Diet Blog

Olive oil is an important part of the Mediterranean style diet that is proven to be very beneficial to one’s health. In fact, in the last century, olive oil has been proven to be a very helpful tool in weight management too.

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids that help in promoting good heart health. It decreases the amount of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol that is found in the body, without reducing the amount of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol in the body. It is these monounsaturated fatty acids that help in the prevention of cancer, inflammation and helps in controlling diabetes and weight loss.

As olive oil has monounsaturated fats, replacing this fat for other fats helps in weight loss, without needing to implement too much of food restriction or physical activity in your daily routine. Of course, if some physical activity is incorporated in your daily routine, then it proves to be an added benefit to you as you will definitely lose weight faster.

Researches have proven that people who substituted saturated fat with olive oil tend to eat less food. This in turn helps you to either maintain or lose weight. It has also been confirmed that monounsaturated fat helps in the breakdown of fat that is found stored in the human body. Olive oil is basically a good source of vitamin E, polyphenolic compounds and carotenoids. There are no other nutrients that are found in olive oil; that is, there is no protein, fiber or carbohydrates found in olive oil. It is the phytochemicals that are found in olive oil that provides the needed health benefits to the human body.

When using olive oil, it is better to use it uncooked in its dishes, or at low to medium temperatures. If you do have to heat olive oil, remember to never heat it till it smokes. This is due to the fact that oil that is smoked is considered damaged oil, and is no longer good for your health. It is better to use olive oil as a dressing for salad, cooked vegetables or pasta. It can also be used as a marinade or for dipping your bread in.

It is better using olive oil in potatoes, bread and vegetables instead of butter. This makes it a healthier option for you and helps you in your weight loss program. As you keep using olive oil in place of all other fatty oils, you find that you can maintain your routine of weight loss, and thus a good routine of healthy eating. Pretty soon you will be losing much more weight than you had anticipated, while having a monounsaturated fat like olive oil in your daily diet.