Olive oil consumption is associated with a lower risk of death from dementia.
A new study has found that regularly consuming olive oil may provide health benefits, including improved cognitive performance.
According to The Wall Street Journal, a new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open found that daily consumption of olive oil is associated with a lower risk of death from dementia.
The study involved two groups of more than 92,000 participants. Approximately 65 percent of the participants were women. They were asked how often they consumed different foods every four years for 28 years. The physician also reviewed the death certificates of participants who died during the study period to determine whether dementia was the cause of death. 4,751 participants were found to have died from dementia.
The study found that consuming at least half a tablespoon of olive oil every day was associated with a 28 percent reduced risk of death from dementia compared to those who never or rarely consumed olive oil. However, participants who reported higher olive oil consumption had a lower risk of dying from dementia, regardless of the quality of their diet or their adherence to the Mediterranean diet.
The researchers also found that replacing about one teaspoon of margarine and mayonnaise with an equivalent amount of olive oil reduced the risk of death from dementia by 8 to 14 percent.
Additionally, a 2022 study of the same two groups found that higher olive oil consumption was associated with about a 19 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared to those who never or rarely consumed olive oil.
As the study authors note, olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and contains compounds with antioxidant activity that may play a protective role for the brain.
However, the researchers say they could not determine the differences when using different varieties of olive oil, nor calculate the optimal amount of olive oil consumption.
Previously, nutritionists said that although olive oil has undoubted benefits for the body, this does not mean that you need to specifically drink it with spoons. Moderation is needed in everything, so simply adding olive oil to a salad or other food is enough.
