Extra-virgin olive oil anti-inflammatory-scientists

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Extra-virgin olive oil anti-inflammatory-scientists

Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:11 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have just found out what gourmets have

always known -- that there is something special about fresh extra-

virgin olive oil.

A tasting experience at a molecular gastronomy meeting in Sicily led

University of Pennsylvania biologist Beauchamp to analyze

freshly pressed extra-virgin olive oil, in which he found a chemical

that acted like ibuprofen.

He and his team named their discovery oleocanthal and found that,

although it has a different chemistry, its effect is similar to that

of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compound in the commercial

pain-killer, they wrote in the science journal Nature.

The discovery is significant because scientists believe to an

increasing extent that inflammation plays an important part in a

variety of chronic diseases like stroke, heart disease, and breast

and lung cancer.

" Our findings raise the possibility that long-term consumption of

oleocanthal may help to protect against some diseases, " they wrote.

It may also go some way to explaining the health benefits long

attributed to the olive-oil rich Mediterranean diet.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?

type=healthNews & storyID=2005-08-31T171101Z_01_HAR161240_RTRIDST_0_HEALTH

-OIL-DC.XML