Did you know that olive oil acts as a silent guardian of our health? Its inclusion in a balanced diet as part of a healthy lifestyle helps to reduce the chances of suffering from a cardiovascular disease by 30% and from diabetes by 40%. What is more, it has other, lesser-known, benefits such as its usefulness in the fight against obesity.

According to statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO), there has been a worrying increase in child obesity in recent years. Don Jordi Salas, professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Rovira i Virgili, Catalonia, Spain, believes the higher rates of obesity are due to rising consumption of calories in the form of saturated fats: ''There is evidence that the consumption of calories in the form of saturated fats above ten to fifteen per cent of energy consumption leads to weight gain and increases the risk of suffering from a cardiovascular disease.''

At the same time, the benefits of extra virgin olive oil should be remembered, it being a monounsaturated fat with antioxidants which allow better regulation of the body. However, Professor Salas reminds us that ''It is important to be aware that consumption of olive oil alone is not the solution. It must be accompanied by a healthy diet and an active lifestyle.'' The ideal amount of olive oil depends on one's diet, though two tablespoonfuls a day on average serves as a rough guide. According to Salas, ''There is no reliable way to determine a maximum daily dose, but we should be careful to avoid excessive consumption of fats, since any fat intake above 40% of total energy consumption is harmful to the body.''

Therefore, the regular consumption of olive oil should be combined with finding the right balance between living a modern lifestyle and maintaining healthy habits. The pace of life nowadays sometimes leads us to pay little attention to what we eat. In an environment in which there is an abundance of unhealthy foods that can easily cause an imbalance in our diet, it should be remembered that prevention is the best defence against disease.