The participants reported their food habits, including olive oil intake, every four years for 28 years. Researchers then categorized participants based on their daily olive oil consumption: never or less than once per month, up to 4.5 grams, between 4.
6 and 7 grams, or more than 7 grams. Over the study period, 4,751 dementia-related deaths were recorded. The findings suggest that regardless of genetic predisposition and overall diet quality, those who included at least seven grams (half a teaspoon) of olive oil per day lowered their risk of dementia-related death by 28 percent compared to participants who reported never or rarely including olive oil in their diet.
Also, replacing even one teaspoon, or 5 grams, of margarine and mayonnaise with the same amount of olive oil per day was linked to an 8 to 14 percent reduced risk of death from dementia. Extra virgin olive oil contains a combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, with up to 80 percent being the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant monounsaturated oleic acid. This is important as prolonged inflammation is associated with heart disease and cognitive decline, according to Ms.
Kay. “It is thought that inflammation may lead to plaque buildup in the brain, which is associated with dementia,” she said. Although oils are essentially fats, not all fats are equal, she added.
“Some oils and fats are healthier than others and have different impacts on our health,” she noted. Saturated fats should be limited, .