Half a Tablespoon of Olive Oil Daily May Protect Brain Health

Olive oil may reduce risk of dementia-related death by 28 percent, study finds. Swapping margarine for olive oil also beneficial.

Olive oil is consumed at the rate of 90 million gallons annually in the United States, according to American Olive Oil Producers Association. Pixabay/CC0

For years, the Mediterranean diet has been touted for its brain-boosting powers, helping preserve cognitive abilities and reduce dementia risk. But new research suggests a specific star player may be behind those mental benefits: olive oil.

The Most Recent Evidence

In a recent study investigating the relationship between diet and dementia-related death, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers analyzed the diets and health outcomes of more than 92,000 U.S. adults.

The participants reported their food habits, including olive oil intake, every four years for 28 years. Researchers then categorized participants based on their daily olive oil consumption: never or less than once per month, up to 4.5 grams, between 4.6 and 7 grams, or more than 7 grams. Over the study period, 4,751 dementia-related deaths were recorded.