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<pre>Dear all
Below pls. found the Lancet paper for olive oil, I questioned on some points
high-lightened, pls. comments whether true or not!
Regards,
Keith



>
> Oiling of health messages in marketing of food
> The Lancet
> London
> Nov 25, 2000
>
>
>
>
> Oiling of health messages in marketing of food
>
> The use of health messages in food-marketing campaigns is becoming
increasingly > common. One example is the series of olive-oil campaigns
sponsored by the > European Union, which has cost more than L100 million over
the past 10-12
> years. In 1999 another L30 million was donated for continuation of these >
campaigns aimed at supporting the olive-producing farmers of Southern Europe.
> As part of the olive-oil campaigns detailed scientific bulletins and a >
scientific "consensus statement" summarising the health effects of olive > oil
have been sent to doctors and other health professionals all over Europe. 1 >
Unfortunately, the unwary reader could be left with unjustifiably favourable >
impressions of olive oil. Three examples from the consensus statement' > will
serve to illustrate this problem.
>
> Under the heading "What are the mechanisms by which olive oil exerts its >
beneficial effect on health?" is a statement that ". . . monounsaturated > fatty
acids-as contained in olive oil-reduce total and LDL cholesterol >
concentrations" as compared with saturated fatty acids. Although this statement
> is true, it can give the impression that this is a property particular > to
olive oil. In fact most other unsaturated vegetable oils lead to even > lower
LDL cholesterol concentrations and more favourable LDI/HDL-cholesterol > ratios
than olive oil. 2

>> Under the heading "What role could olive oil and the Mediterranean-style >
diet play in the prevention of CHD?", the consensus statement refers to > the
Lyon Diet Health Trial.3 This intervention trial showed that a modified >
Mediterranean diet reduced cardiovascular mortality by 80%. However, the > study
did not use olive oil, but a margarine based on rapeseed oil as the > primary
source of fat, and the investigators stressed that the alphalinolenic > acid
content of rapeseed oil (4.8%) was the best candidate for a single > nutrient
explaining the observed cardioprotection.3 Olive oil contains > almost no
et-linolenic acid (0.6%). 3
>
> A consensus statement released this year4 implies that olive oil does not >
promote obesity: "Obesity is primarily a disorder of energy balance. Although >
data are limited in population studies, no strong association has been > shown
between dietary fat and body fatness. The Mediterranean diet, though > not a
low-fat diet, may contribute to the prevention and treatment of obesity >
because of its variety and palatability, provided it is controlled in calories".

