE;Ali, Fox, & Finlayson, 2013;Das & Satyaprakash, 2018;Gorini et al., 2019;Tsoucalas et al., 2018). ...
... Nrf2-activating compounds are becoming staple ingredients in topically applied skin-conditioning creams and other formulations that mitigate skin damage(Ahmed, 2019;Ben-Nun, 2018;Braidy et al., 2019;Burke, 2018;Davinelli, Nielsen, & Scapagnini, 2018;Gorini et al., 2019;Huang, Wang, Yang, Chou, & Fang, 2018;Kocot, Kiełczykowska, Luchowska-Kocot, Kurzepa, & Musik, 2018;Kunnumakkara et al., 2017;Lephart, 2018;Ríos, Giner, Marín, & Recio, 2018;Rodríguez-Luna et al., 2018;Simitzis, 2018;Vega et al., 2017Vega et al., , 2018Vollmer et al., 2018;Yokota, Yahagi, & Masaki, 2018), promote skin repair (Bellot et al., 2019; Davinelli, Nielsen, & Scapagnini, 2018; Ferreira & Gomes, 2018; Kim et al., 2019; Yang et al., 2018), and enhance diabeticassociated wound healing (Bellot et al., 2019; Ben-Nun, 2018; Cuadrado et al., 2019; Ferreira & Gomes, 2018; Gorini et al., 2019; Huang et al., 2018; Kim et al., 2019; Kocot et al., 2018; Kunnumakkara et al., 2017; Panahi et al., 2019;Ríos et al., 2018;Sanchez, Lancel, Boulanger, & Neviere, 2018;Vega et al., 2017;Vega et al., 2018;Vollmer et al., 2018).With respect to the latter, almost a third of the world's population is considered to be overweight or obese(González-Muniesa et al., 2017) and the percentage is rising to epidemic proportions(Blaszczak et al., 2019;Severin, Sabbahi, Mahmoud, Arena, & Phillips, 2019). Weight gain is further magnified in pediatric and adolescent age groups(Wilkes et al., 2019). ...
Healthy skin protects us against a multitude of insults, but injured or maladapted skin can lead to infection, inflammation, or worse. Fortunately, naturally occurring bioactive products, many commonly found in olive oil and other plant and vegetable extracts, have shown utility in treating skin and related diseases as well as conditioning the skin to maintain its healthy function. Powerful agents targeting nuclear regulatory pathways continue to hold promise as new or repurposed therapies for a wide variety of ills and skin conditions. Epigenetic approaches that activate Nrf2 to effect detoxification, redox balance, DNA repair, and mitochondrial function are noteworthy. Some of the disease applications being actively investigated range from eczema and psoriasis to skin cancer and diabetes‐related wound healing to name just a few.
The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has been recommended to the general population by many scientific organizations as a healthy dietary pattern, based on strong evidence of association with improved cardiometabolic health, including lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. However, most studies have been conducted in Mediterranean or European countries or among white populations in the United States (US), while few exist for non-Mediterranean countries or racial/ethnic minority populations in the US. Because most existing studies evaluating adherence to the MedDiet use population-specific definitions or scores, the reported associations may not necessarily apply to other racial/ethnic populations that may have different distributions of intake. Moreover, racial/ethnic groups may have diets that do not comprise the typical Mediterranean foods captured by these scores. Thus, there is a need to determine if similar positive effects from following a MedDiet are observed in diverse populations, as well as to identify culturally-relevant foods reflected within Mediterranean-like patterns, that can facilitate implementation and promotion of such among broader racial/ethnic groups. In this narrative review, we summarize and discuss the evidence from observational and intervention studies on the MedDiet and cardiometabolic diseases in racial/ethnic minority populations in the US, and offer recommendations to enhance research on MedDiet for such populations.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer diagnosis and the second and third leading cause of cancer mortality in men and women, respectively. However, the majority of CRC cases are the result of sporadic tumorigenesis via the adenoma–carcinoma sequence. This process can take up to 20 years, suggesting an important window of opportunity exists for prevention such as switching toward healthier dietary patterns. The Mediterranean diet (MD) is a dietary pattern associated with various health benefits including protection against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and various cancers. In this article, we review publications available in the PubMed database within the last 10 years that report on the impact of a MD eating pattern on prevention of CRC. To assist the reader with interpretation of the results and discussion, we first introduce indexes and scoring systems commonly used to experimentally determine adherence to a MD, followed by a brief introduction of the influence of the MD pattern on inflammatory bowel disease, which predisposes to CRC. Finally, we discuss key biological mechanisms through which specific bioactive food components commonly present in the MD are proposed to prevent or delay the development of CRC. We close with a discussion of future research frontiers in CRC prevention with particular reference to the role of epigenetic mechanisms and microbiome related to the MD eating pattern.
