Extra virgin olive oil in the diet

Did you know...

By now everyone knows that extra virgin olive oil is a basic component of the Mediterranean diet, as it is the most important source of fat. Today we want to look at the beneficial functions of this food, so common on Italian tables.

Thanks to its chemical characteristics, olive oil is rightly considered one of the food products with the greatest nutritional value. It is characterised by high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids and low levels of saturated fats.

Another characteristic of this food is the presence of vitamin E, which has antioxidant properties.

In addition, thanks to its high content of monounsaturated oleic acid and its abundance of antioxidant substances, olive oil plays a beneficial preventive role against atherosclerotic ischaemic heart disease and other chronic degenerative diseases*.

Finally, the role of olive oil as a dressing, especially for vegetables, should not be underestimated, as it helps make them more palatable and improves their flavour.

In conclusion, we can safely say: "long live extra virgin olive oil!".
























*from: "Lineamenti di dietoterapia e nutrizione clinica".