The health value of a Mediterranean diet is widely known. Fruits, vegetables and fish are main foods in this diet. Extra-virgin olive oil is also a major part of the Mediterranean diet. And new research shows that it may protect the brain from losing its ability to work properly. Researchers at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania say extra-virgin olive oil protects memory and learning ability. Extra-virgin olive oil, also called EVOO, can reduce the formation of poisons in the brain that are signs of Alzheimer's disease. But how does it do it? Researchers say olive oil reduces inflammation in the brain. It also activates a cleaning process. This process is called autophagy. Autophagy is when cells break down waste and poisons found between cells and remove them from the body.