Mediterranean diet & Olive Oil for breastfeeding mothers 

Studies (Frontiers of Nutrition, June 2022) suggest that lactating women should include extra virgin olive oil in their diets. Followers of the Mediterranean diet produce milk with a healthier fatty acid profile, and key nutrients found in olive oil have been found to pass into breast milk.

Stroke and heart attack prevention

Increased intake of polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oil is correlated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular events (Nocella et al., 2018).  

Cancer prevention

Taken on a regular basis, extra virgin olive oil has been shown to reduce rates of certain cancers (Fransisco et al, 2019).

Anti-inflammation

There are beneficial effects of olive oil consumption in decreasing levels of inflammation which is implicated in cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, degenerative joint diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and psoriasis (Fernandes et al., 2020; Santangelo et al., 2018; Lucas, Russell, & Keast, 2011).

Diabetes

Extra virgin olive oil consumption was associated with a decreased risk to develop Type 2 Diabetes (Schwingshackl et al., 2017).

Depression

There are protective effects of taking extra virgin olive oil as part of a Mediterranean diet for depression (Psaltopoulou et al., 2013) and for prevention of the recurrence of depression (Sanchez-Villegas, 2019).

Healthy Aging

Improved cognitive function over time in the older population can be mediated by extra virgin olive oil intake (Klimova et al., 2019; Valls-Pedret et al., 2018)). There is also research to show that extra virgin olive oil has learning and memory beneficial effects (Farr et al., 2012).