Consuming olive oil delays the onset of chronic diseases and improves the quality of life in old age.

- Virgin olive oil and extra virgin have a special effect for its richness in monounsaturated fat and antioxidants, and micronutrients.

- The scientific community encourages producers to invest in these types of oils that are authentic fruit juices therefore particularly healthy.

- The latest research findings on how diet influences health will be presented at the symposium on olive oil, moderate inflammation and aging Dr. Francisco Pérez Jiménez in the II International Congress on Olive Oil and Health (CIAS 2008) to be held in Córdoba and Jaén from 20 to 22 November 2008.

Aging is a process that develops gradually over the life and whose main events (cardiovascular, cognitive brain cancer and osteoporosis) are favored by the presence of chronic inflammation, low intensity. This inflammation has many causes, one of them being the existence of oxidative phenomena in living beings. And here is where olive oil, as part of the Mediterranean Diet can dampen the inflammation and delay the onset of these diseases, says Professor Francisco Perez Jimenez.

Unlike other oils such as corn, soy or almond, olive oil prevents aging with his own stamp that differentiation depends on two factors. On the one hand, its richness in monounsaturated fat, and that when he joined the agency exerts more beneficial effects than other fat in the rate of cholesterol, blood pressure and preventing oxidation. On the other hand, its richness in antioxidants and micronutrients, a specific characteristic of the virgin and extra virgin oils, notes Pérez Jiménez, the rest of the oil must be refined for consumption as they lose those components. "The effect of fat, decreasing risk factors and oxidation, their micronutrients, are favorable to health by reducing the mechanisms that favor the development of chronic diseases," he explains.

With regard to improving the quality of life in old age, the doctor added that several studies have shown that consumption of Mediterranean diet promotes longevity and aging with both an improved quality of life. "This phenomenon has been located with healthy diets, but there was no olive oil in the diet. But undoubtedly the Mediterranean diet which includes olive oil as essential fat, is one of the best models. The higher quality of life in old age is attributed to the fact that this diet reduces chronic diseases such as heart, cancer and neurodegenerative (Parkinson and Alzheimer).

Currently the research focuses on analyzing the machinery of the cell and see how it changes with diet and identify the different components of olive oil that can be most beneficial.

The latest research findings on the role of olive oil in the prevention of aging will be presented at the symposium on this specific topic will moderate the Pérez Jiménez, in the II International Congress on Olive Oil and Health (CIAS 2008) to be held in Cordoba and Jaen 20 to November 22. This seminar will address the role of inflammation in the aging process and the pathophysiology of aging and longevity, among other topics.

Pérez Jiménez gave the olive sector to ensure production quality standards looking healthy: "Every day there is more information on the health effects posed by the presence of micro-and antioxidants in olive oil, so production should be geared to achieving oils rich in these products, which are an example of virgin and extra virgin oils of higher quality. It would, in short to reduce the percentage devoted to refining, which is then sold as "olive oil" but that has less of these components. "