Olive Oil and Brain Health
Olive Oil is a large part of the Mediterranean Diet. It is a mild flavor and can be used in so many ways in cooking. The health benefits of olive oil have often been discussed but a new article published in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology reinforces this idea. This study had a 28-year follow up and assessed people every 4 years. This study showed that the people that consumed higher amounts of olive oil (>0.5 tablespoon/day) compared with those who never or rarely consumed olive oil intake was associated with lower risk of mortality. For instance they state that “higher olive oil intake was associated with 19% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality 17% lower risk of cancer mortality, 29% lower risk of neurodegenerative disease mortality and 18% lower risk of respiratory disease mortality.”
This is such an exciting paper and helps us to continue to guide people in the direction of change. Small, consistent changes will ultimately add up to big results for your health.
Think about what you eat in a day: is there somewhere you can substitute olive oil for a dairy fat, like butter, margarine or mayonnaise? Add some olive oil and balsamic vinegar to your salad rather than drenching it in the pre-packaged processed salad dressings from the store. Or think of making a delicious pesto to use as a topping on veggies, whole wheat pasta or incorporate it into eggs rather than using butter! This recipe below also incorporates walnuts, which are high in those brain healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and kale, one of those hearty greens that are great for your brain as well!
Kale- Basil-Walnut Pesto
1/3 cup walnuts
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 cups gently packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
A handful of chopped kale
In a food processor combine the walnuts, garlic, basil, kale and salt and pepper. Pulse briefly to form a paste. Add the Parmigiano. While the food processor is on, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and continue to blend until it has all come together. You can store this in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for about a week or you can freeze it to you use later.
Adapted from www.onceuponachef.com/basil-walnut-pesto.html