A video has been circulating online claiming that excessive olive oil consumption can cause diabetes. As a proponent of the Mediterranean diet and olive oil, I feel compelled to dispel this myth and set the record straight on the science behind olive oil and diabetes risk.
Numerous rigorous scientific studies have shown that, far from causing diabetes, consuming olive oil – even in generous amounts – can actually help prevent diabetes and promote good metabolic health. Let’s take a look at some of the evidence:
The PREDIMED Study – Olive Oil and Diabetes Risk
One of the largest and most influential clinical trials on the Mediterranean diet is the PREDIMED study (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) conducted in Spain. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013, it followed over 7500 participants at high risk for cardiovascular disease for 4-5 years. The participants were randomized into three diet groups: a low-fat control diet, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil, and a Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts.
The results showed that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes was reduced by 40% in the olive oil group compared to the low-fat group! This large, randomized controlled trial provides powerful evidence that not only does olive oil not promote diabetes, but it protects against it in a major way.
Several follow-up analyses of the PREDIMED study data have reinforced these findings. A 2014 study again found a lower diabetes incidence in the Mediterranean diet plus olive oil group. Another paper published in 2018 showed that higher baseline olive oil consumption predicted lower diabetes risk over the 4 year study period.
Observational Studies on Olive Oil Consumption
In addition to clinical trials like PREDIMED, numerous observational studiesconducted around the world have associated higher olive oil intake with better blood sugar control and a lower risk of diabetes or metabolic syndrome.
For example, a cross-sectional study of over 14,000 adults in Saudi Arabia found that people who regularly consumed olive oil had 36% lower odds of having diabetes. A study of over 15,000 middle-aged French adults found that participants in the highest category of olive oil consumption were 16% less likely to develop diabetes over the next 5 years.
Several studies conducted in Mediterranean populations like Italy and Greece have found better blood sugar regulation among people who consumed more olive oil. The evidence from both randomized trials and observational research is remarkably consistent in demonstrating olive oil’s protective effects on diabetes risk.
Potential Mechanisms Behind Olive Oil and Diabetes Prevention
But how exactly does olive oil help ward off diabetes? Researchers believe several biological mechanisms are at play. Here are some of the ways olive oil improves metabolic health:
- Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols: Extra virgin olive contains beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Oxidative stress and inflammation are implicated in insulin resistance and diabetes development. The polyphenols in olive oil may help mitigate these processes.
- Improving HDL cholesterol: Olive oil raises levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol, which is linked to better blood sugar regulation.
- Enhancing insulin sensitivity: Studies indicate that replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats from olive oil can improve tissue sensitivity to insulin and support a healthier metabolism.
- Weight management: Despite being high in fat, olive oil consumption as part of a Mediterranean eating pattern is tied to lower rates of obesity, an important diabetes risk factor. This may result from olive oil’s ability to increase satiety.
- Improving endothelial function: Olive oil helps maintain the health and function of the endothelium, the lining of blood vessels. Proper endothelial function is essential for healthy blood flow and vascular health, which indirectly impact diabetes risk.
In summary, olive oil provides multiple benefits that can directly or indirectly lower diabetes risk at the molecular level. The scientific evidence makes it abundantly clear that olive oil is protective rather than harmful when it comes to diabetes.
Olive Oil Consumption in Mediterranean Populations
The people of the Mediterranean region – in countries like Greece, Italy, and Spain – are among the healthiest populations on the planet when it comes to rates of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. This has been largely attributed to their traditional Mediterranean diet, which centers around olive oil.
In fact, some of the highest intakes of olive oil in the world are found in parts of the Mediterranean basin. In Spain’s Andalucia region, average consumption is about 67 grams (over 4 tablespoons) per day. On the Greek island of Crete, people use about 56 grams daily.
Yet these populations have remarkably low rates of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity compared to other Western countries. Places like the Greek island of Ikaria, Southern Italy, and Cyprus are known as “Blue Zones” – regions with exceptional longevity, where people commonly live active lives past 100 years old. Generous olive oil consumption is a core aspect of their eating patterns.
Clearly, consuming copious amounts of olive oil is fully compatible with excellent metabolic health and longevity, as demonstrated by healthy traditional Mediterranean diets.
