Discovering the magical effects of olive oil that few people know about

According to a recent study from scientists at Harvard University, USA, using a spoonful of olive oil (olive oil or olive oil) every day can help you reduce the chance of death from dementia. intelligence (of which Alzheimer's is the most common).

The study, whose results were published in the journal JAMA Network this May, found that among more than 92,000 adults who participated in a 28-year evaluation, those who consumed at least 7 grams (more than half a tablespoon) ) of olive oil every day will reduce the risk of death related to dementia by 28 compared to people who use little or no olive oil.

 Olive oil has many good effects on the body, especially mental health. (Source: CNN).

Co-author Anne-Julie Tessier, a research associate in nutrition at Harvard's Chan School of Public Health, said: 'Our study strengthens dietary guidelines, through by encouraging the use of vegetable oils such as olive oil. Research shows that this oil not only supports heart health but also has the ability to enhance brain health. Using olive oil, a natural product, instead of fats such as margarine or mayonnaise, is a very safe choice and can reduce the risk of fatal dementia.' .

At the time of the new study, the volunteers participating had an average age of 56. The group included nearly 60,600 women, individuals who were also participating in another health research program lasting from 1990 to 2018. In men, the study recruited 32,000 men who were also participating in a health research program during the above time period.

The authors of the new study assessed volunteers' diets every four years, using questionnaires and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index . AHEI is a set of indexes specifically used to evaluate food and diet, and focuses on reducing the risk of chronic disease from Harvard University. With this index, people score as high as possible.

According to research, replacing 5g (1/2 teaspoon) of margarine or mayonnaise consumed per day with olive oil can reduce the risk of death from dementia by 8 to 14%. At the same time, the authors also found that using other vegetable oils or butter to replace olive oil would not have a significant effect.

A notable detail is that volunteers with the APOE e4 gene set (the gene set with the greatest genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease known to date) were 5 to 5 times more likely to die from memory loss. 9 times more than people who do not carry this gene. However, the olive oil-related findings still stood after scientists took this genetic factor into account.

Tessier said the potential benefits of olive oil for brain health may be due to the antioxidant compounds found in olives. They can directly or indirectly affect the brain.

Olive oil has been recognized for its ability to support cardiovascular health, enhance brain activity, bones and joints and many other good effects. In addition to cooking with olive oil, you can also use it to make salad dressing or vinaigrette, mayonnaise, pesto or bread dipping sauce.

But according to scientists, using good foods like olive oil is one thing, how we eat is also another factor that can affect brain function. For example, maintaining conversations and connecting activities around meals can have good effects on mental health in the short term. In the long term, this activity is beneficial for cognitive function, especially as we age and our mental capacity gradually declines.