Does olive oil really reduce the risk of dementia? (Dementia Risk) What the latest research says

Many of us are used to using olive oil when cooking, especially when making salads and pasta dishes. It gives our food a wonderful flavor and aroma. But, have you ever thought that olive oil is not just a flavor enhancer, but can also be a great help for our brain health? A recent study has found some very important information about this. Let's talk about it today.

What does the latest research say?

Recently, a group of researchers from Harvard University in the United States conducted a very large study. They monitored the health information and eating habits of more than 92,000 people for 28 years. At the end of this study, they found something surprising. That is, those who consumed 7 grams of olive oil a day (which is roughly half a teaspoon) had a 28% lower risk of dying from dementia than those who did not consume olive oil. Just think, half a teaspoon is such a small amount. This study suggests that even such a small amount can have some long-term benefits for our brain health. Another important thing is that this benefit does not depend on how good your overall diet is. This means that even if you eat normally, adding a little olive oil to your diet is likely to have this benefit.

Olive oil instead of margarine and mayonnaise?

We often eat with bread, make sandwiches, use things like margarine, butter, mayonnaise, etc., right? This research has found another very practical thing. That is, the benefit of replacing such artificially prepared fats (processed fats) with olive oil, which is a natural product. According to the researchers, if you eat a similar amount of olive oil instead of a teaspoon of margarine or mayonnaise per day, you can reduce the risk of dementia-related death by 8% to 14%. This is really a big deal, isn't it? Because this is a small change that we can easily add to our daily lives. You can understand this more clearly from the table below.

How does this happen?

Now you may be wondering, "How does olive oil have this effect on the brain?" Researchers are talking about two possible reasons for this. 1. Direct effect on the brain: Some of the powerful antioxidant compounds in olive oil are able to cross the blood-brain barrier that protects our brain and enter the brain. These compounds that enter the brain in this way may directly help protect the health of brain cells by reducing damage. 2. Indirect effect: The second point is that olive oil is very beneficial for our cardiovascular health . Having a healthy heart and a clean blood vessel system means that the brain receives the oxygen and nutrients it needs without any shortage. In this way, by maintaining good heart health, olive oil indirectly helps maintain good brain health.

But there is another side to this... let's be aware of that too.

While we are very happy to see research results like this, it is very important to understand this information responsibly. There are a few things we need to be aware of when discussing this study. Simply put, there seems to be a connection between the two, but it has not yet been proven that one causes the other. Because, there could be other factors that contribute to this. Imagine, a person who uses olive oil is usually someone who is very concerned about their health. They may:

• You should probably eat a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits .
• You probably exercise regularly.
• Probably not smoking or drinking too much alcohol .

So, in addition to olive oil, there is a great possibility that these good habits can also have an effect on reducing the risk of dementia, right? Although researchers have taken these factors into account and analyzed them, such effects cannot be completely eliminated. Also, the participants in this study were mainly white health professionals. Therefore, more research needs to be done to see if these results are applicable to other ethnic groups like us in Sri Lanka. Olive oil, dementia, dementia, brain health, nutrition, healthy eating, heart health