> Three meta-analyses on dietary-intervention trials have consistently shown >
that increasing the total fat content of the diet increases calorie intake > and
body weight,5-7 and no studies suggest that olive oil is an exception.
> Giving the impression that olive oil does not promote obesity is thus
misleading. > If anything, olive oil may be even more fattening than
polyunsaturated > fats.8,9
>
> The beneficial health effects of the Mediterranean diet cannot be attributed >
solely to olive oil. The effects seem rather to depend upon a complex
combination > of dietary characteristics, such as a low content of saturated
fat, plenty > of bread, vegetables. and fruit, and the inclusion of wine and
garlic in > the daily diet.
>
> It is troubling when foods are promoted with unjustified health attributes >
or in a context where highly relevant information is hidden (in this case > the
fact that alternative vegetable oils might be very attractive choices > from a
health perspective). It is especially so when such campaigns are > financed by
governments. In view of the very large general problem of allowing > health
claims in food advertising, an issue currently under intensive discussion > in
the EU, there may be a need for an independent committee, like an advertising >
standards agency, to oversee food-marketing campaigns.
>
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<pre>At 12:08 2/04/01 +0800, you wrote:
>Dear all
>Below pls. found the Lancet paper for olive oil, I questioned on some
points high-lightened, pls. comments whether true or not!
>Regards,
>Keith
>
>
>
>>
>> Oiling of health messages in marketing of food
>> The Lancet
>> London
>> Nov 25, 2000
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Oiling of health messages in marketing of food
>>
>> The use of health messages in food-marketing campaigns is becoming
increasingly > common. One example is the series of olive-oil campaigns
sponsored by the > European Union, which has cost more than L100 million
over the past 10-12
>> years. In 1999 another L30 million was donated for continuation of these
> campaigns aimed at supporting the olive-producing farmers of Southern
Europe.
>> As part of the olive-oil campaigns detailed scientific bulletins and a >
scientific "consensus statement" summarising the health effects of olive >
oil have been sent to doctors and other health professionals all over
Europe. 1 > Unfortunately, the unwary reader could be left with
unjustifiably favourable > impressions of olive oil. Three examples from
the consensus statement' > will serve to illustrate this problem.
>>
>> Under the heading "What are the mechanisms by which olive oil exerts its
> beneficial effect on health?" is a statement that ". . . monounsaturated
> fatty acids-as contained in olive oil-reduce total and LDL cholesterol >
concentrations" as compared with saturated fatty acids. Although this
statement > is true, it can give the impression that this is a property
particular > to olive oil. In fact most other unsaturated vegetable oils
lead to even > lower LDL cholesterol concentrations and more favourable
LDI/HDL-cholesterol > ratios than olive oil. 2
>
>>> Under the heading "What role could olive oil and the
Mediterranean-style > diet play in the prevention of CHD?", the consensus
statement refers to > the Lyon Diet Health Trial.3 This intervention trial
showed that a modified > Mediterranean diet reduced cardiovascular
mortality by 80%. However, the > study did not use olive oil, but a
margarine based on rapeseed oil as the > primary source of fat, and the
investigators stressed that the alphalinolenic > acid content of rapeseed
oil (4.8%) was the best candidate for a single > nutrient explaining the
observed cardioprotection.3 Olive oil contains > almost no et-linolenic
acid (0.6%). 3
>>
>> A consensus statement released this year4 implies that olive oil does
not > promote obesity: "Obesity is primarily a disorder of energy balance.
Although > data are limited in population studies, no strong association
has been > shown between dietary fat and body fatness. The Mediterranean
diet, though > not a low-fat diet, may contribute to the prevention and
treatment of obesity > because of its variety and palatability, provided it
is controlled in calories".
>
>> Three meta-analyses on dietary-intervention trials have consistently
shown > that increasing the total fat content of the diet increases calorie
intake > and body weight,5-7 and no studies suggest that olive oil is an
exception.
>> Giving the impression that olive oil does not promote obesity is thus
misleading. > If anything, olive oil may be even more fattening than
polyunsaturated > fats.8,9
>>
>> The beneficial health effects of the Mediterranean diet cannot be
attributed > solely to olive oil. The effects seem rather to depend upon a
complex combination > of dietary characteristics, such as a low content of
saturated fat, plenty > of bread, vegetables. and fruit, and the inclusion
of wine and garlic in > the daily diet.
>>
>> It is troubling when foods are promoted with unjustified health
attributes > or in a context where highly relevant information is hidden
(in this case > the fact that alternative vegetable oils might be very
attractive choices > from a health perspective). It is especially so when
such campaigns are > financed by governments. In view of the very large
general problem of allowing > health claims in food advertising, an issue
currently under intensive discussion > in the EU, there may be a need for
an independent committee, like an advertising > standards agency, to
oversee food-marketing campaigns.
>>
>
>
>
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>
>
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>
>Dear Keith,

I have already commented on the paper.

Alfred Poulos>
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<pre>On Monday 02 April 2001 08:03, Alfred Poulos wrote:
>>Below pls. found the Lancet paper for olive oil, I questioned on some
>points high-lightened, pls. comments whether true or not!
>>> Under the heading "What are the mechanisms by which olive oil exerts its
>>
>> beneficial effect on health?" is a statement that ". . . monounsaturated
>> fatty acids-as contained in olive oil-reduce total and LDL cholesterol >
>
>concentrations" as compared with saturated fatty acids. Although this
>statement > is true, it can give the impression that this is a property
>particular > to olive oil. In fact most other unsaturated vegetable oils
>lead to even > lower LDL cholesterol concentrations and more favourable
>LDI/HDL-cholesterol > ratios than olive oil. 2

As I remember in the (quite large amount of) research I did into the subject
some years ago, normal (not the omega-3 ones) polyunsaturated fats lower both
the LDL and HDL cholesterols. You don't want to lower the HDL ones, they're
good for you. Olive oil lowers LDL but has little or no effect on HDL. I
could drag up the refs if anyone really wants.

