Alex Trelinski
AN ONCOLOGIST says there’s no scientific evidence that a new fad of consuming olive oil on an empty stomach in the morning has any health benefits.
Influencers and celebrities like the Kardashians and Gwyneth Paltrow take a tablespoon each day and social media has spread details of the trend.
There is no doubt that olive oil boosts health like protecting against inflammation, the risk of heart disease, and even reducing the risk of getting cancer.
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Oncologist and researcher Silvio Garattini backs the benefits of having olive oil as part of a healthy diet, but taking it on an empty stomach does not boost its properties.
Speaking to Vanity Fair magazine, Garattini said: “Olive oil is rich in oleic acid and polyphenols that have an anti-inflammatory action.”
“Its nutritional composition makes it a must-have food in the diet because it decreases the risk factor for many diseases that are based on inflammation and is certainly preferable to butter when fat is needed.”
“But taking it in the morning on an empty stomach is neither good nor bad, but simply is a fashion that at the moment has no scientific evidence, so I don’t suggest it until we get some studies when we can talk about it again,” said the expert.
Garattini uses raw olive oil ‘to dress vegetables’, and indicates that ‘it is not necessary to take it in other ways as within an ordinary diet is perfectly fine’.
