As if olive oil weren't delicious enough!

This article was released today from Reuters News Agency.

To sum it up, Dr. Francisco Perez-Jiminez of the Sofia University Hospital in Cordoba and his colleagues performed a study providing new evidence that eating virgin olive oil and other foods that contain phenols (organic compounds thought to be good for the heart) can help people with high cholesterol fight off blood clots.

Here's some background information on the difference between kinds of olive oil:

Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olives, contains no more than 0.8% acidity and comes from trees that have experienced neither drought nor disease and are traditionally picked by hand. It is generally regarded to have superior taste and be of superior quality.

Virgin olive oil has acidity of less than 2% and is regarded to have an acceptable taset.

Pure olive oil This is usually a blend of refined olive oils and one of the above categories. Oils labeled as ‘Pure olive oil’ or ‘Olive oil’ are usually a blend of refined olive oil and one of the above two categories. Refined oil is oil that has been treated with chemicals for various reasons. (Extra virgin and virgin olive oil does not contain refined oil or any of the chemicals involved)

Olive oil is also a blend of virgin oil and refined oil and contains no more than 1.5% acidity. It lacks a strong flavor and does not have the purported health benefits of virgin and extra-virgin olive oil.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/virgin_olive_oil_blood_clot_dc