The following is a reprint from my new blog called "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb":

Paul A.S. Breslin recommends carb-free olive oil to ward off headache

A revolutionary new discovery by a group of scientists reveals yet another healthy benefit of olive oil that will have you reaching for it instead of the pain-relieving drug ibuprofen the next time you have headache pain, according to the September 1 issue of the Nature science journal.

Paul A.S. Breslin from the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania along with several of his fellow chemists from the University of Pennsylvania, The University of the Sciences also located in Philadelphia, and Firmenich Inc., found that olive oil contains a special compound which produces a similar pain-relieving reaction as ibuprofen.

This special compound is called oleocanthal and is found in newly pressed extra-virgin olive oil. Breslin and the other researchers observed a similar stinging feeling in throat that also occurs with ibuprofen, which indicated to them that both of them sharing similar "pharmacological activity."

Breslin noted that he noticed "oleocanthal acting as a natural anti-inflammatory compound that has a potency and profile strikingly similar to that of ibuprofen."

Further tests on several different kinds of olive oils confirmed these findings, including on synthetic versions of olive oil. They concluded that oleocanthal is a major active ingredient found in all olive oil products.

The oleocanthal in olive oil inhibits cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes to block the onset of a headache from occuring, according to the chemists.

While 50 grams of olive oil daily is only equivalent to approximately 10 percent of what a dose of ibuprofen provides, the scientists conclude that there are likely many lasting health benefits of olive oil consumption.

"Our findings raise the possibility that long-term consumption of oleocanthal may help to protect against some diseases by virtue of its ibuprofen-like COX-inhibiting activity," Breslin wrote.

The most important part of this study is the fact that olive oil is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent that works naturally with your body to provide this pain-relieving benefit.

This is outstanding news for those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb. Guess how many carbs are in olive oil? ZERO! None. Zippo. If you haven't already been cooking with this great and healthy oil, then you have been missing out on a tasty way to make your meals that much better. If you are a low-fat dieter, then you can't enjoy the benefits of olive oil. That's too bad! Of course, you could start livin' la vida low-carb like most everyone else enjoying successful weight loss and weight maintenance so you can eat a lot better tasting foods than you ever will on that low-fat diet of yours.

I state it often in my upcoming book and have said it many times at this blog, we have to get over our fear of fat in this country because more and more research is coming out just like this one which concludes that consuming fat is a healthy way to eat. This is undoubtedly the biggest sticking point for people who are considering the low-carb lifestyle. Get over it already people! Fat is necessary and that's that.

Once you get over the fat phobia, the low-carb lifestyle is a breeze. Fat is not the enemy of your weight loss. I didn't lose 180 pounds cutting down my fat one bit. And whatever you do, don't mix low-carb and low-fat together. You'll be miserable and it's just not a pretty sight!

Olive oil, anyone?