Olive oil. I do not believe it will make me any healthier?

I add olive oil to foods because it tastes good... it is a staple in my family diet (I am from European descent). I cook with it (low heat), and mostly add it fresh to foods. I average about 100g of fat or so per day.

This content has been removed.

I think its more of a flavor thing for me. I like to cook using some fats, and olive oil is much healthier than say vegetable oil or canola oil. Like last night, I made a knock off stirfry, and I added a little bit of olive oil to the pan before the chicken, then seasoned it with some garlic. Delicious.

Kudos to JGNATCA for her explanation. Every diet needs some healthy fats in it. It's what our body uses to help lubricate joints, process food, etc. The healthier the fat, the better. Olive oil heated past a certain temperature breaks down and loses some of it's healthy qualities. Coconut oil is a great alternative for high heat recipes. What's important is that you listen to your body. The best rule of thumb is the food it is to its natural form, the better. Also I learned a lot when I did some research on the differences between fats - Mono, Poly, Trans. They each affect us differently. When you learn this part you realize just because something has fat doesn't mean it shouldn't be on your list. You are doing a great job!! Your fat intake is less than mine. It's all about learning more about food and what will work for you.

I use rapeseed oil now when cooking rather than olive oil because I saw a tv documentary that explained how oil changes when it's heated and apparently rapeseed oil tolerates a higher temperature. I still use extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil as a salad dressing sometimes though.

Most store bought olive oil has a mix containing vegetable oil which is very bad. Use coconut oil, or macadamia nut oil, which are much healthier.

Oh, and I use unsalted butter in cooking when I want that modified brown, caramelized color that goes so well with steaks and gravies.

My observations are all anecdotal as well. Knock on wood, I've had no problems. It is a known risk factor for those who have had weight loss surgery, to also end up needing gall bladder surgery. Again, just my own observation, but it seems if you don't give the gall bladder enough to do (or too much) the poor thing just gives up.

I like this source for current information on fats because it's constantly being update to reflect the best science: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/types-of-fat/

Our understanding of dietary fats and health is certainly in a state of flux and it's much more complex than just eat-or-don't-eat. The one thing that is clear is that transfats are bad for us. After that, it's trying to keep up with and understand issues related to saturated versus unsaturated, Omega-3 versus Omega-6, etc.

catscats222 wrote: »

I have read and read and read.
Should I add olive oil to my foods?
Will it make me healthier? Lower my total cholesterol? Improve my energy?

There is no magic food that will do these things all by itself. No, simply adding olive oil to your foods will not make you healthier (whatever that means), lower your cholesterol or improve your energy. What matters is your complete diet combined with exercise and an overall healthy lifestyle (getting enough sleep, not smoking, not drinking to excess, etc.).