They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Well, actually when it comes to diabetes, it’s extra-virgin olive oil that can make the difference. And it’s no laughing matter: according to the latest reports from the Word Health Organisation, approximately 50% of people with diabetes are unaware they have it. So, how can we prevent it? For a start, by swapping unhealthy habits (sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits, eating too much, etc.) for healthier ones and including a good dose of extra-virgin olive oil in your diet. Here’s why:
1.-Because the fats in extra-virgin olive oil are good for you.
Monounsaturated fats help improve your cardiovascular health, cut cholesterol and reduce blood pressure, as shown by the Predimed (Prevention with a Mediterranean Diet) study, which concluded that people who regularly consume olive oil have a lower risk of diabetes than those on a low-fat diet. In addition, olive oil also helps reduce triglycerides, which can damage blood vessels and accentuate the onset of arteriosclerosis in diabetics.
2.-Because it reduces the risk of obesity.
A balanced Mediterranean diet, with plenty of vegetables, fruit, cereals, pulses and extra-virgin olive oil, is the best way to maintain an ideal weight throughout your life. Don’t forget that obesity increase the risk of diabetes.
3.-Because it keeps blood pressure under control.
Another risk factor for diabetes is high blood pressure, often caused by genetic factors and by eating too much saturated fat. There’s nothing like the monounsaturated fats in extra-virgin olive oil to keep blood pressure at bay.
4.-Because it reduces the risk of gestational diabetes.
As published in the science journal Plos One, picking up on the results of the San Carlos Study on the Prevention of Gestational Diabetes, which concludes that extra-virgin olive oil not only reduces gestational diabetes by 30%, but also improves the health of newborn babies.
5.-Because it cuts blood sugar levels.
Both after fasting and after eating a good amount of glucose, glucose levels fall by up to 12% if accompanied by extra-virgin olive oil, as revealed by several studies carried out by the American Diabetes Association.