Olive oil, a natural food against cancer

Olive Oil, a Natural Anti-Cancer Food

As early as the 16th century, the classic “Compendium of Materia Medica” of Chinese medicine compiled by Li Shizhen, a Ming Dynasty medical scientist, noted that olives “produce body fluids, quench polydipsia, treat sore throats, and can relieve all poisons resulting from eating fish and crabs.”

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death, and the age at which cancer is contracted is decreasing year by year, but the medical community has yet to find an effective treatment method. Studies show that olive oil not only prevents cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and oxidation, but also contains a special compound that can cause cancer cells to die quickly without harming normal cells. The latest Harvard study also confirms that people who consume more than 7 grams of olive oil per day have a significantly lower risk of death.

A study published in the journal Molecular and Cellular Oncology by the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University and Hunter College at the City University of New York noted that a component of olive oil, oleocanthal, can cause cancer cells to die within 1 hour.

Paul Breslin, one of the study’s authors and an American nutritionist, explained how the mechanism works. Oleocanthal can pierce the lysosomes in cancer cells, and when enzymes from the lysosomes are released, they break down the organic material necessary for life, causing the cancer cells to die from lack of nutrients. This phenomenon occurs in several types of cancer cells.

The team also discovered that oleocanthal did not harm healthy cells, but simply put them into a dormant state and reactivated them after about 24 hours without negative effects. Breslin explained that current cancer treatment still relies on traditional methods such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapeutic drugs. Therefore, consuming enough olive oil provides another alternative for effective cancer treatment.

Results

Furthermore, another recent study from Harvard University also confirmed similar findings. Compared to people who never consumed olive oil, those who consumed more than 7 grams of olive oil per day had significantly lower risks:

• 19% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• 17% lower risk of death from cancer
• 17% lower risk of death from neurological disorders
• 29% lower risk of death from degenerative diseases
• 18% lower risk of death from respiratory diseases

Olive Oil Against Breast Cancer

A recent study published in the Olive Oil Times suggests that olive oil may play an important role in reducing the risk of breast cancer. The research, which analyzed the diet and health of thousands of women, found a connection between regular olive oil consumption and a lower incidence of this disease.

The findings indicate that bioactive compounds present in olive oil, such as polyphenols and monounsaturated fatty acids, may be responsible for these protective effects. These components are believed to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help fight cell damage and prevent cancer cell growth.

Although the results are promising, the researchers emphasize that more research is needed to confirm these findings and fully understand the mechanisms involved. However, this study adds evidence to the growing list of health benefits associated with olive oil consumption, highlighting its potential as an ally in breast cancer prevention. Including extra virgin olive oil in your daily diet could be a simple and delicious strategy to improve overall health.
Changing Diets
Replacing butter with olive oil may also reduce the risk of premature death from all causes by up to 34%. In fact, data shows that replacing animal fats with unsaturated vegetable oils such as olive oil for daily consumption is better for your health (results published in the “”Journal of the American College of Cardiology“). In this sense, the Mediterranean Diet is the healthiest dietary pattern withoxide by nutritionists today.