The Creator of the Mediterranean Diet Was an Olive Oil Enthusiast
The Mediterranean diet was first popularized by American scientist Ancel Keys, based on his observations of common eating patterns in Southern Italy and Crete in the 1950s. This diet he identified – abundant in plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, moderate in fish and poultry, low in red meat, and featuring olive oil as the primary fat source – formed the foundation of our modern understanding of the Mediterranean diet.
What some people don’t realize is that Ancel Keys himself was a huge proponent of olive oil. He lived in a small village called Pioppi in Southern Italy for over 40 years until his death at age 100. In this region, olive oil consumption is among the highest in the world. According to his biographer, Keys enjoyed olives and olive oil at virtually every meal and even traveled to other Mediterranean countries just to sample local olive oils.
Clearly, the very researcher who first defined the Mediterranean diet – and who warned against the dangers of saturated fats in his Seven Countries Study – did not believe olive oil posed any issue for health. On the contrary, he regarded olive oil as essential to the famously healthy Mediterranean eating pattern that he championed.
Not All Oils Are Created Equal
One important point is that olive oil is not necessarily interchangeable with other oils. Its beneficial effects are linked to some of its unique properties and polyphenol antioxidants. So olive oil is not the same as say, corn oil or soybean oil, even though they are all unsaturated plant oils. Substituting olive oil for less healthy oils is particularly beneficial.
Similarly, different varieties of olive oils differ significantly in their levels of bioactive compounds, based on factors like olive type, ripening, production method, etc. Higher quality extra virgin olive oils contain the most polyphenols and have greater antioxidant capacity. So not all olive oils confer the same degree of advantage. But overall, science shows that quality extra virgin olive oil is indeed a superfood and a pillar of the famously heart-healthy Mediterranean diet.
Should You Eat Olives Instead of Olive Oil?
Some people may wonder whether it’s healthier to simply eat olives whole instead of extracting their oil. After all, olives are nutritious in their own right, providing fiber, healthy fats and antioxidants.
It’s a reasonable question, but the answer is not necessarily one or the other. Both olives and olive oil are staples of a Mediterranean eating pattern and provide complementary benefits. Here are some things to consider:
- Olive oil provides a more concentrated source of bioactive polyphenols than whole olives. You would need to eat a lot of olives to equal the polyphenol content of 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- The monounsaturated fat content of olives is also lower than pure olive oil, ounce for ounce. Olive oil provides a more nutrient-dense form of these healthy fats.
- On the flip side, whole olives supply beneficial fiber and can help you feel more satiated compared to liquid oil. Their texture and robust flavor also makes them a tasty snack.
So for a maximally healthy Mediterranean-style diet, consuming both whole olives AND olive oil is ideal. This provides the advantages of both the whole fruit and the oil without needing to eat unrealistic amounts of either one alone. Olive oil also enables cooking applications and salad dressings that pair beautifully with fresh olives on the side.
Healthy Fats Are Not the Enemy
The old myth that “fat makes you fat” has been thoroughly debunked. We know now that healthy high quality fats are an essential part of a nutritious diet and should not be feared – whether from olive oil, avocados, nuts, oily fish or other whole food sources. Dietary fat, including olive oil, does NOT automatically lead to weight gain or diabetes when consumed as part of a balanced diet. On the contrary – good fats actively support metabolic health.
Like anything, olive oil calories can add up if consumed in unreasonable quantities. But when integrated into an overall healthy Mediterranean-style eating pattern – with plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, fish, herbs and spices – olive oil is fully compatible with weight management and diabetes prevention.
The Takeaway: Olive Oil is a Cornerstone of Health
In many parts of the Mediterranean world, olive oil is considered a daily staple food, a nutritional powerhouse, and an integral part of cultural identity. Modern science has validated the health benefits behind this ancient wisdom. The substantial research shows that not only is olive oil NOT bad for diabetes, but it actively protects against diabetes, obesity, heart disease and other chronic ailments
Consuming olive oil as part of a Mediterranean diet and lifestyle – along with plenty of plant foods, regular physical activity, stress management, and social connection – is clearly associated with longevity, healthy aging, and reduced metabolic disease.
So go ahead and drizzle that olive oil! Based on the totality of evidence, olive oil is truly one of thecornerstones of the famously healthy Mediterranean diet and way of life.
