Dr Michael Moseley recommends food that can tackle inflammation and lower blood pressure

Diet and wellness guru, Dr Michael Mosley, has recommended that people consume a spoonful of a particular food to tackle inflammation, reduce blood pressure and enhance memory. The diet expert, known for his 5:2 and Fast 800 eating plans, shared this advice on his BBC Radio 4 show 'Just One Thing', with the nutrient-rich recommendation being olive oil.

According to Dr Mosley, a tablespoon of this Mediterranean staple can yield substantial health benefits. He identified polyphenols, compounds derived from plants potent in olive oil, as contributing to these advantages.

He explained: "Olive oil is also rich in something called Oleic acid, which, along with the polyphenols, could explain why a good glug of olive oil a day can lower inflammation, improve our memory and reduce blood pressure."

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In advocating for more premium varieties of the product, Dr Mosley highlighted their additional benefits. He said: "In a recent Spanish study of over 12,000 people, researchers found that those who had a tablespoon and a half of olive oil a day were half as likely to die from cardiovascular disease, which is impressive."

He believes individuals should ensure they're including olive oil over other alternatives like rapeseed oil in their diets reports Gloucestershire Live. He continued: "This association was only found with those consuming extra virgin olive oil and not refined or ordinary olive oil. On the other hand, a 2020 roundup found that consuming olive oil in whatever form lowered blood pressure, though extra virgin had a bigger impact."

A study involving 25 older adults with mild memory issues discovered that a daily dose of 30 mls - equivalent to a couple of tablespoons - of extra virgin olive oil improved connectivity in certain areas of the brain. Inflammation is one of the major health challenges, leading to joint pain and potentially causing diabetes and depression.

The expert stated: "A daily dose of olive oil could also dampen down chronic inflammation, which is linked to dementia and cancer. A recent roundup of 30 studies found that daily consumption of olive oil, reduced levels of interleukin six and C reactive protein, two markers of inflammation."

Dr Bill Mullen from the University of Glasgow elaborated: "The major component of olive oil is Oleic acid, and it's one of these omega nine fatty acids. Oleic acid is certainly known for having anti-inflammatory effects, and we're pretty sure a lot of these chronic diseases start with inflammation."

"And if it does have an anti-inflammatory effect, it's most likely that it's going to prevent issues in the endothelial function on the art interior walls that will stop build-up of plaques from forming on the arterial walls, which these are all basically made up of collagen. And if it can prevent any damage to the endothelial and the collagen there, then this could be the main reason why olive oil has the effect. And if it's good for coronary arteries, it's good for arteries in the brain as well."

"It seems to do just about everything because, you know, even for a brain health again, anything that's anti-inflammatory it does seem to be advantageous for that. There's reduction in people who have issues with dementia, especially if if we're just looking at, say, vascular dementia."