Abstract
The Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower incidence of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases and certain types of cancer. The apparent health benefits have been partially ascribed to the dietary consumption of virgin olive oil by Mediterranean populations. Much research has focused on the biologically active phenolic compounds naturally present in virgin olive oils to aid in explaining reduced mortality and morbidity experienced by people consuming a traditional Mediterranean diet. Studies (human, animal, in vivo and in vitro) have demonstrated that olive oil phenolic compounds have positive effects on certain physiological parameters, such as plasma lipoproteins, oxidative damage, inflammatory markers, platelet and cellular function, antimicrobial activity and bone health. This paper summarizes current knowledge on the bioavailability and biological activities of olive oil phenolic compounds.
Highlights
A lower prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancers have been demonstrated in countries residing in the Mediterranean region in comparison to other parts of the world [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
Olive oil phenolic compounds are highly bioavailable in humans
The anti-atherogenic effects associated with the ingestion of virgin olive oil may explain the low rate of cardiovascular disease in Mediterranean populations
Summary
A lower prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancers have been demonstrated in countries residing in the Mediterranean region in comparison to other parts of the world [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9] This lowered incidence has been partially attributed to the regular intake of virgin olive oil as part of a traditional Mediterranean diet [3,5,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17]. The term virgin olive oil will be used to describe both extra virgin and virgin olive oil
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
