Extra virgin olive oil carries large range of health benefits
Q: Recently I read your article about the benefits of consuming olive oil. You did not specify the quality of olive oil. What were these people using? Did it matter where the olive oil comes from? I am planing to give U.S.made products for the holidays this year. I’d like to purchase bulk olive oil and fill small bottles as gifts. Can you recommend a bulk olive oil? A:
In the research we discussed, the quantity of the olive oil was specified (at least 7 grams a day or half a tablespoon). The investigators did not address the quality or source. That is probably because their study included almost 100,000 health professionals who filled out dietary questionnaires for 28 years (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, January 2022). Those who consumed more olive oil were less likely to die during that time from cancer or cardiovascular, neurodegenerative or respiratory disease.
A previous study, the PREDIMED trial, compared people following a prudent diet low in fat to those who followed a Mediterranean diet with additional nuts or extra virgin olive oil (New England Journal of Medicine, June 21, 2018). Those consuming extra virgin olive oil had fewer cardiovascular events.
Extra virgin olive oil is unrefined and made from the first pressing of the olive fruit. It contains phenols that have important health benefits (Cells, Feb. 19, 2020).
ConsumerLab.com evaluated
10 EVOO products. Their top pick was California Olive Ranch Everyday EVOO (available in bulk). ConsumerLab.com suggests looking for a seals from the North American Olive Oil Association, the California Olive Oil Council or the USDA Quality Monitoring Program. One of these certifications may help you find a good quality bulk olive oil.
Q: Because I have Type 2 diabetes, I’ve been taking Rybelsus since April. I have lost close to 30 pounds. There’s a lot of noise around using semaglutide (the ingredient in Rybelsus) for weight loss. They are leaving those of us who truly need the medication for diabetes in the lurch, since there’s a shortage of the injectable medication. Why would the Food and Drug Administration let doctors prescribe diabetes drugs for weight loss? A:
The FDA has no authority over the practice of medicine. Semaglutide is the generic name for the self-injected weight loss drug Wegovy. The same injectable medication is found in Ozempic, a medication approved for treating Type 2 diabetes. The oral version of semaglutide, Rybelsus, was also
approved by the FDA for Type 2 diabetes.
Ever since Elon Musk attributed his weight loss to “fasting ... and Wegovy,” social media has been buzzing about this medication. The FDA reports that both Wegovy and Ozempic are “currently in shortage.” Oral semaglutide (Rybelsus) does not appear to be in short supply at this time.
We are dismayed that doctors would prescribe Ozempic for people without diabetes to lose weight. The drug can cause low blood sugar, abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, nausea and vomiting.
Q: My husband and I are taking a trip to Ecuador. Is there anything we can take to reduce the chance of traveler’s diarrhea? A:
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol) appears to offer some protection against traveler’s diarrhea (Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, April 1986).
The authors report that people taking two 262-milligram tablets twice daily were 35% less likely to report diarrhea.