Eating half a tablespoon of olive oil can cut risk of deadly disease

EATING more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day can cut Alzheimer’s risk by 28 per cent compared with those who never or rarely eat it, a study says.

Even switching margarine or mayonnaise for a teaspoon of the oil lowers dementia mortality by eight per cent, the research found.

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The results were the same regardless of the rest of people’s diet and their genetics.

The US study followed 92,383 adults, average age 56.4, for 28 years.

Every four years they were asked how much, and how often, they eat olive oil.

Besides lowering overall risk, the study also found the association was more significant in women than men.

Olive oil benefits people because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

British expert Dr Theodore Dalrymple told The Oldie magazine: “Olive oil might return, at least metaphorically, to the medicine chest, so good is it claimed to be for you.”

Dementia and Alzheimer’s was the leading cause of death among UK women in 2023, official stats show.

The leading cause of death in men that year was coronary heart disease.