The health benefits of using olive oil are unsurpassed, and new research reveals ever more benefits of using olive oil everyday. According to some experts, we are just beginning to understand the countless ways this wonderful oil can improve human health and well-being, and help them stay healthy for longer. In fact, olive oil is the main cooking oil in Mediterranean meals, proving that this is the primary nutritional mainstay for the longest-living cultures in the world.

Leonardo Olive Pomace Oil (LOPO), a variant of olive oil, has been specially designed to withstand the high cooking temperatures during frying and sautéing, making it more suitable for Indian cooking. In addition, LOPO is used in just 1/3^rd the amount of other refined oils as it is absorbed less and has high spreadibility. LOPO has a neutral taste and flavor, thereby it helps in retaining the taste and flavor of the food cooked in it.

So, if you want to live longer and stay healthy for longer, switch to olive oil for cooking. LOPO is more spreadable, lighter and less absorbent than other available brands of olive oil. Most importantly, it contains 75 percent MUFA.

Role of MUFA in olive oil

Olive oil contains MUFA or monounsaturated fatty acids, which is the more healthy dietary fat. You are likely to get more health benefits if your food contains more MUFA instead of trans fats and saturated fats. MUFA is known to reduce the risk of heart diseases; it lowers the total cholesterol levels and decreases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol content. MUFA also makes your blood clotting normal, and benefits blood sugar and insulin level control.

Disease management with olive oil

Olive oil, especially a healthier brand like LOPO, is known to be highly effective against a number of diseases, including the following:

• Cancer: Olive oil contains oleocanthal, a phytonutrient that works like ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and cut the risk of cancer and its recurrence.
• Heart diseases: Olive oil is helpful in reducing LDL, triglycerides and total blood cholesterol level in the body, in addition to maintaining HDL levels, and sometimes even increasing them. This prevents formation of fat, and eliminates low-density lipoproteins, thus reducing risk of contracting heart diseases.
• Oxidative stress: Olive oil has high antioxidant level, including Vitamin E that is highly effective in reducing the risk of contracting cancer. Olive oil is very high in monounsaturated fats that do not oxidise, and is low in polyunsaturated fat that oxidizes easily.
• Blood pressure: Regular olive oil consumption can be highly effective in keeping diastolic and systolic blood pressure levels under control.
• Diabetes: Olive oil is helpful in reducing low-density lipoproteins, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and improving control over blood sugar levels. This year’s World Health Day has a diabetes-based theme, due to which olive oil is sure to become the toast of the day.
• Osteoporosis: This oil improves bone calcification and mineralisation, besides calcium absorption, due to which osteoporosis is prevented.

Indian cooking requires much oil and fat, and that is why olive oil is the best alternative for normal cooking oils. Even if you are already using olive oil in your kitchen, it would help to move to LOPO, the best brand in town, as it contains more MUFA, and it is lighter, less absorbent and more spreadable. Due to these properties, it is required in minimum amount, and it gets least absorbed in your food, thus keeping the meals light, less fatty, and healthy.