Olive Oil May Prevent Stroke

Reported June 16, 2011

(Ivanhoe Newswire) – Adding olive oil into your diet may help prevent stroke in older people, according to this study.

“Our research suggests that a new set of dietary recommendations should be issued to prevent stroke in people 65 and older,” Study author Cecilia Samieri, PhD, with the University of Bordeaux and the National Institute of Medical Research, was quoted as saying.

“Stroke is so common in older people and olive oil would be an inexpensive and easy way to help prevent it.”

Researchers looked at the medical records of 7,625 people 65 and older. The patients had no history of stroke. Olive oil consumption was categorized as “no use”, “moderate use” and “intensive use,” which includes using olive oil in cooking and as dressing or with bread.
About five years later there were 148 strokes.

After considering diet, physical activity, body mass index and other risk factors for stroke, the study found that those who regularly used olive oil for both cooking and as dressing had a 41 percent lower risk of stroke compared to those who never used olive oil in their diet (1.5 percent in six years compared to 2.6 percent).

Olive oil has been associated with potentially protective effects against many cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity.

SOURCE: Neurology, published online June 15, 2011