We have so many oils in our country, then why do we need to pay special attention to olive oil? We have done without it for so many years. True enough, but research has now documented that a diet consisting of a good amount of monounsaturated fats has huge health benefits and olive oil contains these in large amounts.
India is the diabetes capital of the world and heart diseases are very common. The rate of cancer is increasing. A lot of these problems are due to our diets being low in monounsaturated fats. This is the reason we need to add olive oil to our daily diets. Studies conducted on people living in the Mediterranean region have shown that the regular consumption of olive oil reduces the chances of cancer. In fact olive oil has a positive reaction on blood sugar levels too. It is high in vitamin E which is good for the skin as well the heart, it is soothing for damaged skin, hair, and nails and one of the best moisturisers as well.
Olive oil’s high in vitamin A content automatically makes it good for the eyes. The olive is rich in minerals and contains a high amount of calcium, omega 3 as well as omega 6 fatty acids. The various antioxidant properties of olive oil deactivate free radicals allowing us to live longer, overcome illness and maintain more acute mental and muscular faculties.
Olive oil is a flavour which blends in with Indian cooking quite easily. So, it is not just about adding it into salads and Western cooking. I’m not saying that olive oil is the only oil you should use, but I’m definitely asserting that one meal of your day could easily be made in olive oil. Remember that this oil with its lubricating, cleansing, beautifying and rejuvenating power is one oil that needs to be consumed regularly.
The writer is a Mumbai-based nutritionist