Information Sheet 3: Olive Oil: Key Points

Information
Sheet 3: Olive Oil

Key Points

‐ Buy extra‐virgin olive oil stored in dark bottles
‐ Consume within 12 months from bottling (not from purchase)
‐ Best eaten raw with salad or cooked vegetables

‐ Not recommended for frying because high temperatures
reduce nutritional value
Introduction
Olive oil consumption is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers including
breast and colorectal cancer. However, evidence regarding the relationship between olive oil and
prostate cancer is more sparse and inconclusive [1, 2].
Antioxidant Properties of Olive Oil

There is particular interest in the general health benefits of olive oil because of its antioxidant
properties. Antioxidants are substances which protect the body against damage from harmful free
radicals produced from normal body processes and exposure to sunlight, pollution and cigarette
smoke. Olive oil is an example of a food source high in antioxidants and has been suggested to have
a protective role against cancer by protecting the body against free radical damage [3].
Types of Olive Oil

There are three varieties of olive oil available: refined, virgin and extra‐virgin. Each variety has
different antioxidant activity, and hence, different potential health benefits [4].
Unprocessed extra‐virgin olive oil has the greatest antioxidant activity and is the recommended type
for raw consumption and cooking at low temperatures. For cooking at higher temperatures, other
oils such as canola oil are recommended [5].
Cooking
The smoke point is the temperature at which chemical breakdown occurs and the nutritional value
of the oil decreases. Therefore, oils with a higher smoke point are more suitable for high‐
temperature cooking processes such as frying [5].
Olive oil has a relatively low smoke point (210OC) compared to
other oils such as canola oil (240oC). Although the optimal
temperature for frying is 180oC and is below the smoke point
of olive oil, higher temperatures are often reached and can
degrade nutrients in olive oil [5]. Hence, to preserve the
unique nutrients found in extra‐virgin olive oil, it is best eaten
raw such as in salad dressings and with cooked vegetables [4].
It may be useful to know that even though the nutritional value of olive oil deteriorates at high
temperatures, there is minimal production of harmful substances. This is because of the low
saturated fat and high antioxidant content in olive oil [6].
Buying and Storage

Extra‐virgin olive oil has unique nutritional properties including antioxidants such as tocopherols,
phenols and carotenoids [7]. Degradation of these nutrients can occur over time from factors
including oxygen, light and temperature [8]. Since olive oil is produced during crop season (autumn)
and then sold throughout the year, the packaging and storage conditions are very important [7].
Olive oil is particularly sensitive to exposure to light. A study found that extra‐virgin olive oils
exposed to light had a significantly lower content of certain nutrients (eg. tocopherols, carotenoids,
chlorophyll) compared to oils stored in the dark. Extra‐virgin olive oil exposed to light had a
significantly reduced shelf life and could no longer be considered as ‘extra‐virgin’ after only 2
months of light exposure [9].
Therefore, to reap maximum benefits from olive oil, it is recommended to buy extra‐virgin olive oil
stored in dark bottles and consume within 12 months from bottling [7, 9].
Summary of Research
There are no studies specifically studying the relationship between olive oil and prostate cancer.
However, some evidence is available from studies which investigate olive oil as part of a
monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake or as part of the Mediterranean diet (olive oil makes up
95% of added fat in the Mediterranean diet) [4]. Most studies did not differentiate between plain
olive oil, which is most commonly used, and extra‐virgin olive oil, which has the highest antioxidant
properties [2, 4].
An example of a study investigating the relationship between MUFA intake and prostate cancer is a
case‐control study conducted in New Zealand. In this study, higher consumption of vegetable oils
rich in MUFA (eg. olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil) was associated with a reduced risk prostate cancer.
However, no association was found between total MUFA intake and prostate cancer risk. This
suggests that the beneficial effects of vegetable oils involve other factors other than high MUFA
content [10]. One such factor may be the antioxidant effects of olive oil.

References
1. Itsiopoulos, C., A. Hodge, and M. Kaimakamis, Can the Mediterranean diet prevent prostate
cancer? Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2009. 53(2): p. 227‐39.
2. Pelucchi, C., et al., Olive oil and cancer risk: an update of epidemiological findings through
2010. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2011. 17(8): p. 805‐12.
3. Cicerale, S., L.J. Lucas, and R.S.J. Keast, Antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory
phenolic activities in extra virgin olive oil. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 2012. 23(2): p.
129‐35.
4. Ferris‐Tortajada, J., et al., [Dietetic factors associated with prostate cancer: protective effects
of Mediterranean diet]. Actas Urologicas Espanolas, 2012. 36(4): p. 239‐45.
5. Fullana, A., Á.A. Carbonell‐Barrachina, and S. Sidhu, Volatile aldehyde emissions from heated
cooking oils. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 2004. 84(15): p. 2015‐2021.
6. Gómez‐Alonso, S., et al., Changes in phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of virgin
olive oil during frying. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 2003. 51(3): p. 667‐672.
7. Morelló, J.‐R., et al., Changes in commercial virgin olive oil (cv Arbequina) during storage,
with special emphasis on the phenolic fraction. Food Chemistry, 2004. 85(3): p. 357‐364.
8. Méndez, A.I. and E. Falqué, Effect of storage time and container type on the quality of extra‐
virgin olive oil. Food Control, 2007. 18(5): p. 521‐529.
9. Caponio, F., et al., Influence of the exposure to light on extra virgin olive oil quality during
storage. European Food Research and Technology, 2005. 221(1‐2): p. 92‐98.
10. Norrish, A.E., et al., Men who consume vegetable oils rich in monounsaturated fat: their
dietary patterns and risk of prostate cancer (New Zealand). Cancer Causes & Control, 2000.
11(7): p. 609‐15.

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Sheet 3: Olive Oil

Antioxidant Properties of Olive Oil

Types of Olive Oil

Buying and Storage

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