Product Found That Protects Against Obesity and Brain Inflammation
Nutritional Neuroscience: Olive oil protects against obesity and brain inflammation
Scientists from Brazil have discovered that adding extra virgin olive oil to the diet of obese rats helped prevent inflammation in the hypothalamus — the brain region that regulates hunger and metabolism. In addition, the animals gained less weight and showed improved metabolic indicators. The findings were published in Nutritional Neuroscience.
Extra virgin olive oil is an unrefined oil obtained mechanically without chemical processing. It is rich in polyphenols and vitamin E, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Researchers from the University of São Paulo, led by Ariadne Perez, fed laboratory rats a high-fat diet. Some of the animals additionally received extra virgin olive oil. After several weeks, those rats maintained a normal body weight and showed reduced inflammation in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus — a brain area that typically suffers during obesity.
The authors note that regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil may be a promising strategy for preventing metabolic disorders associated with obesity.
