Health Benefits of Olive Oil

Anyone who has been on a diet knows that to lose weight,  you need to burn more calories than you consume. Though there are a variety of diets out there that promise results, many health professionals would agree that a low-calorie combined with exercise is a reliable way to shed pounds.

So then why do they tell us to eat olive oil? By reading the nutrition label, one might think that olive oil should be used sparingly – it’s high in calories and fat. The good, news, however, is that if you’re watching your weight, you don’t need to pass on the heart-healthy antioxidant source in order to keep your waist from expanding.

With approximately 120 calories per and 14 grams of fat per tablespoon, the classic pantry staple is said to help prevent cancer and certain heart diseases.  Though all types of olive oil provide monounsaturated fat (many of us know it as the “good fat” that is linked with health benefits), it’s important to know that not all olive oil is created equal.

Extra Virgin is the highest quality olive oil on the shelf. It’s produced from the first pressing of whole olives, which producers typically do within a day of harvest. Since it’s made from the freshest olives, it has the sharpest taste and a light color and flavor. It’s perfect for dressing salads, marinating meats or poultry or drizzling atop a pan of vegetables prior to roasting.

Light olive oil refers not to its caloric content – it is similar to that of extra-virgin – but to the oil’s color and taste. Light olive oil is common in cooking and baking (I’ve even used olive oil in pancakes and they turned out well). For stove top cooks, there are better choices for cooking at a high temperature, such as grapeseed or peanut oil, as  the sediment naturally found in certain olive oils (including light olive oil and extra-virgin olive oil) can make them more likely to burn or smoke.