Have Strong Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, arthritis, and even obesity are all considered to be caused by chronic inflammation. One of the key reasons for the health benefits of extra-virgin olive oil is that it helps reduce inflammation.

Many of olive oil's health benefits are thought to be due to its ability to fight inflammation, according to some experts. Olive oil's main fatty acid, oleic acid, has been demonstrated to lower inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein (CRP). However, antioxidants like oleacein and oleocanthal, which show to considerably decrease inflammation in test-tube and animal experiments, appear to be the oil's principal anti-inflammatory properties. Several studies have found that regular consumption of olive oil may be linked to lower levels of certain markers of inflammation, including CRP and interleukin-6.