NEWS Fitness and Nutrition News Higher Olive Oil Intake Associated With Lower Mortality Rates, Study Shows By Cara Rosenbloom, RD Cara Rosenbloom, RD Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Cara Rosenbloom RD is a dietitian, journalist, book author, and the founder of Words to Eat By, a nutrition communications company in Toronto, ON. Learn about our editorial process Published on January 25, 2022 Fact checked Verywell Fit content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Elaine Hinzey, RD Fact checked by Elaine Hinzey, RD LinkedIn Elaine Hinzey is a registered dietitian, writer, and fact-checker with nearly two decades of experience in educating clients and other healthcare professionals. Learn about our editorial process Print fcafotodigital / Getty Images Key Takeaways A new study looked at whether olive oil intake is associated with total and cause-specific mortality. The researchers found that those who used the most olive oil in their diets had lower mortality rates from cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, and respiratory disease. Using olive oil can be a nutritious choice for overall health. Olive oil is a well-known component of the Mediterranean diet, and is often touted for its benefits for heart health and cognition. In a new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers looked at the association between olive oil usage and mortality rates from several chronic diseases and found olive oil to be very beneficial. "Extra virgin olive oil has been associated with numerous health benefits including protection from various chronic diseases," says Elena Paravantes, RDN, a registered dietitian and author of "The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners." Previous studies also have shown that having more olive oil in the diet was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Olive oil has anti-inflammatory effects, may help reduce oxidative stress, improve cholesterol, and decrease blood pressure. Plant-Based Diet When You’re Younger Could Prevent Heart Issues Later, Study Says About the Study This new prospective study is the first to look at the association between olive oil consumption and mortality in the U.S. population, where we consume less olive oil compared to Mediterranean countries. Melissa Mitri, MS, RD Olive oil contains a healthy monounsaturated fat called oleic acid that may protect the heart, as well as vitamins E and K. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant, and vitamin K plays a role in proper blood clotting and heart health. — Melissa Mitri, MS, RD The researchers used data from the Nurses Health Study (NHS), which includes information on dietary intake and other lifestyle factors. This study looked at data from 60,582 women and 31,801 men. Study participants filled out food frequency questionnaires. The questions about dietary fat captured how often and how much was consumed as well as brands used for both cooking and table-side applications (like salad dressing or pairing with bread). For the study, olive oil consumption was categorized by frequency and then compared with death rates and causes of death over 28 years. The researchers found that those who consumed the most olive oil (more than 0.5 teaspoons per day) had a lower risk of all-cause mortality. More specifically, those who never or rarely consumed olive oil, compared to those who consumed more than 0.5 teaspoons per day had a 19% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality and a 17% lower risk of cancer mortality. They also experienced a 29% lower risk of neurodegenerative disease mortality and an 18% lower risk of respiratory disease mortality. "Olive oil contains a healthy monounsaturated fat called oleic acid that may protect the heart, as well as vitamins E and K," says Melissa Mitri, MS, RD, a registered dietitian with Wellness Verge. "Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant, and vitamin K plays a role in proper blood clotting and heart health." It also contains polyphenols, which add to its anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and antioxidant effects, Paravantes says. She also notes that only extra virgin olive oil contains a significant amount of phenolic compounds recommends choosing it instead of refined or light olive oil. Increasing Omega-3s Could Add Five Years to Your Life Olive Oil, Butter, or Margarine The researchers also used statistical substitution models to see if there was any difference in health risks when people replaced margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and other dairy fats with olive oil instead. They found that replacing 2 teaspoons a day of margarine, butter, or mayonnaise with the same amount of olive oil was associated with up to a 34% lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality. Elena Paravantes RD There is a place for butter in certain circumstances, but most cooking should be with extra virgin olive oil. — Elena Paravantes RD "We know that good fats and antioxidants in the olive oil provide a multitude of benefits compared to saturated fats in butter," says Paravantes. "There is a place for butter in certain circumstances, but most cooking should be with extra virgin olive oil." The researchers also indicate that their results support current dietary recommendations to replace animal fats with unsaturated plant oils such as olive oil. And even though olive oil is nutritious, it's vital not to go overboard. "There also is a misconception that the smoke point of olive oil is too low to cook with," says Paravantes. "Extra virgin olive oil has an average smoke point of about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. When you sauté or fry something at home on a stovetop, you will not be exceeding 375 degrees Fahrenheit, so you will not surpass the smoke point." Mitri explains that olive oil actually has a high smoke point and is stable under high heat because it contains mostly monounsaturated fats that are resistant to heat. "Other vegetable oils such as soybean or canola oil are not quite as stable, and may produce harmful compounds when heated," she says. What This Means For You Consider adding extra virgin olive oil to your menu plan. The presence of polyphenols may protect your heart, and monounsaturated fats have more health benefits than saturated fats. There also is an association between people who use about a 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil per day and a lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality. As always, check with a healthcare provider, though, to ensure eating olive oil is right for you. Mediterranean Diet Better Than Low-Fat Diet for Heart Health, Study Shows Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get one simple hack every day to make your life healthier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 4 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Guasch-Ferré M, Li Y, Willett WC, et al. Consumption of olive oil and risk of total and cause-specific mortality among U.S. adults. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2022;79(2):101-112. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2021.10.041 Guasch-Ferré M, Liu G, Li Y, et al. Olive oil consumption and cardiovascular risk in U.S. adults. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2020;75(15):1729-1739. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2020.02.036 Lanza B, Ninfali P. Antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil and table olives: Connections between agriculture and processing for health choices. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020 Jan 2;9(1):41. doi:10.3390/antiox9010041 U.S. News and World Report. Why you should stop worrying about olive oil's smoke points.