| Subject: Brain Food: Olive oil |
Author:
Betty
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Date Posted: 09:11:49 03/13/04 Sat
In reply to:
Betty
's message, "Brain Food: Choline (eggs, liver, & meat)" on 08:56:04 03/13/04 Sat
A teaspoon of olive oil a day during pregnancy makes for smarter children, according to Italian researchers. The effects of 'green gold,' on a mum-to-be are many -- from a healthier liver and cleaner arteries to reinforcing cell membranes-- and can add up to a 30% increase in intelligence.
"Olive oil isn't just a condiment, it's a food," said Giorgio Calabrese, professor and nutritionist. "Our studies have shown that it is an important element for health, not only contributing to intelligence but also in preventing tumors, reducing risk of heart attack and improving cholesterol levels."
Those of us who missed out on a mediterranean diet in the womb can still benefit from regular consumption of olive oil.
A study by the University of Bari found that elderly people with a diet high in monounsaturated fatty acids contained in olive oil had and maintained higher cognitive skills than those who did not. During the nine years of the study, researchers studied over 700 people between the ages of 65 and 85, and found that followers of the mediterranean diet, where 29% of total calories were fat from olive oil, scored highest on cognitive tests and maintained that advantage over the years.
Trying to convince the rest of the world that olive oil is the 'divine gift' mediterranean populations consider it may take some doing. Even before the low-carb, high-fat diet craze set in, only 3% of the worldwide consumption in fat was made up of olive oil.
"It's conquering the other 97% of the people that concerns me," said Calabrese. "We can talk about benefits all day long, but we need to change habits."
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