Extra virgin olive oil holds the reputation of being one of the healthiest food items that can be consumed for a healthy heart. However, this ancient wisdom got shaken up in a recent study which stated otherwise. The study included that consuming less extra virgin olive oil may actually benefit in boosting heart health. The research studied the impact of high and low EVOO in a whole food, plant-based vegan diet.

The Mediterranean diet is rich in extra virgin olive oil content – for years, this diet has been touted as one of the healthiest go-to diets for a good heart. The study was done by researchers at the University of Florida – they studied 40 adults with the risk of heart disease. The average age of the participants was 64 and the average body mass index of 32. The participants were mostly in the obese category.

The participants were asked to follow two different diets for four weeks - a whole-food, plant-based vegan diet with either high extra virgin olive oil intake (4 tablespoons daily) or low EVOO intake (less than 1 teaspoon daily).

How the diets helped in boosting heart health?

The diets focused on whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Both the diet options eliminated the addition of animal products. The only difference between the two diets was the amount of extra virgin olive oil that was consumed.

Connection between extra virgin olive oil and LDL levels

It was observed in the study that when people consumed the diet with less extra virgin olive oil and then suddenly shifted to the other diet with more olive oil content, their LDL levels saw a spike. It was also observed that glucose levels, total cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol increased with the increase in the consumption of extra virgin olive oil. Hence, it was concluded that consuming less extra virgin olive oil with a plant-based diet can help in alleviating high risks of heart diseases.

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