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Extra-virgin olive oil appears to lower cancer risk substantially
There
are plenty of good reasons to use extra-virgin olive oil as your main kitchen
oil, and one of the lesser known ones is a reduced risk of cancer of all
causes. In Mediterranean countries where
olive oil is used generously and frequently, cancer is less common, and it
doesn’t appear to be a coincidence. A
review of 19 observational studies following about 37,000 people found a
consistent relationship between olive oil use and cancer incidence: a 34% lower risk of any cancer in those who
used the most olive oil! (The
benefit was strongest for breast and colon cancers.) We are not aware of any data suggesting comparable
benefit for other vegetable oils. [1]
My
recommendation:
Use
extra-virgin olive oil as your main kitchen oil and avoid hydrogenated oils and highly-processed vegetable oils. For more information on the health benefits
of olive oil and why we should avoid highly-processed oils see pages 26, and 47-48
in Good Food, Great Medicine (3rd
edition). You’ll also find tips for
choosing an extra-virgin olive oil on page 115 and about 100 recipes to get you started.
Miles
Hassell MD
