Extra virgin olive oil has an abundance of oleocanthal, a compound which has been shown to provide a heart health benefit. Research lead by David Foster at Hunter College (NewYork) observed oleocanthal-induced cell death among all cancer cells, even within a half hour of treatment. The team found the lysosome, which is essentially the cell’s recycling center and digests the unwanted material into substances that the cell can utilize, would swell then rupture. The study authors admit that utilizing the lysosomal membrane stability is a new approach to inducing cancer-specific cell death. O LeGendre, P A S Breslin & D A Foster. “Oleocanthal rapidly and selectively induces cancer cell death via lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP).”  Molecular & Cellular Oncology, 23 Jan. 2015. http://tinyurl.com/nx8wovw