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Virgin olive oil, which contains more antioxidants than more refined olive oil, offers better protection against heart disease, reports a new study. Virgin olive oil is made from the first pressing of olives and contains higher levels of a class of antioxidants known as polyphenols than more refined olive oils that come from later pressings.

Researchers say these polyphenols may provide another way to reduce the risk of heart disease in addition to the heart-healthy benefits attributed to the monounsaturated fatty acids found in olive oil. Recent studies have suggested that the major bulk of olive oil’s heart-healthy benefits comes from monounsaturated fatty acids (good fatty acids), but now researchers say polyphenols may also contribute to those benefits and further reduce the risk of heart disease.

In the study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers report that about one tablespoon of virgin olive oil increased the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol). It also increased the level of substances in the body that prevent the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol).

Oxidation of this type of cholesterol is linked to the formation of clots in blood vessels, which could lead to a heart attack or stroke.