Benefits of extra-virgin olive oil include reducing high blood pressure (hypertension) and cancer risk. Extra-virgin olive oil hasn’t been heated during production, which means that it has more phenols, antioxidant compounds that can help fight inflammation and disease.
1. Heart Health
Consuming extra-virgin olive oil could lower your risk of heart disease. Experts recommend replacing unhealthy fats (like butter) with healthier fats like olive oil to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
In addition, one study found that people who ate four tablespoons of olive oil daily were 30% less likely to develop heart disease than those who followed a low-fat diet.
Extra-virgin olive oil specifically can help lower blood pressure, a significant risk factor for heart disease.
2. Bone Health
Consuming olive oil might contribute to bone density. A small study found that women who consumed more than 20 milliliters of olive oil daily (just over one tablespoon) had higher bone density levels than women who consumed less.
3. Skin Health
Extra-virgin olive oil has many skin benefits, including moisturizing, cleansing, and fighting signs of aging. The oil has anti-inflammatory properties that may benefit your skin, although you should not use it to treat conditions like eczema or acne without talking to your healthcare provider.
4. Brain Health
Extra-virgin olive oil may help prevent dementia. An extensive study of more than 90,000 Americans found that people who ate more than one-half tablespoon of olive oil daily were 28% less likely to die from dementia than those who rarely or never consumed olive oil. Researchers theorize that olive oil’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties support brain health.
5. Cancer Prevention
Extra-virgin olive oil has been shown to reduce the risk of many cancers, including colorectal cancer and breast cancer. However, olive oil cannot treat cancer.
6. Diabetes Prevention
Consuming extra-virgin olive oil regularly is associated with a reduction in body weight, which can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Research has also shown that eating olive oil can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Is It OK to Drink Extra-Virgin Olive Oil?
Most studies that look at the impact of extra-virgin olive oil evaluate the oil as part of an overall diet, not when consumed on its own or as a supplement. If you were to drink extra-virgin olive oil, you would want to be mindful of the amount of calories and fat in even a small amount. Since integrating the oil into your diet (cooking with it and using it in dressings and marinades) can give benefits, there’s no proven reason to drink olive oil.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Nutrition
Extra-virgin olive oil contains almost all fat:
- One tablespoon of olive oil contains 120 calories and 14 grams (g) of fat.
- Although the fats in extra-virgin olive oil are mostly monounsaturated (healthy) fats, it also includes some saturated fats, about 2 grams per tablespoon.
- Each tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil contains 21% of your recommended daily fat intake and 10% of your recommended daily saturated fat intake, so it’s important not to have too much olive oil.
- Monounsaturated fats, like those found in olive oil and extra-virgin olive oil, have health benefits, including lowering bad cholesterol and keeping your cells healthy. However, the benefits of these healthy fats can be gained from both extra-virgin and regular olive oil.
In addition, extra-virgin olive oil has health benefits because of the antioxidant compounds phenols, which can fight inflammation in the body.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil vs. Regular Olive Oil and Other Oils
- Extra-virgin olive oil is processed without heat or chemicals. It has compounds called phenols (sometimes called polyphenols) that act as antioxidants in the body.
- Regular olive oil also contains many healthy fats, as do some other types of oils, including sunflower oil and canola oil.
- Extra-virgin olive oil has a lower smoking point (i.e., the temperature at which it will burn) than traditional olive oil, making it challenging to cook with.
- Extra-virgin olive oil is traditionally used for salad dressing and dipping, while conventional olive oil is used for cooking.
What Are the Potential Risks of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil?
Extra-virgin olive oil is generally considered safe. There are a few risks of extra-virgin olive oil:
- Allergies: As with anything you consume, you must be aware of any allergies
- Calories and fat: Be mindful of extra-virgin olive oil’s high caloric and fat content, and do not consume too much.
- Health considerations: It’s always a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider before changing your diet, especially if you’re dealing with chronic health conditions like heart disease or diabetes.
A Word From Verywell
Adding extra virgin olive oil to your diet can be easy. Add a splash to soups and stews. Drizzle a small amount over finished pasta dishes. You can use olive oil instead of other oils or butter in your baked goods.
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