Olive Oil Reduces Risk Of Depression

Trans fats have long been known to raise risk for heart disease, but a new study is linking the unhealthy fat to depression as well.
However, research on more than 12,000 people suggests that including olive oil in your heart-healthy diet can actually reduce the risk of depression.
Men and women, free of depression at the start of the study, completed a food frequency questionnaire to describe their intake of various types of fats.
After a follow-up years later, 657 new cases of depression had been diagnosed!
Researchers discovered those who ate high amounts of trans fats had an increased depression risk, but those who ate the most olive oil had a lower risk than those who consumed little or none.
Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, PhD, associate professor of preventive medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain said:

“The participants with an olive oil consumption higher than 20 grams a day (about 0.7 ounces) had a 30% lower risk of depression than those without consumption or with a very low consumption of olive oil.”

Here is the scary part!
The trans-fat intake in the highest group was actually fairly low compared to populations in the United States with only about 1.5 grams daily, but the group still faced a 48% risk of depression!
What are a bunch of trans-fat eaters like us to do?
Dr. Sanchez-Villegas advises not only olive oil, but including plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as low to moderate wine intake to reduce your risk of depression.