Olive oil is hearty. It turns out that olive leaf extract can also be good for us

Olive oil is a synonym Mediterranean dietand the health benefits of both are well documented.

Olive oil reduces risk heart disease, cancer, diabetes and premature death. Olives too contain many healthy nutrients.

There is now growing evidence about the health benefits of olive leaves, including studies conducted in: last review.

Here’s what olive leaves contain and who can benefit from olive leaf extract.

What’s hidden in olive leaves?

Olive leaves have traditionally stayed brewed as tea in the Mediterranean Sea and drunk to treat fever and malaria.

Leaves to contain high levels of an antioxidant called oleuropein. Olives and olive oil also contain it, but at lower levels.

Generally, the greener the leaf (the less yellowish), the more oleuropein it contains. Leaves harvested in spring also have higher levels compared to leaves harvested in autumn, indicating that oleuropein levels decrease as leaves age.

Olive leaves also contain other antioxidants such as hydroxytyrosol, luteolin, apigenin and verbascoside.

Antioxidants work by reducing oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress causes damage to our DNA, cell membranes and tissues may lead to chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Are olive leaves hearty?

One review and analysis combined data from 12 experimental studies involving a total of 819 participants. Overall, olive leaf extract improves risk factors for heart disease. This included healthier lipids (fats) in the blood and lower blood pressure.

The effect was greater in people who already had high blood pressure.

Most of the studies included in this review used olive leaf extract in capsule form at daily doses of 500 milligrams to 5 grams for six to 48 weeks.

Other review and analysis published at the end of last year concerned data from 12 experimental studies involving a total of 703 people. Some of these studies included people with high blood lipid levels, people with high blood pressure, people who were overweight or obese, and some included hearty people.

Daily doses were 250–1000 mg, taken as tablets or baked into bread.

Individual studies included in the review showed significant benefits in improving blood glucose (sugar) control, blood lipid levels and lowering blood pressure. However, when all the data was combined, no significant health effects were found. We will soon explain why this happens.

Other review looked at people who took oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol (antioxidants found in olive leaves). Significant improvements in body weight, blood lipid profiles, glucose metabolism, and bone, joint, and cognitive functions were found.

The individual studies involved testing two antioxidants or olive leaves found in foods such as bread and cooking oils (but not olive oil). Olive leaf extract doses ranged from 6-500 mg per day.

So what can we draw from this research overall? They show that olive leaf extract can assist lower blood pressure, improve blood lipid levels and assist our body deal with glucose.

But these studies show inconsistent results. This is likely due to differences in how people took olive leaf extract, the amounts and duration. This type of inconsistency usually tells us that we need more research to clarify the health effects of olive leaves.

Can you eat olive leaves?

Olive leaves can be brewed for tea or leaves added to salads. Others reports of olive leaves being ground into cocktails.

However, the leaves are bitter due to their antioxidants, which can make them tough to consume or make the tea unpalatable.

Olive leaf extract has also been added bread and others baked goods. Scientists have found that this improves the antioxidant levels in these foods, and people say the food tastes better.

Is olive leaf extract toxic?

No, it seems so no reports of toxic effects eating or drinking olive leaf extract.

According to studies using olive leaf extract, a dose of up to 1 g per day seems unthreatening. However, there are no official guidelines on how much is unthreatening to consume.

Were reports potential toxicity at doses exceeding 85 mg/kg body weight per day. For an 80 kg adult, this would mean 6.8 ga per day, which is well above the dose used in the studies mentioned in this article.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women are not advised to consume it like we do I don’t know if it is unthreatening for them.

What should I do?

If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or elevated blood lipids, you may notice some benefits from using olive leaf extract. However, it is vital to discuss this with your doctor first and do not change any medications or start taking olive leaf extract until you have talked to your doctor.

However, all plant foods contain plenty of antioxidants, and you should try to eat a variety of colorful plant foods. This will allow you to obtain a number of nutrients and antioxidants.

Olive leaf and its extract will not be a panacea for your health if you do not eat, among others: healthy diet and following other health advice.