Olive oil is renowned for its health benefits, including lowering “bad cholesterol,” combating inflammation, and protecting against chronic diseases such as cancer. New evidence also suggests olive oil positively impacts brain health.

I explored how olive oil could enhance cognitive function. Is extra virgin olive oil really essential? How much do we actually need?

Surprisingly, olive oil may not be the only oil with brain health benefits.

All nutrition research has its challenges, often relying on food diaries that participants may inaccurately report. Therefore, definitive studies can be rare.

However, observable patterns can still emerge from observational studies complemented by biological experiments, helping us understand the health impacts of various foods.

Olive oil’s popularity skyrockets largely due to its pivotal role in the Mediterranean diet, widely regarded as one of the healthiest dietary patterns. This diet encourages the consumption of fresh vegetables, fish, and olive oil, along with occasional red wine, correlating with reduced rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and dementia.

While the Mediterranean diet is high in fat, most of it comes from olive oil. As nutritionist Richard Hoffman points out, “The Mediterranean diet’s effectiveness is amplified when extra virgin olive oil is included,” highlighting its significant role.

A pivotal study involving over 7,000 Spanish participants aged 55 to 80 examined the effects of olive oil on heart health. One group received 1 liter of extra virgin olive oil weekly and was encouraged to consume 4 to 5 tablespoons daily. In contrast, other groups replaced olive oil with nuts or reduced their overall fat intake.

Over five years, those who consumed olive oil showed lower rates of heart disease and stroke, achieving a 10% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk for every 10 grams consumed daily.

While olive oil’s anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits are clear, what does it mean for the brain?

The upcoming large-scale study set for 2024 analyzed data from over 92,000 adults regarding olive oil consumption tracked across nearly 30 years. Results indicated a lower risk of dementia-related mortality among regular olive oil consumers.

While healthier lifestyles typically correlate with higher olive oil intake, controlling for variables such as BMI, activity level, and overall diet still showed a strong association with reduced dementia risk.

Moreover, replacing other fats with olive oil provided additional benefits; researchers found an 8 to 14 percent reduction in dementia risk when substituting a teaspoon of margarine or mayonnaise with olive oil, according to Marta Guasch-Ferré from Harvard University.

Olive oil exhibits protective effects on the brain, primarily due to its rich content of polyphenols, the highest among edible oils. These compounds protect plants and humans from various stressors, reduce inflammation, and prevent harmful fat oxidation leading to plaque formation.

Polyphenols also nourish gut microbes, supporting a healthy immune system and mitigating inflammation. Chronic inflammation is linked to major health issues, including heart disease and dementia, suggesting that Alzheimer’s could stem from inflammation in distant organ systems.

“Growing mechanistic evidence indicates that olive oil may alleviate the underlying pathology of Alzheimer’s and similar neurodegenerative diseases,” says Guash-Ferré.

Choosing the Right Olive Oil

All olive oils are not equal. Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed variety, preserving polyphenols. Virgin olive oil is slightly more refined, while standard olive oil undergoes further processing, stripping it of many beneficial properties.

Is there a significant difference in health benefits among these types? “Consumption of any type of olive oil correlates with a lower mortality risk,” Guash-Ferré states. The blend of healthy fats and bioactive compounds makes olive oil a top choice among plant-based oils.

However, recent research from January revealed intriguing insights comparing various olive oils’ effects on the microbiome and cognitive function in older adults. The study involving 656 overweight participants with metabolic syndrome demonstrated that those consuming more virgin olive oil exhibited cognitive improvements, while standard olive oil users faced accelerated cognitive decline.

The beneficial impacts are associated with shifts in microbial diversity; those drinking virgin olive oil saw increased diversity, whereas standard olive oil led to reduced diversity, with a specific bacterial group, adlerkreuzia, mediating about 20% of virgin olive oil’s cognitive effects.

Although this preliminary study is small and short-term, it hints at a captivating relationship between diet, gut bacteria, and brain health.

What does this mean for us? While standard olive oil provides health benefits, especially for heart health, extra virgin olive oil offers an added dimension through its polyphenols that may safeguard brain function.

The good news for your wallet is that the health benefits aren’t exclusive to olive oil. Other plant-based oils like canola and corn also contain healthy fats and moderate polyphenol levels. Guash-Ferré’s team found no additional brain health benefits when replacing olive oil with these oils; instead, they emphasized that while olive oil is beneficial, other vegetable oils are also acceptable alternatives.

“Incorporating other vegetable oils can be a healthy substitute for animal fats and are generally more affordable,” she cautions, yet further studies are necessary to bolster these findings.

The simplest advice? Opt for the highest quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford. If that’s not feasible, replacing animal fats with other vegetable oils still promotes brain health. It’s also wise to consider packaging; light can diminish polyphenol levels, so choose dark bottles when possible to preserve health benefits.

I confidently invest in high-quality extra virgin olive oil, not just for its exquisite flavor but also for its potential cognitive advantages.