Olive oil, with its healthy properties and its close link with the Mediterranean Diet, is a strategic food in the fight against obesity and food imbalance. This is what Assitol (an Italian association of oil producers) says on the occasion of World Food Day, celebrated every year on October 16, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of FAO, the UN organization for the global fight against hunger.
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Olive oil is in fact considered the main ‘marker’ of the adhesion to the Mediterranean Diet, as well as an index of healthy nutrition. Scientific research has shown that olive oil is fundamental for cardiovascular health, as it reduces risk factors such as diabetes, overweight and cholesterol, all linked to an unhealthy lifestyle. The American Heart Association recommends the adoption of the Mediterranean Diet and emphasizes the primary role of olive oil.
HOW OLIVE OIL CAN HELP FULFILLING THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME
“Olive oil can do a lot against increasing malnutrition on the one hand and overweight on the other” – says Anna Cane, president of the olive oil group at Assitol. “Increasing its consumption means bringing different cultures closer to the Mediterranean Diet, the healthiest and most sustainable diet according to scientific literature, of which oil is one of the pillars.”
Moreover, guaranteeing a healthy diet is one of the goals of the World Food Programme which has just won the Nobel Peace Prize. “We hope to see the world of olive oil also involved in the ‘Zero Hunger’ goal, which this organization pursues with strength – Anna Cane says – sharing the same commitment to health, correct nutrition and sustainability.”