It is known that using extra virgin olive oil has great health benefits, but what many people do not know is the recommended amount to consume daily, in order to get the most out of these nutritional properties.
The writer Christian Vásquez says in a report published in the Spanish newspaper "El Diario", that olive oil is known to be one of the basic components of the diet and popular dishes in the Mediterranean countries.
Many scientific studies have been conducted that have shown the many health benefits of this product.
But most of those who accept the consumption of olive oil and know its benefits, do not know the quantities that are recommended to eat every day in order to achieve the best benefit.
The author pointed out that one of the most important work done to answer all these questions is a study conducted by a large group of experts, within the framework of the "PREDIMED" study, which is devoted to assessing the long-term effects of the Mediterranean diet on cardiovascular health.
Many hospitals and universities from Spain and other countries participated in this study, and more than 7,400 people participated in it.
The results of this research were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and scientists concluded at the conclusion that a Mediterranean diet with the addition of extra-virgin olive oil is associated with reduced cardiovascular problems, even in people who are at greater risk of developing them.
The Mediterranean diet is a common diet in countries located on the Mediterranean basin, such as Italy and Spain, and depends on healthy foods such as beans and olive oil, and includes mainly plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts, and eat at least five servings per day of vegetables and fruits. Eat whole rice and pasta, and use healthy oils, such as olive oil, instead of butter and animal fat.
How many tablespoons of olive oil recommended per day?
To answer questions about the amount of oil that is recommended to be consumed per person, Dr. Ramon Astruch of the University Hospital in Barcelona and the coordinator of the "Predimed" initiative, points out that the recommended daily consumption is 40 milliliters, or 37 grams, and the amount may be 46 grams.
A tablespoon equals 15 milliliters, so the ideal daily amount is around 3 tablespoons.
According to this specialist, consuming this balanced amount daily enables you to benefit from all the benefits of olive oil, in addition to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, as this system reduces blood pressure and improves mental function, eliminates the risk of diabetes and suffering from depression.
The study also showed that after regular consumption of olive oil as part of the Mediterranean diet for 5 years, the researchers observed a decrease in body weight and waist fat, compared to people who followed a different diet.
Extra virgin olive oil
Dr. Ramon emphasizes the importance of extra virgin olive oil.
The difference between regular olive oil and extra virgin olive oil is the method of pressing, extraction and filtering.
The virgin oil is only obtained through the mechanical method, represented by pressing, expelling and filtering the olives, in a manner that ensures their purity.
As for regular olive oil, it goes through fermentation processes and is exposed to pollution, and in order to be edible, it must undergo refining, purification and treatment processes, and the result is regular olive oil whose nutritional benefits are much less.