Why 20 Grams of Olive Oil Could Be a Daily Health Habit

In this episode of Daily Value, we look at how extra virgin olive oil and its polyphenols—including hydroxytyrosol—could impact your health and longevity. Referencing evidence from the Moli-Sani Study and other meta-analyses (PMID: 38704428), we uncover how these bioactives are suggested to reduce risks for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality.

Discussion Points:

• Bioactive Compounds: How hydroxytyrosol prevents LDL oxidation and reduces inflammation, key mechanisms for cardiovascular protection.
• Landmark Studies: The Moli-Sani cohort found a 28% reduction in cancer deaths with a certain threshold of olive oil, while meta-analyses confirm a 16% lower cardiovascular risk with similar amounts of olive oil.
• Practical Takeaways: Why cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is essential for these benefits and how just 3 tablespoons daily could support health outcomes.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38704428/

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 0 (00:00):
eat olive oil and live longer.
It's possible.
There's something to that.
Hello everyone, and welcomeback to Daily Value.
I'm William Wallace and todaywe're diving into one of the
most celebrated components ofthe Mediterranean diet, that
being olive oil.
But this isn't just aconversation about its culinary
uses.
We're zeroing in on severalrecent cohort studies, along

(00:23):
with meta-analyses andsystematic reviews that all
point to very similarconclusions, albeit with their
own nuances that the inclusionof olive oil in our diet may be
promoting a lower risk ofchronic conditions, including
cancer, cardiovascular diseaseand even all-cause mortality.
From reducing cancer mortalityto supporting cardiovascular,

(00:44):
metabolic and cognitive health,the science behind olive oil is
rapidly evolving.
In this episode, we'll look atthe mechanisms behind these
proposed effects, the latestclinical research that I just
referenced, and actionable waysthat you can integrate olive oil
into your daily routine, ifthat is so desired.
To begin, it's worth notingthat there are different

(01:05):
versions of olive oil.
There is virgin olive oil,non-virgin, also known as
refined, and extra virgin, whichis considered the highest
quality of the three.
Virgin olive oil is extractedfrom olives using mechanical
methods without heat orchemicals, preserving its
natural nutrients and bioactivecompounds.
Non-virgin or refined olive oilundergoes chemical processing

(01:33):
and heat to neutralize flavorand acidity, which strips away
many of the beneficial phenoliccompounds, reducing its overall
nutritional value.
Extra virgin olive oil is thehighest quality virgin oil, with
the most antioxidants and arobust flavor profile.
Now, the consumption of extravirgin olive oil has been tied
numerous times to protectionagainst cardiovascular disease

(01:55):
risk, the development ofdifferent types of cancer, the
development of type 2 diabetes,obesity and metabolic syndrome.
However, when it comes to thehealth-promoting properties, the
olive oil polyphenols appear tobe in the center of research
interest.
These include what are calledsequoia-ridoid derivatives that
include alluropane, oleocanthaland oleoacin, and these simple

(02:18):
phenols, hydroxytyrosol andtyrosol.
Now, it's worth noting thatalluropane is more abundant in
the leaf of the olive plant.
It's water soluble, so it's notreally extracted into and found
in the oil.
Actually, most of it turns intohydroxy tyrosol through
hydrolysis.
It is hydroxy tyrosol that isconsidered the major active

(02:39):
component of olive oil.
It's the hydroxy tyrosolcontent that has been shown to
be very effective in preventinglipid peroxidation and
preventing low-densitylipoproteins from oxidizing.
In other words, it's highlyeffective at preventing certain
fats from breaking down, whichis a key step in the development
of heart disease.
There is actually enoughevidence for the

(02:59):
cardioprotective effects ofhydroxytyrosol that the European
Food Safety Authority, alsocalled EFSA, have published a
health claim about the role ofolive oil polyphenols in
protecting LDL from oxidation.
The health claim states that adaily intake of 20 grams of
olive oil which contains atleast 5 milligrams of
hydroxytyrosol and itsderivatives, that being

(03:21):
alluropine and tyrosol, providesthe expected beneficial effects
of preventing low-densitylipoprotein oxidation.
Of course, they are referencingextra virgin and high-quality
oils.
These bioactive compounds don'tjust work on isolated systems.
They affect nearly every majororgan system in the body, from
the heart to the brain, makingthem uniquely versatile.

