The People’s Pharmacy
Q: Recently I read with interest your article on the benefits of consuming olive oil. The amount of olive oil was very modest, but you did not specify the quality of the olive oil. What were these people using? Was the origin of the olive oil important? Hope you can fill in the details.
Also, I plan to offer Made in USA products for the holidays this year. I would like to buy olive oil in bulk and fill small bottles as personal gifts for my friends. Can you recommend a bulk olive oil that would provide the benefits you described?
A: In the research we discussed, the amount of olive oil was specified (at least 7 grams per day or half a tablespoon). However, investigators did not address the quality or source. That’s likely because their study included nearly 100,000 nurses and other healthcare professionals who periodically completed dietary questionnaires for 28 years (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, January 2022). Those who consumed more olive oil were less likely to die during this time from cancer or cardiovascular, neurodegenerative or respiratory disease.
A previous study, the PREDIMED trial, compared people following a conservative low-fat diet to those following a Mediterranean diet with additional nuts or extra virgin olive oil (New England Journal of Medicine, June 21 2018). Those who consumed extra virgin olive oil had fewer cardiovascular events.
Extra virgin olive oil is unrefined and made from the first pressing of the olive. It contains phenols which give it a distinctive flavor and have important health benefits (Cells, February 19, 2020).
ConsumerLab.com recently reviewed 10 EVOO products. Their two top picks were California Olive Ranch Everyday EVOO (available in bulk) and Lucini Italia Organic EVOO. ConsumerLab.com suggests looking for a quality seal such as the North American Olive Oil Association, the California Olive Oil Council, or the USDA’s Quality Monitoring Program. Any of these certifications can help you find good quality bulk olive oil.
Q: About three months ago, I gave up dairy products and am no longer taking Celebrex for my arthritis pain. I drink golden milk (almond or coconut milk with a pinch of black pepper, a squirt of ginger paste and half a teaspoon of turmeric powder) morning and night. I have found it keeps my joints moving.
A: Thank you for sharing your recipe. Golden milk is an age-old way of taking turmeric in the Ayurvedic tradition. A reader told us that when he was growing up in India, his mother gave him golden milk to ward off colds. Other people use it for digestive disorders, and many find it useful, like you, for arthritis.
We include a traditional dairy-based recipe for Golden Milk along with many other remedies in our book, “Recipes and Remedies from the People’s Pharmacy.” Substituting non-dairy “milk” also works for this recipe, although the fat from cow’s milk makes it easier to absorb the turmeric.
“Recipes & Remedies” also provides natural approaches to lowering blood pressure and managing cholesterol, relieving indigestion, and treating colds and coughs. You can find it in the books section of the store on PeoplesPharmacy.com.
