It’s time to eat more olive oil

The Edmonton Oilers won the Stanley Cup in 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988 with Wayne “The Great One” Gretzky as their center, and one more time in 1990 after they traded Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. Since then, no more Cups for the Oilers.

Maybe they could use a cup of olive oil to bolster their strength.

A study by researchers from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that folks who eat at least half a tablespoon (about a fourth of an ounce) of olive oil daily reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease by 15% and coronary heart disease by 21%. The researchers say these cardio benefits may be because higher olive oil intake reduces disease triggers like inflammation biomarkers (particularly interleukin-6) and pro-inflammatory cytokines. We say, make sure it’s extra-virgin olive oil, shown to not only reduce your risk for high blood pressure and blood clots, but to reduce breast cancer risk too!

But many of you aren’t jumping on the olive oil bandwagon, despite all the news about its benefits! Italians take in approximately 372 ounces per person per year. Olive oil consumption at that level is associated with a 48% reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality. By contrast Americans get only 20 ounces per person annually — way less than the study says you need to protect your heart. Our advice: Ditch saturated fats in favor of extra-virgin olive oil for salads, roasting and sauteing vegetables, poaching fish, marinating fish and skinless chicken.