Olive Oil to Lose Weight

According to Seth Roberts, Ph.D., losing weight may be as simple as drinking a few tablespoons of olive oil daily and holding your nose while you eat. Roberts is the creator of the Shangri-La Diet, which focuses on drinking light olive oil intermittently throughout the day to curb hunger and reduce appetite. If it's OK with your doctor, you can use olive oil to help you lose weight.

History

Roberts a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, created the Shangri-La Diet and published a book, "The Shangri-La Diet: The No Hunger Eat Anything Weight-Loss Plan" in 2006. Roberts came up with the idea for the Shangri-La Diet while traveling in France in 2000 and experiencing a limited appetite. According to Roberts in his book, he may have had less of an appetite because he was drinking flavored soft drinks that were not available in the United States. Because Roberts was tasting blander soda flavors, he suggests that his appetite was reduced.

Significance

According to Roberts, drinking between 1 and 4 tbsp. per day of light olive oil may help curb appetite. By consuming between the 100 and 400 extra calories provided by the olive oil, you will be less likely to binge during meals and will feel less like eating when mealtime comes. Roberts also recommends holding the nose to reduce the taste of salty or other flavorful foods, which may make eating a less pleasurable activity and reduce cravings.

Features

According to EveryDiet.org, the Shangri-La Diet suggests eating fruit as a snack and eating foods with a low glycemic index. Otherwise, there are no eating rules for the diet besides drinking between 1 and 4 tbsp. of olive oil per day. Roberts does not include an exercise regimen in the diet. Therefore, the Shangri-La Diet may be beneficial for people who are unable to lose weight by exercising, because there is no exercise plan included in the diet, notes EveryDiet.org.

Considerations

Although it may be possible to eat bland foods and hold your nose while eating at home, you may feel uncomfortable drinking olive oil and holding your nose in social situations. While eating out, you may feel tempted to eat more flavorful foods, which may cause you to overeat. Additionally, the Shangri-La Diet does not address the psychological reasons why you may be overeating.

Expert Insight

According to the American Heart Association in the article "Quick-Weight-Loss or Fad Diets," the Shangri-La Diet may be considered a fad diet because it involves eating only bland foods and does not encourage any physical activity. The AHA notes that the best diet plan is one that you can maintain while eating a variety of healthy foods and is combined with a regular exercise routine. UCLA medical professor Dr. John Ford has criticized the Shangri-La diet because it lacks scientific evidence and has not been subject to any clinical studies.