Many of the healthiest communities worldwide have something in common — diets rich in olive oil.

全球许多最健康的社区都有一个共同点——饮食中富含橄榄油。

The ingredient, especially the extra-virgin variety, is full of fatty acids and health-promoting plant compounds called polyphenols that make it a potent anti-inflammatory with long-term benefits. Studies suggest that consuming olive oil may help lower your risk of heart disease, neurodegenerative disease and even premature death, especially when it’s eaten as part of a Mediterranean diet.

这种食材——尤其是特级初榨橄榄油——富含脂肪酸和被称为多酚的有益健康植物化合物，使其成为有长期健康益处的强效抗炎剂。研究表明，食用橄榄油可能有助于降低患心脏病、神经退行性疾病甚至过早死亡的风险，特别是作为地中海饮食的一部分食用。

Olive oil is one of the “key drivers” of the diet’s health benefits, said Catherine Itsiopoulos, a nutrition researcher at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, who studies olive oil. It is the “healthiest type of fat” to use in your diet, she added.

澳大利亚墨尔本皇家理工大学研究橄榄油的营养学研究员凯瑟琳·伊齐奥普洛斯表示，橄榄油是地中海饮食健康益处的“关键驱动因素”之一。她补充说，这是饮食中“最健康的脂肪类型”。

Here’s what to know, along with recipes from New York Times Cooking.

以下是您需要了解的内容，以及来自《纽约时报》烹饪频道的食谱。

It helps keep your heart healthy.

它有助于保持心脏健康

Of all the plant-based oils, olive oil has among the highest concentrations of monounsaturated fats and polyphenols. These compounds, particularly one called oleic acid, work to balance cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and keep the heart healthier over time.

在所有植物油中，橄榄油的单不饱和脂肪和多酚浓度名列前茅。这些化合物——特别是其中一种叫做油酸的物质——能够平衡胆固醇水平、降低血压，随着时间的推移，能够令心脏更加健康。

In a large 2018 clinical trial in Spain, people at high risk of cardiovascular disease who followed a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil (at least four tablespoons per day) reduced their risk of heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular causes by 30 percent, compared with a group who followed a low-fat diet.

2018年在西班牙进行的一项大型临床试验中，与遵循低脂饮食的对照组相比，遵循地中海饮食并补充特级初榨橄榄油（每天至少四汤匙）的高危心血管疾病患者心脏病发作、中风以及因心血管疾病导致的死亡风险降低了30%。

“One single food cannot have the same effect as the whole Mediterranean cuisine,” Dr. Itsiopoulos said. “Still, even a few tablespoons of olive oil consumed per day can have a significant cardiovascular benefit.”

“单靠一种食物无法达到完整的地中海饮食所带来的效果，”伊齐奥普洛斯说。“不过，每天只需食用几汤匙橄榄油，就能对心血管产生显著的益处。”

It can reduce inflammation.

它可以减轻炎症

Along with its polyphenols, olive oil contains other antioxidants like vitamin E and squalene. These all help to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which can cause cell damage and disease, said Elena M. Yubero-Serrano, a research scientist at the Spanish National Research Council who studies the relationship between food and aging.

除了多酚，橄榄油还含有维生素E和角鲨烯等其他抗氧化剂。西班牙国家研究委员会研究食物与衰老关系的科研人员埃琳娜·尤贝罗-塞拉诺表示，这些成分都有助于减轻炎症和氧化应激，而这两者都会导致细胞损伤和疾病。

Olive oil may also benefit metabolic health by improving blood sugar control and potentially lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes, Dr. Yubero-Serrano said.

尤贝罗-塞拉诺指出，橄榄油还可以改善血糖控制，潜在降低2型糖尿病风险，从而有益于代谢健康。

It’s good for your brain.

它对大脑有益

The healthy fats and antioxidants in olive oil also help protect the brain and reduce the risk of cognitive decline, said Marta Guasch-Ferré, a nutrition researcher and associate professor at the University of Copenhagen.

哥本哈根大学的营养学研究员兼副教授玛塔·瓜施-费雷表示，橄榄油中的健康脂肪和抗氧化剂也有助于保护大脑并降低认知能力下降的风险。

Analyzing the health data of more than 90,000 U.S. adults over 28 years, Dr. Guasch-Ferré and her team found that those who consumed more than half a tablespoon of olive oil per day had a 28 percent lower risk of dying from dementia compared with those who never or rarely consumed olive oil. They also had a significantly lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and cancer.

通过对9万多名美国成年人长达28年的健康数据进行分析，瓜施-费雷博士及其团队发现，与从不或极少食用橄榄油的人相比，每天摄入超过半汤匙橄榄油的人死于失智症的风险要低28%。同时，他们死于心血管疾病、呼吸系统疾病和癌症的风险也显著降低。

Much of this research is observational, so it’s difficult to prove cause and effect for a single food. Still, the findings support replacing sources of saturated fats (like butter, mayonnaise or margarine) with olive oil to stave off premature death, Dr. Guasch-Ferré said.

这些研究大多是观察性的，因此很难证明单一食物的因果关系。尽管如此，瓜施-费雷博士表示，这些研究成果支持用橄榄油替代饱和脂肪来源（如黄油、蛋黄酱或人造黄油），以预防过早死亡。

What’s the healthiest way to enjoy it?

最健康的食用方式是什么？

Olive oil is extracted by crushing olives. Doing this at low temperatures produces the highest quality olive oil (extra-virgin). Refined and blended varieties, including regular olive oil, are at least partially extracted using heat, chemicals or mechanical methods.

橄榄油是通过压榨橄榄制成的，低温压榨可生产出最高品质的橄榄油（特级初榨）。而包括普通橄榄油在内的精炼和混合品种在生产过程中至少部分采用了加热、化学或机械方法。

The more processing, the fewer nutritional benefits, Dr. Yubero-Serrano said. Regular olive oil is a good source of healthy fats. But extra-virgin is the “gold standard” when it comes to nutrition because of its polyphenols and other antioxidants, she said.

尤贝罗-塞拉诺表示，加工步骤越多，营养价值就越低。普通橄榄油是健康脂肪的良好来源。但她指出，就营养价值而言，由于其富含多酚和其他抗氧化剂，特级初榨橄榄油才是“黄金标准”。

Olive oil can get a bad rap because it’s high in calories — about 120 per tablespoon. But if you eat it in moderation, and in place of less healthy sources of fat like butter, it’s unlikely to sabotage your health goals. For most people, one to four tablespoons per day is a good target for health and longevity, experts say.

橄榄油常因热量较高（每汤匙约120卡路里）而受诟病。但若适量食用，并用来代替黄油等不太健康的脂肪来源，它就不太可能破坏健康目标。专家表示，对大多数人来说，为了健康和长寿，每天一到四汤匙是一个很好的目标。

With that, here are some recipes from NYT Cooking.

《纽约时报》烹饪频道食谱推荐

1. House Dressing

1. 招牌沙拉酱

Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.

This mustard-shallot vinaigrette, rich and fruity with olive oil, gets its smooth balance from the addition of warm water.