People over 65 years of age who frequently consume olive oil have a lower risk of stroke , according to a study by French scientists published in the scientific journal Neurology .
The findings are derived from a five-year study of 7,625 people over 65 in the French cities of Bordeaux, Dijony and Montpellier. The patients, at the beginning of the study, had no history of heart attacks. The scientists, from the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) in France, classified the subjects according to the consumption of olive oil in the categories of "no use", "moderate use and" intensive use . It includes the use of olive oil for cooking, as a dressing in salads or with bread.
Over the course of the five-year experiment, 148 strokes were recorded. Taking into account weight, physical activity and diet criteria, among other risk factors, the scientists found that those subjects who regularly consumed olive oil had a 41 percent lower risk of heart attack in relation to those who did not include this ingredient in your diet .
Cerebral infarction occurs when an artery in the brain or that carries blood to the brain becomes blocked by a clot or ruptures. Heart attacks become more common as people age, and the risk doubles for every decade of life after age 55, according to the American Heart Association.
