Characterization and Mechanistic Insights Into the Antioxidant and Anti-Aging Components of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Lipids are an indispensable dietary component, and the intake of different types of dietary lipids may exert varying effects on human health. In this study, the main fatty acid composition, polyphenol, carotenoid, tocopherol, and squalene content were quantified in lard oil (LO), peanut oil (PO), and three extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) varieties (Biancolilla, Valanolia, and Arbequina). Furthermore, the antioxidant and anti-aging effects of these oils were evaluated using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model. The results showed that oleic acid was the most dominant fatty acid in EVOOs. Compared with LO and PO, EVOOs were also rich in squalene, β-carotene, lutein, α-tocopherol, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and other polyphenols. In addition, EVOOs, especially Valanolia EVOO, exhibited significant antioxidant effects in vitro and in vivo, which was mainly attributed to its high content of active ingredients, including luteolin, p-coumaric acid, oleuropein, apigenin, vanillic aldehyde, squalene, lutein, α-tocopherol, and oleic acid. More importantly, EVOOs, especially Biancolilla EVOO, effectively delayed the aging process of C. elegans, and high levels of squalene, apigenin, lutein, α-tocopherol, and oleic acid played key roles in this effect. These components were also correlated with its antioxidant activity, suggesting that EVOO likely exerted its anti-aging effects through alleviating oxidative stress. Overall, this study clarified the antioxidant and anti-aging effects of EVOO and identified its key functional components, providing a scientific basis for its use as a healthy dietary lipid.