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Importance of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Dietary Intervention Studies
In a study called Freddie Med, participants were divided into three groups: a control group advised to eat a low-fat diet but consumed 37% fat, an olive oil intervention group given a liter of olive oil per week, and a mixed nuts group. The difference in olive oil consumption between the control and intervention groups was just one tablespoon per day. Notably, the intervention group consumed extra virgin olive oil, which contains a polyphenol called hydroxy tyrosol absent in refined olive oil. This distinction is crucial as studies show refined olive oil can increase lipogenic enzymes significantly. Although the Freddie Med study faced initial retraction due to randomization issues, it was swiftly republished, claiming a nearly 30% reduction in mortality over five years due to just a one tablespoon difference in olive oil consumption per day, raising doubts about the validity of such remarkable results.