Olive Oil: A Seasoning and Something More

For centuries the Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, has had health benefits for those who have followed it. With the advance of new technologies during the last century, the benefits of olive oil have begun to be investigated and recognized worldwide. Its health effects seem to be due to its composition, rich in fatty acids, particularly oleic acid. Epidemiological studies suggest that olive oil has many benefits: it has a protective effect against certain types of cancer (breast, prostate, endometrial, and colon); it may be partly responsible for the low incidence of certain cardiovascular diseases, and helps to keep blood pressure at normal and stable levels; it regulates cholesterol due to the antioxidant effects of its components.