Health Benefits

Olives are concentrated in monounsaturated fats and a good source of vitamin E.Because monounsaturated fats are less easily damaged thanpolyunsaturated fats, it's good to have some in our cells' outermembranes and other cell structures that contain fats, such as themembranes that surround the cell's DNA and each of its energy-producingmitochondria. The stability of monounsaturated fats translates into aprotective effect on the cell that, especially when combined with theantioxidant protection offered by vitamin E, can lower the risk ofdamage and inflammation. In addition to vitamin E, olives contain avariety of beneficial active phytonutrient compounds including polyphenols and flavonoids, which also appear to have significant anti-inflammatory properties.

Cellular Protection Against Free Radicals

Vitamin E is the body's primary fat-soluble antioxidant. It goesafter and directly neutralizes free radicals in all the fat-rich areasof the body. In combination, stable monounsaturated fats and vitamin Eadd a significant safety factor to cellular processes like energyproduction, a process that generates free radicals even when things arerunning smoothly.

When cellular processes such as mitochondrial energy productionare not well protected, the free radicals produced can interact withand damage any nearby molecules—a process called oxidation. When acell's mitochondria become damaged, the cell cannot produce enoughenergy to supply its needs and dies. If a cell's DNA becomes damaged,the cell may mutate and become cancerous.

Protection From Heart Disease

Free radical damage can lead to numerous ailments. For example, whenfree radicals cause the oxidation of cholesterol, the oxidizedcholesterol damages blood vessels and builds up in arteries, and caneventually lead to heart attack or stroke. So, by preventing theoxidation of cholesterol, the nutrients in olives help to prevent heartdisease.

Support Gastrointestinal Health

If free radicals damage the cellular DNA in colon cells, the cellscan mutate into cancer cells. By neutralizing free radicals, thenutrients in olives help prevent colon cancer.A higher intake of both vitamin E and the monounsaturated fats inolives is actually associated with lower rates of colon cancer.

Beneficial Anti-Inflammatory Effects

The anti-inflammatory actions of the monounsaturated fats, vitamin Eand polyphenols in olives may also help reduce the severity of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis,three conditions where most of the damage is caused by high levels offree radicals. The vitamin E in olives may even help to reduce thefrequency and/or intensity of hot flashes in women going through menopause.