Substantial evidence has verified the Mediterranean diet’s (MedDiet) nutritional adequacy, long-term sustainability, and effectiveness for preventing hard clinical events from cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as increasing longevity. This article includes a cumulative meta-analysis of prospective studies supporting a strong inverse association between closer adherence to the MedDiet and the incidence of hard clinical events of CVD. The MedDiet has become an increasingly popular topic of interest when focusing on overall food patterns rather than single nutrient intake, not only in Mediterranean countries, but also globally. However, several myths and misconceptions associated with the traditional Mediterranean diet should be clearly addressed and dispelled, particularly those that label as “Mediterranean” an eating pattern that is not in line with the traditional Mediterranean diet. The transferability of the traditional MedDiet to the non-Mediterranean populations is possible, but it requires a multitude of changes in dietary habits. New approaches for promoting healthy dietary behavior consistent with the MedDiet will offer healthful, sustainable, and practical strategies at all levels of public health. The following article presents practical resources and knowledge necessary for accomplishing these changes.
Even though Cyprus was an important crossing point for the westward spread of olive, and
one of the primary regions of domestication, its genetic recourses remain uncharted at a
great extent. Throughout the centuries, a number of ancient olive trees remain in the same
orchards, contributing to Cypriot oleiculture and society. In an attempt to explore this monumental
genetic pool, a survey was conducted to identify centennial olive trees in rural provinces
of Cyprus. Microsatellites were employed in order to study their genetic composition
(including rootstocks when feasible) and to establish possible associations among genotypes.
High numbers of specific alleles, suggestive of the distinctiveness of this germplasm,
were detected, and both grafting and rootstock propagation was verified. Moreover, it was
determined by Bayesian structural and network reticulate analysis that centennial olives can
be divided in two discrete genetic clusters having intermediate admixed accessions. Furthermore,
it was determined that all contemporary Cypriot cultivars, that were included in
the present study, were highly affiliated exclusively to one genetic group, a strong evidence
of selection among elite clones. The information acquired from the current study reveals the
genetic rareness of this material and its contribution to the current olive germplasm
Neurological disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases are associated with high morbidity and mortality, and few or no effective options are available for their treatment. These disorders share common pathological characteristics like the induction of oxidative stress, abnormal protein aggregation, perturbed Ca2+ homeostasis, excitotoxicity, inflammation and apoptosis. A large body of evidence supports the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet in preventing neurodegeneration. As the Mediterranean diet is characterized by a high consumption of extra-virgin olive oil it has been hypothesized that olive oil, and in particular its phenols, could be responsible for the beneficial effect of the Mediterranean diet. This review provides an updated vision of the beneficial properties of olive oil and olive oil phenols in preventing/counteracting both acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases.
Osteoarthritis is a major cause of morbidity among the elderly worldwide. It is a disease characterized by localized inflammation of the joint and destruction of cartilage, leading to loss of function. Impaired chondrocyte repair mechanisms, due to inflammation, oxidative stress and autophagy, play important roles in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Olive and its derivatives, which possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and autophagy-enhancing activities, are suitable candidates for therapeutic interventions for osteoarthritis. This review aimed to summarize the current evidence on the effects of olive and its derivatives, on osteoarthritis and chondrocytes. The literature on animal and human studies has demonstrated a beneficial effect of olive and its derivatives on the progression of osteoarthritis. In vitro studies have suggested that the augmentation of autophagy (though sirtuin-1) and suppression of inflammation by olive polyphenols could contribute to the chondroprotective effects of olive polyphenols. More research and well-planned clinical trials are required to justify the use of olive-based treatment in osteoarthritis.
