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Four (and More) Health Benefits of Olive Oil

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If olive oil only tasted great and had as many versatile uses as it does, that would be enough. But no, this magical elixir also has numerous health benefits, backed by science, to help you stay in the best shape of your life.

All vegetable oils, corn oils, peanut oils, and canola oils use high heat and chemical processing to extract oils from the seeds. Olive oil, on the other hand, is one of the very few that doesn’t require this method. The oil simply comes from the juice of the olive fruit, separated from water by a centrifuge. 

It’s as natural as it gets.

This process preserves nutrients and avoids contamination from harmful substances, making olive oil the healthiest option of any oil—by far.

Olive Oil Relieves Inflammation

Because olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats called oleic acid, unlike most other oils, it’s recommended as a diet staple. Studies suggest that oleic acid can help reduce inflammation, which is prevalent in those battling arthritis.

It also contains antioxidants like oleocanthal, which has similar properties to ibuprofen. 

Ask your doctor if olive oil is right for you.

It Can Help Combat Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with one out of every four deaths being attributed to it in some way. 

Enter olive oil.

According to a 2018 study, people who ate a Mediterranean-style diet that included 4+ tablespoons of olive oil per day had a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and their combined risk for heart attack, stroke, and death from heart disease was around a 30% lower than people who ate a low-fat diet.

It’s also been linked to improved cholesterol levels and reduced blood pressure, frequently cited as contributing risk factors to heart disease. In one study, olive oil reduced the need for blood pressure medication by 48%.

It Reduces the Risk of Stroke

Right behind heart disease in common causes of death in developed countries is stroke.

The benefits of olive oil in preventing strokes are among the more widely studied of its health properties. According to one meta-analysis of 32 studies that included 841,211 subjects, regular consumption of olive oil can reduce the risk of stroke by 83%. Another investigation of 38,673 concluded that a 25 gram increase in olive oil consumption can reduce it by as much as 74%.

It Can Help in the Fight Against Cancer

Cancer sucks, and it’s likely we all know someone who has been touched by this debilitating disease. It’s one of the most common causes of death in the world, but more and more studies are showing that olive oil has anti-cancer properties that can aid in the fight.

Mediterranean countries have a lower risk of certain types of cancers, and researchers believe they have olive oil to thank for that.

Due its antioxidant properties, olives can help reduce damage due to cancer-causing agents like free radicals. Test-tube studies have suggested that compounds in olive oil can fight cancer cells.

That’s Not All Folks

The benefits of olive oil don’t end there. 

It contains many nutrients that can kill harmful bacteria, promoting things like good gut health by eliminating Helicobacter pylori, which can cause ulcers and even cancer. Just 30 grams of olive oil, or about 2 and ¼ tablespoons, can prevent infection in 10-40% of people.

It’s been linked to beneficial effects on blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes by over 40%.

And, although research is still limited in this area, one study suggests it could potentially act as a mechanism against Alzheimer’s disease.

Based on the copious amount of research done in this area, olive oil’s reputation as a super food is well earned.

The evidence is clear: when choosing a food oil, olive is always the healthiest option.

What’s In a Flavor?

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Flavored olive oil isn’t a new trend, but it’s one that’s becoming more and more popular. While the classic extra virgin olive oil is exceptional and offers a lot of versatile uses, flavored oils add a bit of personality to the party.

To understand how flavors are made, we first need to understand how the base oil is extracted from the olives. Unlike other oils on the market like canola and vegetable, olive oil is made solely by mechanical processes rather than by using heating or chemicals. The olives are pressed and crushed, and the water is extracted from the pulp by large centrifuges, leaving behind a golden goodness.

It’s as simple as that.

This process is called cold pressing, and when done right, it generates an oleic acid level below 0.8%, which qualifies it as “extra virgin” if it has no other additives (like lemons) that compete with the flavor of the oil.

We know what you’re thinking: “if extra virgin means there aren’t any additives, how can flavored oil be called EVOO?” The answer is it technically isn’t.

But don’t let that scare you away.

When flavors are introduced, that’s when the real fun begins.

Olive oil acts like a sponge, soaking up any aroma in the air—so make sure you keep your oil covered! This property makes it quite easy to infuse oil at home. Take your favorite bottle of olive oil and add the ingredients of your choice to create a homemade concoction. 

It’s a decent substitute, but it doesn’t compare to the real way flavors are made: fusion.

We breathe life into our flavors by pressing the ingredients together with the olive at the same time, delivering a deeper, richer taste profile that stands up better to heat than the infusion method. This traditional way of flavoring olive oil is called Agrumato named after the Abruzzo region in Italy.

To us, the authenticity of producing flavors this way is paramount, and we only offer oils that pass our rigorous standards for quality, flavor, and aroma.

Remember: when adding other ingredients to olive oil, it is no longer able to be called “extra virgin”. However, without the added flavor, we are confident that the base oil would qualify as “extra virgin,” meaning you get the best quality you can find with the added bonus of exciting new tastes.

Introducing Lustful Olive

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When you think of olive oil, you may think of it as just a tool for cooking foods, but it’s so much more than that.

Olive oil is the basis for romantic, candlelit dinners between two beautiful souls sharing an intimate moment. It enriches foods, adding depth and flavor, rather than simply acting as a heating element. It’s more than just row after row of mass-produced, generically labeled bottles that have no passion and no personality.

Good olive oil is hard to find, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s why we created Lustful Olive—to share our love with audiences that have had no opportunity to appreciate the taste of real Italian olives. Until now.

Come with us on a journey through the Italian countryside to find the best olives that Europe has to offer. Indulge in our unique combinations of aromatic flavors that make you yearn for a trip to the Mediterranean. 

Experience olive oil in a whole new way.

Our oils always use 100% authentic, cold-pressed Italian olives ripe from the grove, made the traditional way. We understand that no two palates are alike, so we’ve fused our olives with a variety of ingredients like mandarins, lemons, and rosemary to create rich profiles you can’t find anywhere else.

As an ingredient, olive oil is incredibly versatile and can be used across many different types of cuisines. It can be used to saute proteins, serve as a building block for marinades and dressings, dipped with bread, poured over pasta, and added to vegetables, fruit, and even ice cream.

But it’s also a story. It’s the rustic Italian villages that are home to our vineyards. The jitters of a home cooked meal for a first date. A zest for life.

We’re passionate about olive oil, and our goal in creating Lustful Olive is to share that love with you.

Live your passion.

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