Should I give up olive oil?

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itssera
itssera Posts: 22
in Food and Nutrition
I know olive oil is "good fat" & I love to use it as dressing for steamed veggie salads or on steamed broccoli. But often even one tablespoon of olive oil has more calories than all the veggies I'm eating combined. Should I replace it with something else? Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks!

Replies

  • tilos1
    tilos1 Posts: 6
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    No, you shouldn't. The New England Journal of Medicine reported on big clinical trial in Spain that showed the Mediterranean diet, supplemented with either more olive oil or extra nuts, cut the incidence of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease by 30 percent. There are numerous other studies that show health benefits of olive oil. You shouldn't cut foods that have major health benefits. It's not a license to eat as much olive oil as you like, but what you are describing sounds very reasonable.

    If I were looking for something to cut, I would go for bread and starches.
  • fishlover888
    fishlover888 Posts: 132
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    No

    Cutting different food groups just leads to imbalances in your diet. Eat all things in moderation.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    I use half the serving size of olive oil (so it's 60 instead of 120 calories).
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    NO, don't give up on it. So what if it's more calories than the salad? LOL Even if you do low-carb days, on those days you're supposed to eat more calories in fats than carbs for satiety and health. And furthermore, salad/greens calories don't even (really) count because they're so insubstantial.

    ETA: I really don't count salad calories personally.
  • hakudoshi82
    hakudoshi82 Posts: 29
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    I use half the serving size of olive oil (so it's 60 instead of 120 calories).

    This. And add a little lemon. If you're really trying to cut a few calories.

    But over all olive oil is great for you and should not be cut out.
  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
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    Do not give up Olive Oil

    From Mayo Clinic web page

    The main type of fat found in all kinds of olive oil is monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). MUFAs are actually considered a healthy dietary fat. If your diet emphasizes unsaturated fats, such as MUFAs and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), instead of saturated fats and trans fats, you may gain certain health benefits.

    MUFAs and PUFAs may help lower your risk of heart disease by improving related risk factors. For instance, MUFAs may lower your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. MUFAs may also help normalize blood clotting. And some research shows that MUFAs may also benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control, which can be especially helpful if you have type 2 diabetes.

    But even healthier fats like olive oil are high in calories, so use them only in moderation. Choose MUFA-rich foods such as olive oil instead of other fatty foods — particularly butter and stick margarine — not in addition to them. And remember that you can't make unhealthy foods healthier simply by adding olive oil to them.

    Also, be aware that heat, light and air can affect the taste of olive oil and possibly its health-promoting nutrients. Store olive oil in a dark, room-temperature cupboard, or even in the refrigerator. The fats and healthy phytonutrients in olive oil — as well as the taste — can slowly degrade over time, so it's probably best to use it within a year or within six months once opened.
  • kelbwjax
    kelbwjax Posts: 89 Member
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    I know olive oil is "good fat" & I love to use it as dressing for steamed veggie salads or on steamed broccoli. But often even one tablespoon of olive oil has more calories than all the veggies I'm eating combined. Should I replace it with something else? Do you have any suggestions?

    Thanks!

    No!! Its beneficial in so many ways, keep it!
  • itssera
    itssera Posts: 22
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    Thanks everyone for the thorough answers! I'm sticking to olive oil then :)

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