Olive oil has been a dietary staple for centuries because of its clean taste, but only recently have scientists begun to discover the role it plays in a healthy diet. Many cultures with high rates of olive oil use also have low rates of heart disease, and the oil itself plays a role in that. Research into weight loss and obesity is ongoing and ever-evolving, but there is some evidence that shows that olive oil may indeed be beneficial to a weight loss program.
Dietary Fats
Even if you're trying to lose weight, you still need to eat fat. Fats help your body absorb certain vitamins, and because fat has nine calories per gram as opposed to the four calories in protein and carbohydrates, it allows your body to get more energy from foods. The problem occurs when you eat more fat than your body needs and it becomes stored as fat. Saturated fats, which are solid at room temperature, can clog your arteries and contribute to heart disease, but healthy mono- and poly-unsaturated fats can actually counteract that and work to keep your heart healthy.
Benefits of Olive Oil
Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat with several heart-healthy properties. It can lower your levels of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, and it contains antioxidants called phytonutrients that also work towards heart health. Olive oil is not just empty fat -- it also contains vitamins called carotenoids and vitamin E, which also play a role in heart health. Extra virgin olive oil is the purest, most unprocessed form, and therefore contains a higher concentration of beneficial compounds than processed olive oil. The real benefit to dieters is that besides keeping your heart healthy, the strong, rich taste of olive oil means that you get greater flavor while using less oil, which translates into a lower fat and calorie consumption.
Alternatives
If you don't like the taste of olive oil, most other plant oils have similar properties, and healthy fats are also found in nuts, seeds and cold-water fish. A 2008 study in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that dieters who used medium-chain triaglycerol oils lost more fat than those who used olive oil, but MCTs are very bland and are usually used as food additives -- they are not the type of oil you would want to sprinkle on your salad.
Substitution is Key
Olive oil is not the cure for obesity, but it is a valuable tool in your quest for a healthier lifestyle. Substitution is the key, however -- simply adding olive oil to your diet will only make you gain weight because your fat and calorie consumption would rise. If, on the other hand, you began using olive oil instead of butter, the change would benefit both your heart and your waistline. A study done at Miriam Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island in 2010 found that women who followed a diet that used olive oil lost more weight than women who did not, and were more likely to stick to the diet because it was easier and they felt more satiated. Mayo Clinic nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky adds that a mere 2 tbsp. per day is enough to reap the benefits of olive oil.
References
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Carbohydrates, Fats and Satiety
- ThirdAge.com: Olive Oil: A Weight-Loss Blessing
- EurekAlert: Olive Oil Enriched Diet Helps Breast Cancer Survivors Lose More Weight
- MayoClinic.com: Olive oil: What Are the Health Benefits?
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Weight-Loss Diet that Includes Consumption of Medium-Chain Triaglycerol Oil Leads to a Greater Rate of Weight and Fat Mass Loss Than Does Olive Oil
Member Comments