Should I use extra virgin olive oil?

Our sources generally support the use of extra virgin olive oil for its potential to improve various health markers, including weight management, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, heart health, brain health, and mood, as noted by Bryan Johnson.

However, there are significant caveats regarding the quality and authenticity of olive oil, with Paul Saladino and Bryan Johnson highlighting issues like adulteration and misleadingly low quality.

Experts recommend prioritizing high-polyphenol, high-antioxidant extra virgin olive oil, storing it properly, and avoiding its use for cooking due to concerns about linoleic acid content and oxidation.

To use extra virgin olive oil, prioritize high-polyphenol, high-antioxidant varieties, such as unprocessed extra virgin olive oil from early harvests with high polyphenol content (>= 500 mg/ml), as suggested by Paul Saladino. Store olive oil in opaque glass containers to prevent degradation and avoid plastic leaching, according to Paul Saladino. Bryan Johnson recommends consuming extra virgin olive oil with food to prevent potential side effects and notes that clinical trials typically use 25-60 mL per day. Peter Attia includes extra virgin olive oil in his daily salad. Paul Saladino advises against using extra virgin olive oil for cooking.

• 01Bryan Johnson recommends prioritizing extra virgin olive oil for clinical effect.
• 02Peter Attia advises generously using high-antioxidant olive oils and avoiding high-polyphenol, antioxidant-depleted ones.
• 03Paul Saladino states that storing olive oil in opaque glass containers prevents degradation and avoids plastic compound leaching.
• 04Bryan Johnson notes that monounsaturated fatty acids, especially in olive oil, are linked to reduced diabetes risk and may outperform polyunsaturated fatty acids.
• 05Bryan Johnson suggests consuming extra virgin olive oil with food to prevent potential side effects.
• 06Paul Saladino indicates that unprocessed extra virgin olive oil from early harvests with high polyphenol content (>= 500 mg/ml) may benefit human gut flora.
• 07Paul Saladino mentions that butanol in olive oil can paralyze gut bacteria's enzymatic system, preventing TMAO production.
• 08Bryan Johnson states that polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil contribute to cardiovascular and cognitive health.
• 09Paul Saladino notes that extra virgin olive oil certification requires acidity less than 0.8 and peroxides less than 20 milliequivalents per kilogram.
• 10Paul Saladino identifies an organic, extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil from a single source (Italy) as the highest quality available at Trader Joe's.
• 11David Sinclair includes olive oil in Mediterranean-style diet recommendations for slowing aging.
• 12Bryan Johnson claims extra virgin olive oil improves weight management, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, heart health, brain health, and mood.
• 13Paul Saladino prefers regeneratively farmed olive oil and animal fats over seed oils.
• 14Bryan Johnson reports that consuming over 7 grams of olive oil daily is associated with a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death.

Paul Saladino argues that olive oil is not healthier than animal fat and lacks special nutritional magic, also stating that most available olive oils are misleadingly low quality. He advises against using extra virgin olive oil for cooking due to its linoleic acid content (8-25%), which is prone to oxidation when heated, and prefers animal fats over olive oil for this reason. Paul Saladino also believes high oleic acid intake from olive oil is not beneficial and does not protect against obesity, based on mouse studies. He highlights purity and quality issues, noting that many olive oils are adulterated or have high peroxide values, with one study finding only 20% of Argentinian virgin olive oils had acceptable quality. Bryan Johnson also acknowledges that the quality and authenticity of extra virgin olive oil can be unreliable, with some being adulterated. Paul Saladino suggests that consuming olive oil with carbohydrates promotes de novo lipogenesis, hindering carbohydrate burning, and prefers coconut oil due to its saturated fat content and lower likelihood of adulteration. Peter Attia warns that using antioxidant-depleted olive oil may negatively affect the endothelium. Paul Saladino also notes that high monounsaturated fatty acid oils, like olive oil, may be associated with obesity in observational studies and could increase visceral fat in mouse models. The PRIIMED trial, which investigated olive oil consumption, indicated statistically significant increases in obesity and diabetes among those consuming more olive oil, though it had issues with randomization and was initially retracted.

A change in the verdict would require more consistent evidence regarding the quality and authenticity of commercially available extra virgin olive oil, as well as further research clarifying the impact of its linoleic acid content and oleic acid intake on human health, particularly concerning obesity and metabolic health. Additionally, more robust clinical trials addressing the potential for de novo lipogenesis when consumed with carbohydrates would be influential.