Olive oil could transform your health. It regulates blood sugar, helps with weight management and prevents long-term disease. That is if it's the right kind of olive oil.
Distributor of the world’s finest olive oils, Elizabeth Berger, and Professor Tim Spector discuss its health benefits, debunk myths, and explain how storage and cooking can affect nutritional value.
In today's episode, we learn how to get the most from olive oil, why choosing the right olive oil is crucial and the significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits of this kitchen staple.
Elizabeth Berger is the founder of Frantoi, which works with growers and millers across Italy to harvest exceptional extra virgin olive oils. Tim Spector is a true olive oil evangelist, as well as one of the world’s top 100 most-cited scientists and ZOE's scientific co-founder.
Learn how your body responds to food 👉 zoe.com/podcast for 10% off
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
Follow ZOE on Instagram
Timecodes
00:00 Introduction
01:05 Quick fire questions
03:15 How is olive oil made?
04:25 The 4 grades of olive oil
11:20 Olive oil in Mediterranean diets
13:15 The science behind healthy olive oil
16:35 Why we need healthy fats
21:05 What are polyphenols?
23:06 Extra virgin vs regular olive oil
27:03 Is there food industry misinformation about olive oil?
25:55 The power of seasonal eating
26:50 The best time to buy olive oil
28:00 The biggest myths about olive oil
31:25 How to properly store olive oil
33:00 How long do the health benefits last?
39:10 Is it safe to cook with extra virgin olive oil?
42:55 Tasting session of 3 extra virgin oils
55:10 How to identify high-quality olive oil
57:30 Tips to get more olive oil in your diet
Books by our ZOE Scientists:
Free resources from ZOE:
Mentioned in today's episode
-
Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil the Critical Ingredient Driving the Health Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet?, published in Nutrients 2023
-
Is There More to Olive Oil than Healthy Lipids?, published in Nutrients 15
-
Protective effects of oleic acid and polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil on cardiovascular diseases, published in Food Science and Human Wellness
-
Only virgin type of olive oil consumption reduces the risk of mortality, published in European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 77
-
Extra-virgin olive oil and the gut-brain axis: influence on gut microbiota, mucosal immunity, and cardiometabolic and cognitive health, published in Nutrition Reviews
-
What do polyphenols do, and where can I find them?, published by ZOE
-
What is fat, and how much do you need?, published by ZOE
-
Evaluation of Chemical and Physical Changes in Different Commercial Oils during Heating, published by Acta Scientific Nutritional Health
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.
ZOE Science & Nutrition 
