GENIUS FOOD

Place some extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) in a spoon, and

then slowly slurp it up like you’re eating soup and being

particularly rude about it. (Yes, I’m telling you to drink oil,

but you’ll see why in a second.) You should in short order

notice a spicy feeling in the back of your throat: that’s a

compound called oleocanthal. Oleocanthal is a type of

phenol—plant compounds that powerfully stimulate our

bodies’ own repair mechanisms when we consume them

(phenols are usually found linked together in the form of

polyphenols). Oleocanthal possesses anti-inflammatory

effects so powerful that it is comparable to taking a small

dose of ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug,

but without any of the potential side effects.

1

Inflammation,

as you’ll learn, can strongly negate neuroplasticity (the

ability of the brain to change throughout life) and even

produce feelings of depression, as research is now

beginning to show.

Extra-virgin olive oil is a staple food in the

Mediterranean diet, and people who consume these kinds of

diets display lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.

Oleocanthal may play a role here as well, having

demonstrated the potential to help the brain clear itself of the

amyloid plaque, the sticky protein that aggregates to toxic

levels in Alzheimer’s disease.

2

It does this by increasing the

activity of enzymes that degrade the plaque. It has been

shown in large, long-term trials to protect the brain against

decline (and even improve cognitive function) when

consumed at volumes of up to a liter per week.

3 And if

protecting your brain wasn’t enough, EVOO has been

shown to block an enzyme in fatty tissue called fatty acid

synthase, which creates fat out of excess dietary

carbohydrates.

4

Aside from oleocanthal, EVOO is also a rich source of

monounsaturated fat, which is a healthy fat that helps

maintain the health of your blood vessels and your liver,

and can even help you lose weight. One tablespoon also

contains 10 percent of the recommended intake of vitamin E

per day. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects fatty

structures in your body—such as your brain—from the wear

and tear of aging.

Nicholas Coleman, one of the world’s few oleologists

specializing in the cultivation of ultra-premium extra-virgin

olive oils, had a few tips to share with me about finding the

right olive oil. For one, color has no bearing on the quality

of the oil. The single best way to assess an oil is to taste it.

Good extra-virgin olive oils should taste grassy, never

greasy. Because oleocanthal is responsible for virgin oil’s

peppery taste, it can in fact be used as a measure of how

much oleocanthal is present in the oil. Stronger oils can be

so spicy that you may find yourself coughing from the heat

—which is actually a classification of oil quality! Next time

you find yourself consuming “three-cough” oil, you’ll know

you’ve found a keeper and your brain will thank you for it.

How to use: Extra-virgin olive oil should be the main oil

in your diet, to be used liberally on salads, eggs, and as a

sauce. Ensure that the oil is kept in a bottle that shields it

from light (dark glass or tin is fine) and store in a cool, dry

place.

My recollections from childhood in the late eighties and

nineties have a few standout milestones: singing the lyrics to

th e Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song on repeat

(turtle power!), my first Ghostbusters Halloween outfit, and

waking up at an ungodly hour on Saturday mornings to

watch one of the first great serials of the modern television

renaissance: X-Men: The Animated Series.