- Health and Wellbeing
You could replace certain saturated fats, like butter or margarine, with this ingredient
Amber Raikenin New YorkMonday 24 November 2025 23:21 GMTComments
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Dietitians say that a simple kitchen hack could increase how long you live: Cooking with olive oil.
Whether you’re sautéing vegetables or making a chicken stir-fry, you may have a go-to oil for the occasion, like sunflower or canola. And you also have your seasonings at the ready, including salt, pepper, garlic powder, and more.
Although all these ingredients are vital to what you’re making, dietitians are only recommending one oil for you to cook with — olive oil — for the sake of longevity.
Registered dietitian Jess Cording, RDN, told Parade that olive oil, specifically extra virgin olive oil, has been linked to a lower risk of developing “cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative conditions.”
“The polyphenols, specifically, seem to play a role in protecting the body’s cells from damage that can accelerate aging and chronic disease and even protect against certain cancers, thanks to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects,” she told the publication.
open image in galleryDietitians say that cooking with olive oil instead of other saturated fats could increase your lifespan (Getty Images)A 2022 Harvard study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, discovered the benefits of using olive oil, with the help of looking at health data from about 90,000 people over a period of nearly 30 years.
Results showed that it is indeed linked to a longer life span. Participants who consumed more than half a tablespoon of olive oil per day had a 19 percent lower risk of dying from any cause, when compared to people who rarely or never consumed olive oil.
Researchers also found that the group who consumed the olive oil had a 19 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a 17 percent lower risk of dying from cancer, and a 29 percent lower risk of dying from a neurodegenerative disease, like Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition, participants who replaced 10 grams of fats, like margarine, butter, and mayonnaise, with the same amount of olive oil had a 34 percent lower risk of overall death and disease.
So, registered dietitian Jenny Beth Kroplin, RD, recommends replacing the canola oil, butter, and margarine you use to make meals with olive oil instead.
open image in galleryStudies have found that olive oil is linked to a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, dying from cancer, or dying from a neurodegenerative disease (Getty Images)“Even though one food cannot determine our health, anytime we can swap to healthier options like extra-virgin olive oil instead of foods that are not as health-promoting, it can have a positive impact on our health, long-term,” she told Parade.
Health experts also note that it's the ingredients in olive oil that could extend our lifespan. According to Maddie Pasquariello, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist, olive oil fights oxidative stress, which can cause significant inflammation.
“Olive oil—specifically, extra-virgin olive oil—also contains unsaturated fatty acids, which decrease [inflammation]” she told Real Simple.
She also noted that when you replace saturated fat with olive oil, it maintains your blood cholesterol. And it’s ultimately high levels of cholesterol that can raise the risk of heart disease.
“Simply adding more olive oil to your diet isn’t necessarily going to lower your cholesterol, but if you already consume a diet high in saturated fatty acids, substituting unsaturated fatty acids found in foods like olive oil [is] a good start,” she explains.
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