There are many olive oil nutrients because olive oil is a vegetable fat, which is essential for human life. These nutrients are precursors of certain hormones and provide the body with vitamins.
What are olive oil nutrients?
The main olive oil nutrients are oleic acid, palmitic acid and linoleic acid.
When discussing olive oil nutrients, we refer to fatty acids, such as oleic acid. Unlike other oils, olive oil usually contains a greater amount of this type of acid.
The amount of nutrients varies by the type of olive oil and also depends on the olive variety as well as on how the oil is processed and stored.
These nutrients are explained in greater detail below:
- Oleic acid, the most important component in olive oil, is a type of fat that can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering triglyceride and cholesterol levels in the blood. Olive oil usually contains 75% oleic acid.
- Palmitic acid is a type of fatty acid that can also be found in meat, dairy and other foods that contain fat. Aside from having vitamins E and A, it also helps improve our circulation. This acid makes up between 7% and 17% of olive oil.
- Linoleic acid usually comprises 10% of olive oil. In addition to decreasing body fat levels, it has also been found to have effects against cancer cells.
- Last but not least, we have stearic acid, whose multiple functions are used in the pharmaceutical industry. This substance usually makes up between 1.5% and 5% of olive oil composition.
In summary, olive oil contains nutrients with many health benefits:
- Vitamin E, which protects cells and strengthens the body’s defenses.
- Vitamins A, D and K.
- Polyphenols, which prevent cellular aging.
- Monounsaturated fats, which help lower “bad” cholesterol levels.
Other nutritional benefits of olive oil:
- It boosts the absorption of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc.
- It helps digestion by preventing gastric reflux and improving intestinal transit. In fact, researchers from the University of Jaén in Spain have published a study on the properties of extra virgin olive oil and the prevention of colon cancer.
- It can lower blood pressure.
- It helps prevent elevated blood glucose levels.
- The high amount of polyphenols—natural antioxidants present in olive oil—can help prevent neurodegenerative diseases and is effective against aging.
In summary, olive oil is one of the few foods with so many properties and nutrients that have a positive effect on the body. Many studies have been done on this type of oil, and all have revealed fairly positive results. Learn more about Italica oil here.