(03:42):
But how do these effectstranslate to real-world health
outcomes?
Well, there have been a stringof cohort studies over the last
few years suggesting that oliveoil intake yielding a meaningful
amount of some of thesebioactive compounds we've
discussed has some compellingeffects on health and disease
risk.
One very notable study waspublished just last year in the

(04:03):
European Journal of ClinicalNutrition.
The Mali-Sani study is one ofthe largest studies to examine
the health effects of olive oilconsumption, tracking nearly
23,000 adults over 12 years.
Its findings on cancer mortalityare what stood out the most.
Participants who consumed morethan three tablespoons of olive
oil daily, equating to 30 gramsof olive oil at 10 grams a

(04:26):
tablespoon, experienced a 28%reduction in cancer-related
deaths, compared to those whoconsumed less than 1.5
tablespoons or 15 grams daily.
There was an 18% lower rate ofall-cause mortality, a
relationship that was largelydriven by a substantially lower
rate in cancer mortality that I,a relationship that was largely
driven by a substantially lowerrate in cancer mortality that I
just mentioned.
This result stands out evenafter accounting for other

(04:48):
factors like diet, lifestyle andsocioeconomic status.
Lower levels of blood pressureand resting heart rate
associated with the consumptionof olive oil accounted for 14.5%
and 8.1% of its inverserelationship with all-cause and
cancer mortality respectively,meaning that lower blood
pressure and heart rate were twoof the biggest explanations for

(05:10):
lower all-cause mortality andcancer risk found here.
Now, importantly, the effectsonly stood out in non-obese
participants consuming olive oil, so that is worth noting.
The study aligns with findingsfrom a 2022 meta-analysis
reporting a 16% reduced risk ofcardiovascular disease for every

(05:30):
25 gram increase in olive oilconsumption and also an 11%
reduced risk for all-causemortality at the 25 gram per day
intake threshold.
Findings are also in line withanother 2022 meta-analysis that
included 45 studies finding a31% lower risk of any cancer
associated with high versus lowolive oil intake.

(05:53):
Systematic reviews of randomizedcontrol trials, and not just
cohort trials, have confirmedthe benefits of the active
compounds of olive oil, thatbeing alluropine and
hydroxytyrosol, for other healthoutcomes.
Studies consistently show thatalluropine and hydroxytyrosol
improve lipid profiles.
They reduce LDL cholesterolwhile increasing HDL cholesterol

(06:15):
.
In addition, these compoundslower markers of inflammation
like C-reactive protein, whichare strongly linked to
cardiovascular disease whenelevated and then drawn out over
time.
So how can you apply thesefindings to your daily life?
Well, one choose extra virgin,cold pressed olive oil.
Extra virgin olive oil containssignificantly higher levels of

(06:36):
phenolic compounds compared torefined olive oil.
Varieties with a robust, almostpeppery flavor often indicates
a higher phenolic content.
As for the dose, according toEFSA, at least 20 grams of a
high-quality olive oil would beneeded to yield enough
hydroxytyrosol to reach itscardiovascular benefit claim.

(06:57):
Aim for at least two to threetablespoons of extra virgin
olive oil per day, use it as asalad dressing, drizzle it over
cooked vegetables or even pairit with whole grain bread.
If you're looking for a moreconcentrated dose of alluropene
or hydroxytyrosol, supplementsderived from olive leaves or
olive oil are available.
Just be sure to choose aproduct that's standardized for

(07:20):
these compounds, an olive fruitextract would be preferred for
hydroxytyrosol and an olive leafextract would be preferred for
oleuropein, although you canstill get high quality
hydroxytyrosol from an oliveleaf extract.
In most cases, an olive fruitextract would come as an oil and
an olive leaf extract wouldcome as a powder but could be

(07:42):
encapsulated.
While the current evidence ispromising, there's still much to
learn about olive oil'sbioactive compounds.
For example, questions remainabout the optimal dosing,
duration and combinations ofall-European hydroxytyrosol and
other bioactives for specifichealth outcomes.
What we do know is that oliveoil is far more than just a

(08:02):
healthy fat.
It's a functional food with thepotential to impact multiple
facets of health and longevity.
Whether you're looking toreduce your risk of chronic
disease, support cognitivefunction or enhance metabolic
health, olive oil and thecompounds within it are worth
considering.
If you've enjoyed today'sepisode, don't forget to
subscribe and share Daily Valuewith someone who loves exploring

(08:24):
the science behind nutrition.
Until next time, stay healthy.