The Medical Advisor

The Mediterranean diet , which features a variety of vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, and olive oil, has long been studied for its beneficial effects on heart health.  Endothelial dysfunction has been identified as an important underlying contributor to many kinds of heart problems. The endothelium is a thin layer of protective cells that line the inner walls of the arteries and heart. It helps ensure efficient blood flow around the entire body. An impaired or dysfunctional endothelium is a significant predictor of cardiovascular disease.2 A recent study published in PLOS Medicine measured the effect of the Mediterranean diet on endothelial function, compared to a low-fat diet, assessed byflow-mediated dilation (FMD).3 The FMD is an ultrasound test, which measures blood vessel health and helps predict cardiovascular disease risk. Higher FMD results are a favorable outcome. What the Study Found This study is based on the data set from the Spanish COR...

Have you seen the latest TikTok trend urging people to start their day off with a shot of extra virgin olive oil? This is yet another social media fad you’re better off avoiding. While olive oil is widely regarded as a health food — the TikTok trend suggests drinking olive oil can boost metabolism and improve gut and skin health (1), for instance — it contains linoleic acid (LA). There's been a series of mainstream articles touting the Mediterranean diet, specifically praising the health benefits of olive oil. However, contrasting views exist, particularly concerning its link to obesity. Historical skepticism, such as that from Plato, who deemed olive oil harmful, contrasts sharply with its modern accolades. Intriguingly, areas like Greece, Spain, and Southern Italy, known for high olive oil consumption, also report some of the highest obesity rates in Europe. This has sparked debates about olive oil's role in health, given its nutritional profile predominantly featuring oleic ...

The popularity of the Mediterranean diet made olive oil a $16 billion-a-year industry in 2016. In 2022 it's down slightly to $11 billion (2) due to problems with olive production, but it's still a robust industry. Unfortunately, this popularity has also led to fraud and corruption, as CBS News first revealed in 2016. (3,4) The global olive oil market is estimated to progress at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 5.2% from 2023 to 2033. The market stands at a valuation of US 12 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach US 20 billion by 2033-end. Demand for virgin olive is projected to rise rapidly over the coming years due to its effectiveness in preventing cardiovascular illnesses. ( R ) You would have thought the industry would have cleaned up its act in the years since, but the fraud is still rampant in 2022, with regulators in Spain announcing in April 2022 that they had found at least 10 different products that contained other vegetable oils in...