Illustration by Maria Drabkin

Swimming in olive oil might sound like a bad dream, but for Yale students, it’s a reality. Yale students consume over six liters of olive oil a year, far exceeding the U.S. national average of one liter.

Olive oil has become an object of culinary and dietary fascination alongside the increasing popularity of the Mediterranean diet. In addition to its breadth as a cooking ingredient, olive oil boasts a robust nutrient label; it’s dense with healthy fats, vitamins and antioxidants. While it has dozens of, if not more, proven health benefits, can there be such a thing as too much olive oil?

To Tassos Kyriakides, an assistant professor of biostatistics at the School of Public Health and an olive oil sommelier, the concept of too much olive oil simply does not exist.

“I would say I go through two to three liters a month,” Kyriakides told the News. “I’m sort of in the [range of ] 24 to 28 liters a year.”

Health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

Kyriakides was born in Cyprus. He noted that, since their domestication 6,000 to 8,000 years ago, olive trees have been symbolically entwined with the history of the Mediterranean region. Nowadays, olive oil has found its place in Western cuisine as a bread condiment, salad dressing, frying liquid and, notably, as the primary source of fat in the Mediterranean diet.

While he spends most of his days researching infectious diseases or reviewing statistics for major journals like the Lancet, Kyriakides devotes much of his time and energy to olive oil. He even became a certified Olive Oil Sommelier at the International Culinary Center and the Olive Oil Education Lab in New York. 

Kyriakides believes olive oil is a net benefit due to its healthy contributions to one’s diet — numerous studies have found correlations between olive oil consumption and positive health outcomes that go beyond cardiovascular impacts.

Consuming extra virgin olive oil improved cognitive function in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease. Squalene, a compound found in olive oil, blocks UV rays and holds potential applications in cosmetics and skin cancer prevention.

The polyphenols, or antioxidants, found in olive oil are also thought to be beneficial in counteracting the effect of free radicals. Free radicals are byproducts of normal cell metabolism, but an imbalance caused by smoking or pollution results in cell damage.

In a note posted on Yale Hospitality’s website, James Benson, director of culinary excellence, wrote that the Mediterranean diet influence is found in many of Yale Hospitality’s recipes.

“I think about diet as a way for my patients to lower their risk, which means lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, lowering inflammation,” John Dinkler, a cardiologist and the associate head of Timothy Dwight College. “The Mediterranean diet tends to be richer in olive oil. In broader studies, we know that people [who] have more olive oil tend to have better cholesterol profiles, blood pressure.”

At his clinic, Dinkler said he often treats cases of coronary atherosclerosis or coronary artery disease. The disease occurs when blood vessel walls accumulate a mixture of fats, cholesterol and inflammatory cells known as plaque. As plaque builds up, the artery can narrow, blocking blood flow completely and leading to a clot or, in severe cases, a heart attack. 

While what initiates the body’s inflammatory response can’t be pinpointed to a single cause, common factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and high cholesterol levels. 

However, not all cholesterols are to be avoided. High-density lipoproteins  — HDLs — are considered “good” cholesterol, while low-density lipoproteins — LDLs — are considered “bad.” Olive oil and other fats associated with the Mediterranean diet — fish, walnuts, avocados — raise HDLs and decrease LDLs, lowering the risk of atherosclerosis and improving longevity.

“This is good news that Yale students are consuming so much more olive oil compared to the national average in the U.S.A.,” Catherine Itsiopoulos, professor of nutrition and dietetics at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, said. “There is really no concern with excessive intake.”

The average olive oil consumption in Greece, which holds the title for highest consumption in the world, is three to four times higher than that of Yale students, Itsiopoulos said.

Which olive oil?

Itsiopoulos researches the imcact of the Mediterranean diet on chronic disease prevention and management. In one of her studies, she sought to determine whether the grading distinction of olive oil would correlate with its health benefits.

Olive oil is graded by the International Olive Council as extra virgin, virgin, olive oil and lampante according to defects, impurities and taste profile.

“A classic defect is rancidity, which often smells like crayons,” Kyriakides said. “Extra virgin has zero of those and has to have positive attributes. So, a panel is tasting it and saying, ‘This tastes like fresh olives’ or ‘It has a peppery taste.’ Extra virgin has to have all that, the chemical things, as well as the taste profile and organoleptic assessment by a panel.”

Itsiopoulos conducted a systematic review of the literature over the last two decades and concluded that compared with other fats and oils, extra virgin olive oil is “superior in the management of hypertension, or lowering of blood pressure, lowering ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, improving blood glucose control in diabetes, and managing weight.” 

Itsiopoulos and her colleagues believe extra virgin olive oil’s health benefits are likely due to its polyphenols, which provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, rather than the monounsaturated fat it contains — debunking a popular misconception. Extra virgin olive oil performed better and produced more benefits than standard olive oil, which has a similar fat content.

According to Kyriakides, the university’s 14 dining halls offer varied and healthy selections for students.

“Yale has an amazing sort of selection and use of olive oil,” Kyriakides told the News. “I mean, it’s unbelievable. It’s one of those things that students don’t realize — the sort of privilege … exposure to these things that you would not find anywhere.”

Olive oil at Yale — beyond dining halls

Eager to promote its nutritional benefits, Kyriakides secured a grant from the MacMillan Center in 2006 to put together a series of panel discussions on the Mediterranean diet, emphasizing food as a way of life rather than just a source of calories.

Speakers at the panel included molecular scientists experimenting with olive oil’s chemical properties, healthcare providers on preventative nutrition and chefs exploring the history behind their ingredients.

Then, in 2018, with an olive oil sommelier certification under his belt, Kyriakides and School of Public Health colleague Vasilis Vasiliou gathered connections within the olive oil community to hold the first Yale International Symposium on Olive Oil.

Since its inaugural launch in New Haven, the Olive Oil Symposium has been held in various locations including Greece, Spain and Portugal, and is set to be in Crete this December. 

Kyriakides plans to host the Oleoteca, a popular, standing-room-only oil olive-tasting event, in the Well at the Schwarzmann Center in November. He curates a layout of extra virgin olive oils, inviting his participants to take in the full flavor profile and aroma of each, and asks them to scout the defective sample.

The chemical makeup of olive oil is primarily composed of triacylglycerols, which are made up of fatty acids.