Scientists and nutritionists have long touted the cardiovascular benefits of olive oil, which is a primary component of the Mediterranean Diet.

Now, a new study suggests that oleic acid, found in this type of oil, may also help people feel fuller for longer – providing hope for new weight-loss treatments.

A team at the University of California-Irvine conducted a study in which they infused oleic acid into the intestines of mice and monitored the results.

The findings, published in Cell Metabolism, describe how the compound is converted into a lipid hormone known as OEA – a sort of messenger to the brain which signals fullness.

This suggests that oleic acid could potentially be used – in a nutritional supplement or in another form – as a health resource to help control appetite.

“Nutritional and pharmacological strategies aimed at magnifying this lipid-sensing mechanism, such as inhibitors of OEA degradation, might be useful in the treatment of obesity and other eating disorders,” the researchers wrote.

Olive oil is considered a healthy cooking oil because it contains monounsaturated fat, which has been shown to have a positive effect on cholesterol levels.