However, I don't remember if this was ever attributed directly to the fatty
acid profile; I think there has always been a strong belief that the
volatiles - the micronutrients and vitamins - play a large part in this. It
seems to be unknown to what extent, though.

>>> The beneficial health effects of the Mediterranean diet cannot be
>
>attributed > solely to olive oil. The effects seem rather to depend upon a
>complex combination > of dietary characteristics, such as a low content of
>saturated fat, plenty > of bread, vegetables. and fruit, and the inclusion
>of wine and garlic in > the daily diet.

Specifically RED wine (micronutrients again)...

Yes, this is widely acknowledged in all the papers I have read on the
subject. However, as olive oil is a very significant part of the diet - I
seem to remember Greeks consume 20 litres per head per year - it cannot be
ignored.

Adrian
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<pre>It would have been interesting to see the references that the article
noted (the odd numbers in the etxt seem to be refs (or footnote
pointers). Either way, they might show some of the background of the
article which seems to me to be VERY general in vista.

John Attwood
Tamworth (Northern) NSW AU
Adrian D. Shaw wrote:
----------snip------------

>> oils
>> lead to even > lower LDL cholesterol concentrations and more favourable
>> LDI/HDL-cholesterol > ratios than olive oil. 2 <--This is the ref?
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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<pre>Dear All

My recollection regarding olive oil and cholesterol is that it lowers
total cholesterol and gives a more favorable ratio of HDL to LDL. Other
of the older Polyunsaturated oils many of which have lower % of oleic
acid thn olive oil loweed total cholesterol but LDL and HDL were also
lowered.

What happens with new polyunsaturated oils compared to olivr oil - eg
Sunola vs sunflower, high oleic canola vs other canolas is still
unclear.

The xtras of Olive oil = Vitamin E (antioxidant) + Phenolics
(Antioxidant)

The xtras of seed oils are the omega 3s which have effects on blood
cells and other tissues.

So - throwing the tiger into the ring! - who is against Olive Oil +
canola mixtures?

I havebeen recently asked about improving the quality of canola oil.

Already canola has Vitamin E (Tocopherols) as a preservative - this is
also the case for pure olive oil,

So where ahe the polyphenols gone (all plants have polyphenols not only
oil eg green tea)? Well they are removed during processing of canola. So
how does one get the polyphenols back? Possibilities are

¥ Extract from olive pomace and add back to canola (or other seed oils)
¥ Find the steps in processing where polyphenols are removed
¥ You guessed it - why not add EVO that is high in polyphenols -
Coratina?

Now I am sure the latter is not the reason why mixtures of olive oil and
canola are sold under labels that misconstrue their presentatio.

So food for thought?

Now getting back to the Greek Story. First of all Greeks eat more olive
oil than any other group and I have said a number of times if you want
to sell more olive oil then promote Greek cuisine. Greeks do not put oil
in bowls and dip in the bread. The only dipping they do is when they are
christened in the Greek Orthodox Church. Here they go head first body
and all. Introduction to olive oil is done at this point. Olive oil is
added to the christening bowl prior to the dunking. Next when the
writhing body is pulled out the priest makes choss symbols with olive on
the head body and forhead with olive oil. Now if you are late converter
and of full body size then in Perth at least, a recent convertor to
Greek Orthodoxy, donated a full size christening bowl so that he could
get the full effect. Of course this is not how it is done - my mother
and father already christened at birth - were rechristened in the River
Jordan when they did their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Here they wore a
pece of chloth to cover the vital parts and under they went. What a
satisfying experiece for them - the out come was they were now allowed
to put Hatdji - before Kailis.

A gdfactor missing in the cholesterol story was the peasant life, hard
physical work and exercise. My grandfather sailed the Mediterranean
trading goods from port to port, however that story will come later.

Stan Kailis
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