In a new study, researchers found healthy but obese people who eat olive oil at least once a week have reduced blood clots in the body.
The team found that olive oil may help reduce the tendency of blood to clot and block blood flow.
The research was conducted by a team from NYU School of Medicine.
In arteries, blood cell fragments called platelets can stick together and form clumps and clots. They contribute to the buildup of artery-clogging plaque.
Previous studies have shown that plaque plays a big role in heart attack and stroke.
Olive oil, especially extra-virgin olive oil, is part of the Mediterranean diet and can provide many health benefits.
For example, a recent study found that extra-virgin olive oil may help protect people from Alzheimer’s disease.
Another study showed that olive oil may protect against cardiovascular disease.
In the current study, the team examined how often 63 obese but healthy people ate olive oil.
These participants were nonsmokers and had no diabetes or other chronic conditions. Their average body mass index (BMI) was 44.1.
A BMI number higher than 30 means the person has obesity.
The team used food frequency surveys to collect information about participants’ diet.
They found people who ate olive oil at least once a week had a lower level of platelet in their arteries than people whose ate it oil less often.
In addition, people who ate olive oil most frequently had the lowest level of a platelet.
The researchers suggest that people who are obese have higher risks of having a heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure.
The conditions may exist even if they don’t have diabetes or other obesity-associated diseases.
The current finding shows that eating olive oil may help lower those risks, especially the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
This is the first study examining the effects of olive oil on blood clots in obese people.
Future research should focus on not only the frequency but also the amount of olive oil people eat.
It also needs to directly test whether eating olive oil will reduce blood clots in obese people.
The lead author of the study is Sean P. Heffron, assistant professor at NYU School of Medicine.
The study was presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2019.
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