Max Lugavere on extra-virgin olive oil: recommends

Max Lugavere recommends moderate use of extra-virgin olive oil as the primary cooking oil for brain health. In his 2026 Missouri Medicine paper, he cites meta-analyses of 30 randomized controlled trials showing improved endothelial function, and one large cohort study in which about half a tablespoon of olive oil daily was associated with 28% lower dementia-related mortality.

Lugavere’s reasoning, as stated in the paper, is that olive oil’s monounsaturated fats and polyphenols support vascular and cognitive health as part of a nutrient-dense, minimally processed dietary pattern. He frames the recommendation as “food-first” clinical nutrition for cognitive longevity.

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