Extra Virgin Olive Oil Helps People With Cancer

Researchers from the Catalonian Institute of Oncology (ICO) in Girona and the University of Granada in Spain have discovered that extra virgin olive oil appears to be a powerful weapon against breast cancer. In a study just published in the scientific journal BMC Cancer, the scientists report polyphenols -- powerful natural antioxidants found in abundance in extra virgin olive oil (the least processed form of the oil) -- have bioactivity against breast cancer cell lines.In laboratory experiments, the researchers documented how phenolic compounds directly extracted from extra virgin olive oil were effective against both HER2-positive and HER2-negative breast cancers cells. That's particularly significant because HER2-positive breast cancer is a breast malignancy that tests positive for human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) -- a protein which promotes the growth of cancer cells and makes HER2-positive breast cancers usually more aggressive than other kinds of breast cancer and less responsive to treatment. The research, conducted by Javier A. Menendez, coordinator of the Translational Research Unit of the ICO and doctors Alberto Fernandez Gutierrez and Antonio Segura Carretero, confirms that polyphenols (especially those known as secoiridoids and lignans) found in extra virgin olive oil not only inhibit the activity of cancer-promoting HER2 activity but also promotes the protein's degradation.Humans have safely consumed olives and olive oil, and the secoiridoids and lignans these foodstuffs contain, for thousands of years. In a statement to the media, the researchers noted this fact, along with the results of their research, shows phytochemicals could be an excellent and safe basis for the design of new anti-HER2 cancer-fighting treatments.In a review of olive oil research set for publication in the March edition of the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition (2009 Mar;49(3):218-36), scientists from Deakin University in Victoria, Australia, point out the health benefits of the so-called Mediterranean diet (such as a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis as well as several types of cancers) have been partially attributed to the regular consumption of virgin olive oil by Mediterranean populations.The Australian researchers conclude this is likely due to the healthy physiological effects of virgin olive oil. For example, laboratory studies as well as those in humans and animals have shown that olive oil phenolics have a host of positive physiological effects, including preventing oxidative damage, quelling inflammation, regulating platelet and cellular function, and fighting infections.

For more information:http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-02/udg-ssc020509.phphttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01037

Olives Are Awesome

Truly raw olives can be a little hard to come by, though the processed and heated kind are found everywhere. This doesn`t help those of us on a raw food diet very much, as the heated kind can wreak havoc on a body that is accustomed to eating raw. So should you make the effort to procure the raw kind? Is it worth it? Decide for yourself...here are some benefits which the inclusion of raw olives into your diet can bring to you.The taste factorFirstly, adding olives to a salad, with a few Italian herbs, can make what was a simple tomato and lettuce salad into a really tasty meal. If you are having people over for dinner who do not subscribe to the raw lifestyle, the addition of olives will go down very well. As most people are accustomed to strong flavors, they might find a more simple salad boring. Also, olives make excellent raw snacks; because of their high oil content they are very satiating and make great substitute for traditional `movie` snack foods such as popcorn and potato chips.Good fatOlives have a high fat content. Most people are now over the idea that all fat is bad, and that fat leads to flab (no rhyme intended). We know now that there are good and bad fats, and olives have plenty of the good ones, as they have a high content of monounsaturated fats. These types of fats are quite stable, meaning that they provide good protection for our body. They are not as easily damaged as polyunsaturated fats, and so, if we have them in our cells, we are better protected. People of the Mediterranean countries are thought to be as healthy as they are due to their high consumption of olive oil.Weight lossStudies have shown that the consumption of foods high in monounsaturated fats may lead to weight loss. This could be due to its satiating affects, just a handful of olives will ward off hunger, or it may also be that these fats increase the metabolism. Furthermore, other studies have shown that monounsaturated fats, such as those found in olives, can decrease the amount of fat held around the stomach area, when compared to diets high in carbohydrates.Excellent source of Vitamin EOlives have high levels of Vitamin E, in fact, a cup of olives will give you twenty percent of your recommended daily amount. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant which neutralizes free radicals in the body. Tests have shown that Vitamin E may protect the body against cardiovascular disease and it may also enhance the immune system.Olives make excellent snacks, and they also really make a salad a lot more interesting. Another favorite is olive tapenade, which makes a delicious dip for chopped vegetables.

Sources:http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=46http://www.annecollins.com/dietary-fat/monounsaturated.htm