Quick Summary
A recent meta-analysis combining data from 7 cohort studies and over 681,000 participants (ages 41–67) found that higher olive oil consumption is linked to lower risks of all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, and cardiovascular disease mortality.
Study Highlights
- The studies spanned Spain (3), the U.S. (2), Iran (1), and Italy (1), with follow-up periods ranging from 5 to 28 years.
- Individuals who consumed more olive oil had:
- 16% lower risk of cardiovascular-related death
- 15% lower risk of death from any cause
- 11% lower risk of cancer-related death
- All included studies were rated as having low risk of bias.
These findings reinforce the well-known benefits of olive oil for heart and metabolic health. While observational in nature (meaning they can’t prove causation), the results are consistent across diverse populations and align with olive oil’s recognized anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and heart-protective properties.