Extra virgin olive oil – a health ally at all ages

Extra virgin olive oil is good for everyone, at all ages and, as confirmed in numerous research studies, should never be missing from our daily diet. ASSITOL, the Italian Oil Industry Association, underlines this on the occasion of World Health Day.

The coronavirus pandemic has led many Italians to rediscover the region’s traditional Mediterranean diet, considered by researchers to be the healthiest and most sustainable diet, thus also re-evaluating the benefits of extra virgin olive oil. 

“We have always supported healthy and proper nutrition,” notes Anna Cane, president of the association’s olive oil group. She’s convinced that prevention starts at the table. “That is why World Health Day is a good time to recall that extra virgin olive oil can help to protect two age categories in particular: the elderly and children.”

Extra virgin olive oil is in fact an “anti-ageing” food thanks to its composition, which is based on polyphenols – powerful antioxidants capable of slowing cellular ageing and, in general, the oxidative processes at the root of numerous pathologies. In this regard, the Harvard School of Public Health, one of the world’s most reputable nutrition research centres, long ago began including extra virgin olive oil in its recommendations. More recently it highlighted that, thanks to its antioxidant action, this food helps to prevent senile dementia.

Thanks to the strong presence of monounsaturated fatty acids, the oil is able to control LDL cholesterol, the so-called “bad cholesterol”, effectively protecting the heart and cardiovascular system. This good fat allows the body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, E, D and K, strengthens the immune system and promotes digestion, which is often troublesome for older people. In addition, by virtue of its strong smell as well as its composition, it helps those who are overweight, because extra virgin oil stimulates the feeling of satiety beforehand, thus preventing overeating.

There is no such thing as an anti-ageing elixir, but extra virgin oil certainly helps the less youthful to cope better. And for the younger ones? You could say it helps them grow. Thanks to the polyphenols and the blend of nutrients, extra virgin aids in bone development during childhood, along with neurological development. Not surprisingly, all scientific research compares the benefits of extra virgin olive oil in children with those of breast milk.

“But there is one more reason to get them used to the taste of oil quickly,” explains Anna Cane. “If it is true that health comes with food, it is equally true that healthy eating starts in childhood. And if you eat well, this message is easily transmitted and is not forgotten as you grow up.”

In this sense, ASSITOL, which has been promoting olive oil education for years, is committed to an exceptional testimony: the “healthy snack” – say, for example, the combination of extra virgin olive oil and fresh artisan bread, which is also ideal for children. In particular, the bread gives children the energy of carbohydrates, while the oil reduces their glycaemic peak. “After months of distance learning and little movement, ASSITOL hopes, this healthy snack will help their mood and give them the right sprint to get back to playing outdoors.”