Olive oil's secret ingredient found

Thurs April 2nd, 2009

Scientists may have pinned down the source of olive oil's legendary health benefits.

Portuguese researchers say they have identified an antioxidant chemical found in the olive that provides powerful protection against damage to blood cells.

Olive oil is seen as a key component to the so-called "Mediterranean diet", which seems to have a dramatic impact in improving the health of the heart.

British experts said the finding helped show why olive oil may help protect the heart.

The British Heart Foundation said families could use a range of unsaturated fats to improve heart health - including olive, rapeseed, sunflower, corn and soya.

Dietician Victoria Taylor said: "Olive oil is the main source of fat in a Mediterranean diet and the study helps to develop our understanding of why olive oil may be helpful in protecting the heart, but further research is needed to understand how this could translate into people's diets.

"Whatever oil you use should still be used sparingly as it is high in calories."

Researcher Fatima Paiva-Martins, who works at the University of Porto, reports in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research that the DHPEA-EDA antioxidant in olive oil seemed to be the "major source" of virgin olive oil's benefit.

She said: "These findings provide the scientific basis for the clear health benefits that have been seen in people who have olive oil in their diet."

* A second study reported today links fish oils to cancer treatment.

A component of the oil was combined with the drug cisplatin in laboratory trials.

Writing in the journal Cell Division, researchers from Mansoura University, Egypt, report on the effect of the omega-3 fatty acid Docosahexanoic acid or DHA, commonly found in cold-water fish.

Researcher Professor A. M. El-Mowafy reports: "While DHA has been tentatively linked with protection against cardiovascular, neurological and neoplastic diseases, there exists a paucity of research information, in particular regarding its interactions with existing chemotherapy drugs."

Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2009, Vol. 53, DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.200800276.
Cell Division (in press)

Tags: UK News | Heart Health | Nutrition & Healthy Eating | Cancer | Africa | Europe

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