Olive Oil can Help Lower Your “Bad” Cholesterol

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It is widely known that olive oil has a multitude of health benefits. One of these benefits is that olive oil can help lower the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) in our body.

Among the first things a doctor looks at when doing a general check up is your level of cholesterol. The Low Density Lipoprotein also known as the “bad cholesterol” transports and deposits cholesterol in the tissues and arteries of your body, which can eventually block the artery and lead to heart diseases. The monounsaturated fats found in olive oil can lower the LDL level and thus prevents the accumulation of fatty material in the arteries. Additionally, this fat does not affect your level of HDL known as “good cholesterol”.

It is important to note that adding olive oil to a diet rich in saturated fat (e.g. butter, fatty meat) and trans fats (e.g. deep fried food) will not lower your “bad cholesterol”. The unhealthy fats need to be replaced with olive oil in combination with a Mediterranean style diet.