Chapter 83 - Olive Oil and Acute Coronary Syndromes: The CARDIO2000 Case-control Study

Abstract

The low incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in Mediterranean countries has been partly ascribed to dietary habits. Moreover, research showed that adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with reduced markers of vascular inflammation. These beneficial effects on surrogate markers of cardiovascular risk add biological plausibility to the epidemiologic evidence that supports a protective effect of the Mediterranean diet. Therefore, the hallmark of the traditional Mediterranean diet is considered to be the higher levels of consumption of olive oil. Olive oil is believed to exert its biological benefits mainly via constituent antioxidants. Although the composition of olive oil is complex, the major groups of compounds thought to contribute to its observed health benefits include oleic acid, phenolics, and squalene, all of which have been found to inhibit oxidative stress. The physical methods used to produce olive oil preserve many of its antioxidant compounds. Olive oil phenols can be divided into three categories: simple phenols, secoiridoids, and lignans, all of which inhibit auto-oxidation. Major phenols include hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleuropein, and ligstroside. Hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein scavenge free radicals and inhibit low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. Using hydroxyl radical scavenging as a measure of antioxidant capacity, research concluded that olive oil has a higher antioxidant capacity than seed oils and extra virgin olive oil is more potent than refined virgin olive oil due to its higher concentration of antioxidants.