Paulo Coelho's favorite 'Bread with olive oil' has immense health benefits: Know more

One of the world's most prolific authors, Paulo Coelho's favorite food is bread with olive oil and salt. It is among the favorite foods the author usually has for breakfast which also includes orange juice, coffee and milk.

In a recent tweet Chef Dan Galhardo shared a picture of a piece of bread dipped in olive oil. "Pão só com Azeite e Sal.

Correto?," he captioned the picture. The tweet caught the attention of an admirer of Paulo Coelho, who replied to the Chef with: "Se não me engano, era uma iguaria muito citada por @paulocoelho no Diário de Um Mago." (If I'm not mistaken, it was a delicacy often cited by @paulocoelho in The Pilgrimage)

"Iguaria que me acompanha até hoje," Paulo Coelho tweeted back. (Delicacy that accompanies me to this day)

So, what is it exactly?
This is a healthy and simple recipe. All you need to do is to toast some good quality and nutrient loaded bread. After the bread is properly toasted, just drizzle a good amount of olive oil and some salt.

This is ideal for breakfast and can be eaten with boiled eggs, a glass of fresh fruit juice or even a cup of black coffee.

What are the health benefits?
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats. This makes the oil one of the healthiest edible oils available. They have no contribution to heart diseases and stroke and are hence suitable for all.

One of the main components of olive oil is oleic acid, which makes up to 73% of the total content of the oil. Oleic acid has anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation is the main cause of several health issues ranging from cancer to arthritis and it has a contributory role in obesity.

Olive oil is also dense in antioxidant nutrients. Oleocanthal antioxidant present in olive oil fights inflammation.

According to a study led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, consumption of olive oil lowers risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurodegenerative disease. The study was published online January 10, 2022 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. “Our findings confirm current dietary recommendations to replace animal fats with plant oils for the prevention of chronic diseases and premature death," Marta Guasch-Ferré, a senior research scientist in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard Chan School said. The study is said to be the first long-term observational study on olive oil intake and mortality in the U.S.