You probably know that olive oil helps your hear and now, word is it could protect your stomach too.
A common bacteria, called H.pylori gives millions of people ulcers and other stomach upsets every year.
Spanish researchers think olive oil will join the ranks of red wine, green tea, and cranberry juice in warding off that bug.
Those foods, red wine, green tea, and cranberry juice, are high in phenolic compounds - antioxidants - that seem to destroy H.pylori.
Until now, researchers say no one has studied olive oil in preventing stomach ulcers because most vegetable oils that we cook with don't have such a high level of antioxidants. But virgin olive oil does and could fight off as many as eight strains of h. pylori.
Researches aren't yet sure just how much olive oil you would need , but they think just a couple of tablespoons per day could do the trick.
The lab results still need to be replicated in people. If they are - incorporating virgin olive oil into your diet may be an ounce of prevention against developing an ulcer.
For more information on the study of olive oil and preventing stomach ulcers, follow these links to: