Olive Oil

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I cooked exclusively with olive oil. I worked at cleaning up my eliminating rice, flour sugar, junk food and increased vegetables and fruit. I dropped 15 pounds and then cam to a screeching hault. I could not figure out why and then I eliminated the olive oil and started loosing weight again.

What can I use to cook with in lieu of olive oil? My food tasted better fried in olive oil but I know now there are calories in olive oil despite the fact that it is good for my heart.

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Replies

  • mommazach
    mommazach Posts: 384 Member
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    I use coconut oil, or... I use broth. Depends on what I am cooking of course, but the amount of calories is very insignificant to me. Once I hit a block, my Dr. suggested eliminating dairy. That was currently 12 lbs ago.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I cook with oil sometimes, but if I don't want to use the calories I will "saute" in a bit of water or broth or use a brief blast of cooking spray.
  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
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    Spray oil <<<<
    or water, cook til water evaporates and add more if needed
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Congrats on your loss. How long were you losing and how long were you "at a screeching halt"?
    You you can use any oil or butter or margarine. Small amounts of olive oil do not stop you from losing weight.
    Perhaps there are other factors involved, like TOM, NORMAL fluctuations, exercise, other aspects of your consumption, etc.
    Consider cooking methods other than frying, like baking, grilling, steaming. Consider using herbs and spices to flavor your food.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    I still use a gram of olive oil from a spray can and stir fry my vegetables and meat in it. One gram of olive oil isn't going to hurt. You fry in oil. That much oil of any kind in your food can be so many calories as to sabotage your eating plan. Either learn other ways of cooking or learn how to account for the added oil in the food you prefer.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
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    I use butter for all my pan frying, which we do a lot as we like our meat better that way.
  • Wiseandcurious
    Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
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    Isn't the fat content and hence the calories similar in all oils which would make substitution pointless for weight loss - or am I just showing my ignorance of different oils here... I generally fry or cook with sunflower oil or butter, and use olive oil as a condiment.
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
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    Depending on the temperatures I'm cooking at, determines which oils I will use. For high temp cooking I use peanut oil. For medium to low temps either olive oil, coconut oil, or grapeseed oil.
  • 12Sarah2015
    12Sarah2015 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    Don't fry foods
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    I only use olive oil for salad dressing. I cook with palm oil, lard, bacon drippings, or coconut oil (higher smoke points). Fats, regardless of source, all have a similar amount of calories per gram, so if you are watching calories it's just a matter of using less and measuring out how much you use.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    Calories are not bad for you, you need them to live. Just like everything else, you just need to balance the amounts. Measure your olive oil and incorporate it into your calories. Cutting out foods is overly restrictive and unnecessary.

    This. I'm not adverse to using the sprays like Pam...But I don't usually cook in olive oil...the smoke point is too low. I use it in dressings and cold stuff. I use good old vegetable oil or for stir fry, peanut oil. They have the same amount of calories.

    Cooking things in water is a big NO to me unless you are boiling or steaming. I feel like it makes your food blander than it has to be.

    Yes, i could not imagine cooking steak or a crumbed shnitzel or any meat in water :confounded: I add oil and count and log the calories in it.

  • xvolution
    xvolution Posts: 721 Member
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    Depending on what you're cooking using the olive oil, a decently seasoned wok can help reduce the amount of oil required for a dish by providing a naturally nonstick surface. I've been able to reduce the amount of oil used in stir-fry dishes by a third by using this method.
  • pebble4321
    pebble4321 Posts: 1,132 Member
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    I use a non stick pan and a small amount of oil. That way I get some flavour and crispiness and a bit of healthy fat but it keeps the calories down a bit. One teaspoon of oil (5ml) is only about 40 cals if I remember correctly, so if I'm cooking two meals that's only 20 cals which I can definitely find room for. Or I use butter - again, not a lot but just enough for flavour and to help with browning.
  • Chrismadison100
    Chrismadison100 Posts: 70 Member
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    When I say "fry" I mean saute with olive oil. I use olive oil because I thought it was better for my heart than other types of oil.
  • Chrismadison100
    Chrismadison100 Posts: 70 Member
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    tlflag1620 wrote: »
    I only use olive oil for salad dressing. I cook with palm oil, lard, bacon drippings, or coconut oil (higher smoke points). Fats, regardless of source, all have a similar amount of calories per gram, so if you are watching calories it's just a matter of using less and measuring out how much you use.

    A nutritionist once told me to use olive oil afterwards but not for cooking.
    lorrpb wrote: »
    Congrats on your loss. How long were you losing and how long were you "at a screeching halt"?
    You you can use any oil or butter or margarine. Small amounts of olive oil do not stop you from losing weight.
    Perhaps there are other factors involved, like TOM, NORMAL fluctuations, exercise, other aspects of your consumption, etc.
    Consider cooking methods other than frying, like baking, grilling, steaming. Consider using herbs and spices to flavor your food.

    I was losing for a few weeks and then I hit a plateau for a couple of weeks. I use strictly olive oil because I thought it was best for my heart.
  • Mom2Frankie
    Mom2Frankie Posts: 23 Member
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    I use an olive oil sprayer. You can put any oil it in that is liquid at room temp (so coconut won't work). They are $10-$15 and I use it so much it has paid for itself and I use so much less!