Half-tablespoon of olive oil every day ‘reduces risk of fatal heart disease’

‘Clinicians should be counselling patients to replace certain fats, such as margarine and butter, with olive oil,’ lead author says

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Higher intake of olive oil is associated with lower risk of dying from illnesses such as heart disease and cancer, according to a new study by a world-leading university.

Research by scientists at Havard University in the US found that people who consumed more than half a tablespoon of olive oil (7g) were less likely to die from the disease than those who ate none.

“Clinicians should be counselling patients to replace certain fats, such as margarine and butter, with olive oil to improve their health,” Dr Marta Guasch-Ferré, the senior research scientist who led the study, said.