Olive Oil

fredscamille
fredscamille Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
I've been tracking for a month and am allowed about 1500 calories a day. I'd like to use olive oil more often because it is said to have such great health benefits. BUT it is a lot of calories! Like 100 of my precious 1500 for just a tablespoon.

The ways I'd like to be using olive oil are for example to drizzle over veggies that I'm roasting in the oven, to sauté onions and garlic that I'm using in a recipe, in salad dressing, to cook fish, etc.

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Replies

  • jlahorn
    jlahorn Posts: 377 Member
    Is there a question in there somewhere? I fit air-popped popcorn tossed with olive oil and seasonings into my 1450 calorie budget a couple of times a week. It's just like any other food.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You don't have to use a whole Tbsp. I often roast veggies for my wife and I (85-100 grams of veg each) and I use about 2 tsp when I do that and it's fine...that means between the two of us we're getting about 1 tsp of the oil...around 33 calories...you just have to do math.
  • lunapetu0311
    lunapetu0311 Posts: 96
    I love olive oil especially for it's health benefits and healthy fats...but I only use 1 tsp at a time. 1 tsp is around 33-39 calories. I put 1 tsp on my salad for lunch - then another tsp on my chicken at dinner. If you spread out that 1 TBSP throughout the day, it's not so bad :) I just cut short in other areas to make up for it. :)
  • cardinalsfootball
    cardinalsfootball Posts: 167 Member
    The health benefits are relative to other fats. Doesn't mean you need to add extra of it. Just substitute other vegetable oils especially with olive oil. Hard to use much oil and hit calorie targets though.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    It's pretty easy to burn 100 extra calories, and you can have the health benefits of olive oil and exercise.
  • MichaelForgets
    MichaelForgets Posts: 8 Member
    Of all the fats you could choose in your day, olive oil is probably one of the best.

    http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf980049c

    Everything in moderation, and never cut any food completely out of the picture or you end up with cravings - just adjust the quantity and/or frequency. Just work things into your daily calorie budget to ensure you're getting a healthy sampling of all your nutrients, in an acceptable ratio of macro-nutrients, and you should be good.

    http://www.inspirechangeinyourself.com/2014/03/a-guide-to-get-you-started.html
  • fredscamille
    fredscamille Posts: 6
    Okay thanks to those who pointed out I need to use smaller amount. A tablespoon didn't seem like that much to sauté onions and garlic etc. but I will give a teaspoon a try!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Okay thanks to those who pointed out I need to use smaller amount. A tablespoon didn't seem like that much to sauté onions and garlic etc. but I will give a teaspoon a try!

    Mind you if you're not using a non-stick pan/skillet, more oil is required...but generally with non-stick you don't need that much.

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