Another benefit has been given to the extra use of olive oil, as researchers concluded that the Mediterranean diet can cut the risk of breast cancer along with multiple benefits it has already been found to provide in other studies. Dietary habits are one of the most important factors in assuring our health and well being.
Statistics have shown breast cancer rates are lower in Mediterranean countries than those in central or northern Europe, as well as the United States. This has led to extra attention being drawn to the diet quite often specific to that particular area in order to examine its benefits on the population’s health.
The Mediterranean diet consists of fish, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and lots and lots of olive oil. It is the key ingredient which had garnered the attention of the study. Researchers at the University of Navarra, led by Miguel Martínez-González, have collected data from a previous study that focused around the benefits of the diet placed against cardiovascular disease.
Out of the 7,400 participants, they separated nearly 4,300 women, between the ages of 60 and 80 years old, white and post-menopausal, who were randomly separated into three groups. One group remained within the limitations of the Mediterranean diet with daily supplements of extra virgin olive oil, being given one liter per week for free.
The second consisted of the specific nut supplements, with a similar practice of being given 30 milligrams per day for free. The third was the control group on low fat diet.
Among the other benefits that have already been attributed to sticking to the Mediterranean diet, the study has shown that women in the first group, with extra virgin olive oil, had a 68% less chances of breast cancer within the next five years of follow ups compared to the participants in the low-fat diet.
The second group of women who supplemented their diet with mixed nuts showed only a slight improvement over the control group, which was nearly insignificant. However, the statistics were quite excellent for those who had made sure to add at least four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil per day to their food.
It could be something within it, an entire range of potentially beneficial compounds, such as oleocanthal which provides similar anti-inflammatory effects to ibuprofen, that could aid in the battle against several diseases. Previous studies have proven the benefits of the Mediterranean diet by showing a decreased chance of having cardiovascular diseases, like heart attack or stroke.
While no study is indeed perfect, and the number was limited, the potential benefits of olive oil against breast cancer can now be added to the list.
Image source: troymedia.com
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