Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health tracked over 90,000 adults for 28 years, reporting associations between higher olive oil intake and lower cause-specific mortality, while bulk prices fell in late 2025 after stronger harvests.The Harvard study found that more than half a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil daily was associated with 19% fewer cardiovascular and 17% fewer cancer deaths, and 29% fewer neurodegenerative deaths.Swapping butter, margarine, or mayonnaise for olive oil was linked to up to 34% lower mortality risk.Related 2024 research from Harvard and Universitat Rovira i Virgili reported a 28% reduction in dementia-related death and gains in cognition and gut microbiome diversity, alongside polyphenols such as hydroxytyrosol tied to AMPK activation, autophagy, and lower CRP and IL‑6.
Dining and Cooking