Gavin and Stacey star enjoys one superfood snack that's linked to 'better heart health'
Alison Steadman has shed light on a small snack she 'looks forward to' in the evenings - and it's been linked to some game-changing heart health benefits. The 78-year-old, who's known for playing Pam Shipman in BBC's Gavin and Stacey, previously said she simply can't have a drink without a bowl of these fruits at hand.
"I do enjoy a gin and tonic in the evening," she told The Guardian in 2022. "I look forward to that, and olives. My boys send me up rotten about the olives."
Albeit a tasty snack, olives have also been dubbed a 'superfood' and are linked with a number of surprising health perks. This includes a potentially slashed risk of heart disease, as outlined by the Autonomous University of Barcelona, which recently published a peer-reviewed study on the subject.
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Within this, scientists analysed several previous studies to better understand how specific plants can be used in the treatment of cardiovascular issues. They predominantly focused on staples in a classic Mediterranean diet, examining their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and vasodilatory properties.
Interestingly, they found that olives, garlic, saffron, rosemary and grapes were among the foods that may hold 'active components' beneficial for heart health. These results come at a time when heart and circulatory diseases give rise to more than 170,000 deaths a year in the UK - or one every three minutes - according to the British Heart Foundation.
Another 2022 report also found that consuming just seven grams of olive oil per day was associated with a lower risk of dying by cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Scientists even found that replacing 10 grams per day of 'margarine, butter, mayonnaise and dairy fat with the equivalent amount of olive oil' was linked with a lower risk of death from any cause as well.
However, it's clear that more research is needed on the topic - especially in regards to what's nicknamed the 'matrix effect'. This refers to the way in which different foods interact with each other when consumed, potentially boosting or diminishing individual benefits.
According to the Mirror, scientists at the Autonomous University of Barcelona explained: "Crafting an optimal diet plan with specific consumption limits and effective food combinations remains a complex task, as this review underscores.
"Key knowledge gaps persist, particularly regarding the long-term safety of these bioactive compounds, the potential for synergistic effects within the Mediterranean diet, and the need for standardised clinical protocols."