BACKGROUND: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is fruit oil with rich source of monounsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants. It acts as hypolipidemic agent and significant decrease of plasma lipids level was observed with EVOO use. Atorvastatin is hypolipidemic drug commonly used for treatment of hyperlipidaemia. The purpose of this study was to determine & compare the lipid lowering effect of EVOO with atorvastatin in type 2 diabetic dyslipidaemia which is leading cause of microvascular diseases. METHODS: This randomised controlled trial was conducted on 60 already diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus with dyslipidaemia. All sixty subjects were divided randomly into 2 groups. Atorvastatin 40 mg was given to Group One and two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil orally per day was given to Group Two. Blood was collected for estimation of plasma lipids level at base line, 4th week, and 6th weeks in two groups and was compared statistically. RESULTS: The present study demonstrated 20-40% lipid lowering effect of atorvastatin on plasma lipids level with 9-16% increase in HDL while extra virgin olive oil showed 14-25% reduction in plasma lipids with 8-12% increase in HDL-cholesterol level. CONCLUSIONS: This study concludes that both atorvastatin and extra virgin olive oil are effective in reducing plasma lipids level in type 2 diabetic dyslipidaemia with more prominent effect of atorvastatin than EVOO.
Background: Diet has been reported to influence arterial blood pressure, and evidence indicates that the Mediterranean diet reduces cardiovascular mortality.
Objective: The objective was to examine whether the Mediterranean diet, as an entity, and olive oil, in particular, reduce arterial blood pressure.
Design: Arterial blood pressure and several sociodemographic, anthropometric, dietary, physical activity, and clinical variables were recorded at enrollment among participants in the Greek arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Of these participants, 20 343 had never received a diagnosis of hypertension and were included in an analysis in which systolic and diastolic blood pressure were regressed on the indicated possible predictors, including a 10-point score that reflects adherence to the Mediterranean diet and, alternatively, the score's individual components and olive oil.
Results: The Mediterranean diet score was significantly inversely associated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Intakes of olive oil, vegetables, and fruit were significantly inversely associated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, whereas cereals, meat and meat products, and ethanol intake were positively associated with arterial blood pressure. Mutual adjustment between olive oil and vegetables, which are frequently consumed together, indicated that olive oil has the dominant beneficial effect on arterial blood pressure in this population.
Conclusions: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is inversely associated with arterial blood pressure, even though a beneficial component of the Mediterranean diet score—cereal intake—is positively associated with arterial blood pressure. Olive oil intake, per se, is inversely associated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Background and objective:
The cardioprotective properties of Mediterranean Diet were demonstrated for the first time from the Seven Country Study. In the last few decades, numerous epidemiological studies, as well as intervention trial, confirmed this observation, pointing out the close relationship between the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular diseases. In this context, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), the most representative component of this diet, seems to be relevant in lowering the incidence of cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction and stroke. From a chemical point of view, 98-99% of the total weight of EVOO is represented by fatty acids, especially monounsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid. Tocopherols, polyphenols and other minor constituents represent the remaining 1-2%. All these components may potentially contribute to "health maintenance" with their beneficial effects by EVOOO.
Methods:
Studies that examined the effect of EVOO supplementation in healthy subjects and in individuals at cardiovascular risk were included.
Conclusion:
The studies analyzed demonstrated the role of EVOO as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and vasodilatory nutrient that may contribute to lower the atherosclerotic burden.
Background & aims:
The incidence of osteoporotic fractures is lower in countries in the Mediterranean basin. Virgin olive oil, a key component of the Mediterranean Diet (MDiet), with recognised beneficial effects on metabolism and cardiovascular health, may decrease the risk of osteoporotic fractures. The aim to this study was to explore the effect of chronic consumption of total olive oil and its varieties on the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures in a middle-aged and elderly Mediterranean population.
Methods:
We included all participants (n = 870) recruited in the Reus (Spain) centre of the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial. Individuals, aged 55-80 years at high cardiovascular risk, were randomized to a MedDiet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil, a MedDiet supplemented with nuts, or a low-fat diet. The present analysis was an observational cohort study nested in the trial. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary habits and olive oil consumption. Information on total osteoporotic fractures was obtained from a systematic review of medical records. The association between yearly repeated measurements of olive oil consumption and fracture risk was assessed by multivariate Cox proportional hazards.
Results:
We documented 114 incident cases of osteoporosis-related fractures during a median follow-up of 8.9 years. Treatment allocation had no effect on fracture risk. Participants in the highest tertile of extra-virgin olive oil consumption had a 51% lower risk of fractures (HR:0.49; 95% CI:0.29-0.81. P for trend = 0.004) compared to those in the lowest tertile after adjusting for potential confounders. Total and common olive oil consumption was not associated with fracture risk.
Conclusions:
Higher consumption of extra-virgin olive oil is associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis-related fractures in middle-aged and elderly Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk.