Washington, D.C. ? Olive oil has beneficial effects on fats in the bloodstream and anticoagulant effects on the clotting system – two things that lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Now, there is evidence it might help prevent stomach ulcers, too.

A team of researchers at the University Hospital of Valme, in Spain, report that substances in virgin olive oil called polyphenols can kill Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes most peptic ulcers. Chronic infection with H. pylori also increases a person’s risk of developing stomach cancer.

The researchers added bacteria to various mixtures of olive oil and water. Mixtures as dilute as 80 percent water killed eight strains of H. pylori, including three that were resistant to some antibiotics.