Is olive oil really that good for you?

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Olive oil is having a moment. Starbucks has started adding it to coffee, and some brave souls are even taking shots of it on TikTok.

And while we don’t recommend drinking the stuff, a new study from Spain is the latest to link olive oil with longevity.

Over 18 years, the study found:

One tablespoon a day was linked to a 9 percent reduced risk of death from all causes
Two or more tablespoons were linked to a 31 percent reduced risk of death from all causes, a 46 percent reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality, and a 51 percent reduced risk of cancers.

While we can’t say that the extra olive oil is the exact reason that some people avoided getting sick and dying (it’s possible they had other influential healthy habits or genetic advantages), the Spanish study adds to a growing body of evidence shining a light on the impact of ‘liquid gold’.

What’s so great about olive oil? Most of the potential health benefits are attributed to healthy fats that could help lower ‘bad’ cholesterol, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which might reduce your risk of many diseases. It’s also a key part of the Mediterranean diet, an eating style some research links to reduced dementia risk.

Disclaimer: This Centr content is adapted with permission from an article written by Lifespan.io. The content herein represents Centr’s interpretation of the original source material.

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