A cooking oil that can help prevent diabetes and high cholesterol

New research from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel) and the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca (Romania) shows that olive oil may be a simple "remedy" to prevent type 2 diabetes and hyperlipidemia.

A cooking oil that can help prevent diabetes and high cholesterol Picture 1

Using olive oil may be a simple way to fight type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol - Photo: NEWS MEDICAL

Writing in Nutrients, the authors say olive oil, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, has long been thought to have health benefits, particularly in improving insulin sensitivity and reducing inflammation.

The main bioactive compounds in olive oil, including monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyphenols, have been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

However, the molecular mechanisms behind these benefits remain unclear.

So the authors set out to find the mechanisms involved. They found that the compounds in olive oil affected the user's body in many different ways.

For example, one type of monounsaturated fatty acid that olive oil is rich in is oleic acid, which helps improve insulin sensitivity; while polyphenol compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Compounds such as hydroxytyrosol and oleic acid also improve beta cell survival by modulating endoplasmic reticulum stress response and mitochondrial function. Beta cell dysfunction is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes.

In addition, olive oil also affects lipid (fat) metabolism.

The monounsaturated fatty acids in this cooking oil help reduce circulating free fatty acids, enhance fatty acid oxidation, and reduce lipid accumulation in non-adipose tissues.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in olive oil, including linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, can regulate blood lipid indices such as reducing bad LDL cholesterol and increasing good HDL cholesterol, two very important factors for preventing fatty blood.

Lesser known bioactives in olive oil, such as triterpenoids and phytosterols, also play a major role in metabolic regulation.

Overall, the authors confirm that olive oil may promote metabolic health, reducing the global burden of diabetes and cardiovascular disease through the above-mentioned mechanisms.

Therefore, choosing this oil in cooking can be a simple way to combat health problems that are increasingly common and causing suffering to many people today.

Lesley Montoya

Update 10 February 2025