FDA: Olive Oil May Boost Heart Health
(Washington, AP, 11/1/04)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will permit manufacturers to label products that contain olive oil with the words “may reduce heart disease risk.” The FDA bases their decision on scientific studies that indicate that, as long as people don't increase their daily caloric intake, replacing foods high in saturated fat with the monounsaturated fat in olive oil, may offer cardiovascular benefits. In one trial, 33 healthy American men ate diets high in fat from butter, cocoa butter, olive oil or soybean oil. Those eating soybean or olive oil showed significant reductions in cholesterol. Other studies demonstrated similar results