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Olive oil's health benefits: The greatest exponent of monounsaturated fat is olive oil, and it is a prime component of the Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit. The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated as olive oil -mainly oleic acid. Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation. Olive oil and heart disease: Studies have shown that people who consumed 25 milliliters (mL) - about 2 tablespoons - of virgin olive oil daily for 1 week showed less oxidation of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of antioxidant compounds, particularly phenols, in the blood. But while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed. Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the healing fats. Most people do quite well with it since it does not upset the critical omega 6 to omega 3 ratio and most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually an omega-9 oil which is monounsaturated Olive oil and colon cancer: Spanish researchers suggest that including olive oil in your diet may also offer benefits in terms of colon cancer prevention . Their study results showed that rats fed diet supplemented with olive oil had a lower risk of colon cancer than those fed safflower oil-supplemented diets. In fact, the rats that received olive oil had colon cancer rates almost as low as those fed fish oil, which several studies have already linked to a reduction in colon cancer risk.

Scientists have long studied the effects of nutrition on health, and we are aware of the consequences that a poor eating habits and too many calories can have on the body, such as obesity, increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. But we don't often think about the link between what we eat and drink and the affect this has on our moods. Interestingly, choosing one food over another can be used to your advantage, helping to offset negative emotions and change the way you feel for the better, at least temporarily. Your diet can also have a less positive effect on the way you feel. Emotions are linked to certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Three neurotransmitters in particular "??? dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin "??? have been studied in relation to food, and this research has shown that neurotransmitters are produced in the brain from components of certain foods. A calmer effect has been associated with serotonin production. A stable brain serotonin level is associated with a positive mood state. Many carbohydrates, such as bread, cereal, pasta and candy, can produce this temporary increase in serotonin and a calming effect. Factors such as the size of the meal and the body's own internal clock, known as circadian rhythms, can also affect eating patterns, alertness and performance.