Feel that peppery tingle in the back of your throat? That's a compound called oleocanthal, and it works like ibuprofen. Extra-virgin olive oil also has lubricin, which keeps joints sliding smoothly and protects cartilage from breaking down. It might help people with osteoarthritis. Stick to lower temperatures (less than 410 degrees) when you cook with olive oil so that you don't lose any of its many benefits.
It is believed that inflammation is among the leading drivers of many diseases. This includes heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and arthritis. It has been speculated that one of the mechanisms behind olive oil's benefits, is its ability to prevent inflammation. There is some evidence that oleic acid itself, the most prominent fatty acid in olive oil, can reduce inflammatory markers like C-Reactive Protein. But the main anti-inflammatory effects seem to be mediated by the antioxidants in olive oil, primarily oleocanthal, which has been shown to work like ibuprofen, a popular anti-inflammatory drug.
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