The Fat That Could Stop Stomach Trouble

Olive oil -- the unsaturated omega-9 fat (we’re sneaking a lot of education into this tip) that’s great for your heart -- is making headlines again. But this time, it’s for helping something a little lower down: your stomach.

Early research suggests that polyphenols in olive oil may inhibit the bacterium that causes most stomach ulcers. Currently, antibiotics are the gold standard for treating Helicobacter pylori, the ulcer-causing bacterium that’s tough enough to survive the acidity of your stomach. But resistant strains of H. pylori are cropping up, and the search is on for alternative therapies. In the lab, the polyphenols in olive oil (they make the olive oil darker) show tremendous potential. Not only did those polyphenols withstand the harsh gastric juices of the stomach, but they also seemed to kill off H. pylori pretty handily -- even antibiotic-resistant strains.

That doesn’t mean you should be eating truckloads of the stuff. Even though it contains large quantities of those healthy omega-9 monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which help raise your healthy HDL cholesterol, it also packs more than 100 calories per tablespoon. To use less, you’ll want to get the most flavor from every ounce. To drizzle on salads or when you want a dip for bread, use extra-virgin olive oil, which is also the most flavorful. For cooking, you’ll want more refined olive oil because the fancier stuff burns more quickly. No matter what grade of olive oil you’re using, store it in a dark bottle away from sunlight.