Polyphenol Rich Olive Oil and Heart Health: What The Research Reveals

At Frantoio Grove, we make no secret of our passion for polyphenol rich olive oil. We celebrate polyphenol rich EVOO not only for its superior taste and quality, but also because we care deeply about the connection between olive oil and heart health. While many studies of olive oil speak to the benefits of all olive oil for heart health, it’s important to note that not all olive oils are created equal in this area. In this blog post, we break down the three scientific studies that reveal how polyphenol rich olive oil can benefit heart health even more than other types of olive oils that lack polyphenol content.

What is Polyphenol Rich Olive Oil?

Polyphenol rich olive oil is often described as the highest quality olive oil available. As the name suggests, this olive oil is full of polyphenols, which are secondary metabolites found in many plants, in this case, olives. Polyphenols convey benefits to olive plants such as protecting them from predators and other environmental threats. When consumed as part of a healthy diet, olive polyphenols also convey a wide array of benefits to human health.

Similar to extra virgin and cold pressed olive oils, an olive oil must meet certain requirements to be considered polyphenol rich. Generally, olive oils with polyphenol content in the 300 to 500 ppm range are considered polyphenol rich. For example, Frantoio Grove’s polyphenol rich EVOO was third party lab tested at 428 ppm, very high in polyphenol content. While some olive oils boast even higher levels of polyphenols upwards of 500 ppm, too much polyphenol content can make olive oil unpalatable. When crafting polyphenol rich olive oil, producers must carefully balance polyphenol content and taste.

Polyphenol Rich Olive Oil and Heart Health

It’s widely understood that olive oil conveys an array of benefits for heart health. Much of this benefit comes from the oleic acid found in olive oil, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Nearly all olive oils contain oleic acid, and therefore offer health benefits to consumers including increasing good cholesterol and decreasing bad cholesterol. For this reason, the Mediterranean diet which promotes olive oil rather than butter or margarine as a primary source of fat, has long been touted as one of the best diet options for the health conscious.

Polyphenol rich olive oil offers yet another layer array of health benefits on top of those offered by oleic acid. Not all olive oils offer this second layer of health benefits because these benefits are exclusive to polyphenols. Most olive oils contain some polyphenols, but most of these valuable compounds are lost during production. Polyphenol rich olive oils, on the other hand, are those in which the polyphenols are intentionally preserved during harvest, milling, pressing, and packaging. In order to truly maximize the health benefits of the olive oil you’re consuming, it’s key to choose a polyphenol rich EVOO.

What the Research Shows About Polyphenol Rich Olive Oil & Heart Health

The benefits of polyphenol rich olive oil for the heart aren’t just old wives’ tales. Scientific studies have demonstrated time and again that olive oil polyphenols really can improve cardiovascular health.

One clinical study held in 2006 across 6 research centers in Europe aimed to test whether the polyphenols in olive oil could really move the needle on heart health, or if the benefits of olive oil came only from their monounsaturated acids. In other words, researchers wondered if the amount of polyphenol content really matters when all olive oils offer at least some degree of health benefits. 200 male participants were randomly assigned olive oils of low, medium, or high polyphenol content and were asked to consume 25 ml daily over a three week period. Results indicated that the higher the polyphenol content in the olive oil, the better the outcome. The medium and high polyphenol olive oils reduced bad cholesterol by more, increased good cholesterol by more, and reduced oxidative stress further than the low polyphenol olive oils.

Another study from 2012 tested whether olive oil polyphenols could reduce blood pressure and improve endothelial function in young women with high blood pressure.  24 young women with high blood pressure were assigned 2-month diets. Half of the participants were assigned a diet that included polyphenol rich olive oil whereas the other half were assigned polyphenol free olive oil. The study’s results show that only polyphenol rich olive oil was able to improve the cardiovascular health of the young women, whereas polyphenol free olive oil yielded no result.

A third study from 2021 tested whether polyphenol rich olive oil could improve vascular health for adults at risk of type 2 diabetes. In this study, 10 men and 10 women at risk of type 2 diabetes were given smoothies that contained olive oil. Half received smoothies with 50 ml of polyphenol rich olive oil, while the other half received smoothies made with refined, polyphenol-free olive oil.  Two hours after consuming their smoothies, the participants who consumed polyphenol rich olive oil saw improved endothelial function compared to those who consumed polyphenol-free olive oil. 

Add Our Polyphenol Rich Olive Oil to Your Diet 

As you embark on your healthy eating journey, we encourage you to include polyphenol rich olive oil as a staple in your diet. Our Frantoio Grove EVOO offers 428 ppm of polyphenols and tastes great in all of your favorite Mediterranean diet dishes!