Olive Oil Really Does Reduce Risk Of Stroke, Says Research

According to researchers who followed about 7,000 people aged 65 and older in three French cities for five years, olive oil can help greatly reduce the incidence of stroke.

Scientists conducting the study said they found that people who used a lot of olive oil either in their cooking or as a dip for bread and other foods had lower rates of stroke than people who never use it.

The scientists, who published their results in the medical journal Neurology, say people should be given new advice about their diets to include wider use of olive oil, based on the study's results.

"Stroke is so common in older people, and olive oil would be an inexpensive and easy way to help prevent it," said Dr Cecilia Samieri, of the University of Bordeaux, the study's lead author.

"Our research suggests that a new set of dietary recommendations should be issued to prevent stroke in people 65 and older."

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Internet Stroke Center, which tracks the disease. In all, more than 143,500 people die each year in the U.S. from strokes, out of 795,000 who experience a stroke.

The health benefits of olive oil are well known. An earlier study by Italian researchers found that olive oil, combined with green leafy vegetables, help prevent heart disease.

Another study found that the culinary oil helps prevent oxidative stress, which has been linked to a number of health issues, on the liver.

Still another found that extra virgin olive oil helps combat breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes.

In an age when fast food reigns and home cooking is on the downward trend, incorporating more olive oil in your diet seems to be a simple, effective and inexpensive way to maintain better overall health.

"Olive oil has long been known to have potential health benefits," said Sharlin Ahmed of Britain's Stroke Association. "It is believed that it could protect against conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease and so it's promising to see that it could have a similar protective function against stroke."