olive oil

Sep. 17, 2008 -- The Mediterranean diet is famous for staving off heart disease, but recent studies show that the eating pattern -- heavy on vegetables, fruits, olive oil and fish -- also provides substantial protection from cancer and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Italian researchers compiled evidence from a dozen large-scale studies that tracked more than 1.5 million people in Read more...

By Dr. Connie Peraglie Guttersen, R.D., Ph.D. In Sonoma County each year, there's a special festival called the Blessing of the Olives. That's how central olive trees and the foods they yield are to the economy and the eating habits of the region. And olive oil is the most treasured gift of these blessed trees. In fact, there's probably no food choice you'll make that does more for your health Read more...

By Sheldon Margen and Dale A. Ogar Contrary to a lot of unsubstantiated hype, pasta does not cause you to gain weight (unless you eat too much of it), it does not raise cholesterol (unless you top it with highly saturated fats), and it does not raise blood sugar (when eaten as part of a meal, it is actually a low glycemic index food). When purchased in the dry form, it will keep almost Read more...

Preparing a scrumptious salad as part of a proper evening meal need not be a boring task. The mini chicken Caesar salads Oliver Peyton serves up at his top London restaurants Isola and Osteria d'Isola is proof that simple can be sumptuous. The ingredients: --3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil --1 boneless, skinless chicken breast --salt and freshly ground black pepper --2 slices Read more...

If you have dry skin problems, you can eat your way to making it better, says health expert Stephanie Zinser. She tells ThirdAge this warm sardine salad with lime and caper vinaigrette is a good first start. For the salad: 250 grams fresh sardines, 120 grams salad leaves, 1 tablespoon olive oil. For the dressing: juice and zest of one lime, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Read more...

Straight from Greece, here's a healthy cooking tip on arthritis for ThirdAgers. Researchers at the University of Athens Medical School say a combination of olive oil and cooked vegetables may help prevent rheumatoid arthritis. They say the development of arthritis was closely correlated with a much-less-than average consumption of common food items. Southern Mediterranean populations consume a Read more...

Antioxidants are being touted as important protection from heart disease, stroke, cancers and skin damage. With new studies being published weekly, separating facts from hype can be frustrating. Do you have the full story? Take the ThirdAge tour of antioxidant information and find out what these substances can -- and can't -- do for you. Just click a link below for a brief story about a Read more...

What's been around for 4,000 years, has dozens of uses but didn't really make a serious splash in Western countries until the last 50 years? Hint: it comes from trees that can grow to be centuries old and in Mediterranean cultures it's as romantic as wine. Yep, olive oil -- a celebrated fluid derived from a meticulous process that fuels debate among its producers, 99 percent of which are Read more...

Life's simpler things often turn out to be among the best. That's a claim that could be made for olive oil, which a new study in Europe indicates can be surprisingly effective in preventing breast cancer. The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that a spoonful of olive oil a day could reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by as much as 45 percent. It's described Read more...

By Sandy Markiewicz, RD, MBA To help cut down on your fat intake, use the following tips when preparing foods: 1. Use evaporated skim milk instead of cream when preparing sauces or desserts. 2. Create your own nonfat salad dressing by mixing balsamic vinegar, mustard and herbs. If you really prefer an oil-based dressing, try using three parts vinegar to one part oil. 3. Drain nonfat Read more...