December 13, 2006
Olive oil may account for Southern Europe's lower rate of cancer
A study scheduled to be published in the January, 2007 issue of The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) reports the finding of researchers from five European countries that the greater intake of olive oil in Southern European countries may be responsible for the lower rate of cancer observed among individuals living there, in comparison with their Northern European neighbors.
Investigators led by Henrik E. Poulsen, MD of Rigshospitalet, Denmark gave volunteers from Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, and Spain 25 milliliters olive oil daily for three weeks. Urine samples were analyzed for levels of the waste by-products of cellular oxidative damage, which is a precursor of cancer. While the by-products were higher among Northern European participants at the beginning of the trial, a significant reduction was observed by the study's end.
"Determining the health benefits of any particular food is challenging because of it involves relatively large numbers of people over significant periods of time," Dr Poulsen stated. "In our study, we overcame these challenges by measuring how olive oil affected the oxidation of our genes, which is closely linked to development of disease. This approach allows us to determine if olive oil or any other food makes a difference. Our findings must be confirmed, but every piece of evidence so far points to olive oil being a healthy food. By the way, it also tastes great."
"Every New Year people make resolutions that involve eating less fat to improve their health," FASEB Journal editor-in-chief Gerald Weissmann, MD, commented. "This academically sound, practically useful study shows that what you eat is just as important as how much you eat. No wonder Plato taught wisdom in an olive grove called Academe."
Olive oil may account for Southern Europe's lower rate of cancer
A study scheduled to be published in the January, 2007 issue of The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) reports the finding of researchers from five European countries that the greater intake of olive oil in Southern European countries may be responsible for the lower rate of cancer observed among individuals living there, in comparison with their Northern European neighbors.
Investigators led by Henrik E. Poulsen, MD of Rigshospitalet, Denmark gave volunteers from Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, and Spain 25 milliliters olive oil daily for three weeks. Urine samples were analyzed for levels of the waste by-products of cellular oxidative damage, which is a precursor of cancer. While the by-products were higher among Northern European participants at the beginning of the trial, a significant reduction was observed by the study's end.
"Determining the health benefits of any particular food is challenging because of it involves relatively large numbers of people over significant periods of time," Dr Poulsen stated. "In our study, we overcame these challenges by measuring how olive oil affected the oxidation of our genes, which is closely linked to development of disease. This approach allows us to determine if olive oil or any other food makes a difference. Our findings must be confirmed, but every piece of evidence so far points to olive oil being a healthy food. By the way, it also tastes great."
"Every New Year people make resolutions that involve eating less fat to improve their health," FASEB Journal editor-in-chief Gerald Weissmann, MD, commented. "This academically sound, practically useful study shows that what you eat is just as important as how much you eat. No wonder Plato taught wisdom in an olive grove called Academe."