Fats in your Food: Striking a Brain-Smart Balance

By Ram Rao, Ph.D., Principal Research Scientist for Apollo Health

Olive oil is the primary source of oil and fat in the Mediterranean diet. This oil is known to be rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, and polyphenols, all of which offer many health benefits. Olive oil consumption aids in healing insulin resistance, improves lipid profiles, reduces inflammation in the brain, and improves cognition. Olive oil is excellent as a finishing oil for salads or cooked vegetables since its presence increases the bioavailability of nutrients in the vegetables.

In a recent study, researchers explored the long-term impact of olive oil consumption on a large American cohort to identify potential improvements in dementia-related mortality. The prospective study involved nearly 92,000 participants (65.6% women) from two preexisting long-term association studies — the Nurses’ Health Study I (NHS-female participant cohort) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS-male participant cohort). Data for the study were collected over a 33-year period from 1990 to 2023 and included biennial assessments of participants’ lifestyle habits and medical histories. Total olive oil intake was determined by summing up answers to questions pertaining to olive oil consumption in all formats (olive oil in salad dressings, added to food or bread, or used for baking and frying).

The results and conclusions of the study were:

1) Of the ~92K participants (66% were women), only 4,751 dementia-associated deaths (about 5%) were reported over the 33-year follow-up period.

2) At the start of the study, the mean olive oil consumption was 1.3 grams/day. Subjects who consumed more than 7 grams of olive oil daily (about half a tablespoon) had significantly lower dementia-related mortality rates compared to those who consumed less.

3) Overall, the researchers found that having at least 7 grams of olive oil every day was associated with a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death.

4) Replacing 5 grams (~1.2 tsp) of margarine or mayonnaise with olive oil was associated with an 8% to 14% lower risk of death from dementia. The results of substituting with other plant-based vegetable oils or butter were not significant.

5) While olive oil consumption is known to improve cardiovascular health, the expectation would be that it is also associated with lower dementia risk. The results of the longitudinal study suggest a positive correlation between heart-healthy olive oil and improved brain health.

6) While diet quality did not influence the effectiveness of olive oil for those who consumed 7 grams of olive oil every day, the researchers also noted that the lowest risk was from consuming olive oil along with a healthy diet and a daily dose of exercise

The benefits of consuming olive oil are also attributed to its antioxidant properties. Together with inflammation, oxidative stress is another root cause of dementia and other age-associated degenerative conditions. Olive oil is rich in polyphenols, tocopherols, carotenoids, sterols, and fatty acids that have the capability to curb inflammation and ‘quench’ the ‘toxic oxidants’ that damage our cells. Thus, based on the results from the longitudinal study, it is clear that the number one source of dietary fat needs to be olive oil. Beyond heart health, the findings support choosing olive oil for cognitive-related health.

This study adds to a much larger body of work showing the benefits of olive oil. That is why we encourage everyone to generously use high polyphenol extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as your primary choice for dietary fat. When used as a part of our KetoFLEX 12/3 nutrition plan, EVOO consumption aids in healing insulin resistance, improves cholesterol profiles, reduces inflammation, and contributes to improved cognition. For more information on EVOO, its health benefits, and sourcing the right olive oil at a discounted price, our subscribers can check out High Polyphenol Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Your Top Pick.