Is olive oil unhealthy?

Question

The Gemara in Brachot 35b says that the proper bracha on pure olive oil is "Borei Peri HaEtz". However, it says that this refers to when you mixed the oil with some אניגרון which Prof Marcus Jastrow translates as garum. It says that if you do not mix the oil with אניגרון then you say no bracha because the pure olive oil is מזיק (unhealthy or damaging to your body).

How does this gemara stand in terms of modern science? Is pure olive oil unhealthy? Does adding אניגרון help? If not, do any poskim consider that the Halacha may have changed and pure olive oil once again gets the bracha of Borei Peri HaEtz?

Answer 1

Definitely not unhealthy. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are considered to be "a healthy dietary fat." As such, consuming this kind of fat is healthier than consuming saturated and trans fats. In addition,

Monounsaturated fatty acids, [such as olive oil], may help lower your risk of heart disease by improving related risk factors. For instance, monounsaturated fatty acids may lower your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated fatty acids may also help normalize blood clotting. And some research shows that monounsaturated fatty acidss may also benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control, which can be especially helpful if you have type 2 diabetes.

But even healthier fats like olive oil are high in calories, so use them only in moderation. (Source: Mayo Clinic)

Also,

Olive oil contains a wide variety of valuable antioxidants that are not found in other oils. Hydroxytyrosol is thought to be the main antioxidant compound in olives, and believed to play a significant role in the many health benefits attributed to olive oil. Epidemiological studies suggest that olive oil has a protective effect against certain malignant tumours in the breast, prostate, endometrium and digestive tract. (Source: Wikipedia)

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This question is related to the general questions of "Science and Medicine in the Talmud," and "Scientific and Technological advances in Halacha." I don't have a specific answer for this issue.

Answer 2

Here's what I understand from the Gemara:

Drinking oil alone doesn't get a bracha since it's mazik- it's like having a stand-alone butter, but a little better for you.

Drinking oil through anigron, the oil doesn't get a bracha because it's tafel to the anigron- think butter on bread. You wouldn't have the oil because it's mazik. It's there to enhance the anigron.

There is one case where one makes a bracha on oil: If someone drinks a lot of oil for health (ie his throat bothers him). Although normally this alone would not get a bracha, since here he gets benefit from the anigron and the anigron cannot be said to be primary in this case, the anigron flavor enhances the oil and becomes "a good tasting oil" and gets the bracha of haetz.

Strange, but I think it makes sense.