The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that foods containing olive oil can start carrying labels that say they may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Limited evidence
The FDA statement said there is "limited but not conclusive evidence that suggests that consumers may reduce their risk of coronary heart disease if they consume monounsaturated fat from olive oil and olive oil-containing foods in place of foods high in saturated fat."
The agency said its decision on the labels represents a "qualified health claim."
According to the statement, the labels for olive oil or foods containing the oil may state that eating about two tablespoons daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Labels should go on to recommend that to achieve this possible benefit, olive oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.
Reference:
1. healthscout.com
