Home DietsHealthy food Does olive oil make you fat?

Does olive oil make you fat?

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

We frequently hear myths about foods that should be avoided in order not to gain weight, or that they should even be completely excluded from our diet. Although some foods have a higher amount of fatty acids, these can be considered of quality and be beneficial and even essential for the proper functioning of the body. This is the case of olive oil, a very healthy and beneficial product for health, as long as it is consumed in moderation. As we already did in the article Do nuts make you fat? On this occasion we clarify the doubt of whether olive oil makes you fat , informing you about the recommended daily amount.

Food and health

The obesity has become one of the biggest health problems in which food and good living habits play a very important role. For a few years, it seems that people are more aware of the importance of carrying out a healthy and balanced diet , and trying to educate the little ones to acquire good eating habits. It is precisely in this context where the question arises as to whether olive oil makes you fat, and whether or not it is really harmful to health.

Well, olive oil has very positive health effects when it is consumed in moderation through our diet. It is important that it is a quality olive oil, so we should consume virgin olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, or organic olive oil. Below we will explain the differences between the different types of oils.

Types of olive oil

For olive oil to be positive for our health, we must consume it in a moderate way and we must ensure that it is a quality olive oil. For this, it is advisable to learn to differentiate the different types of olive oil:

  • Extra virgin olive oil : it is the oil considered to be of the highest quality, preserving all its sensory characteristics and its beneficial properties for health.
  • Virgin olive oil : it is also considered of quality, with the difference that it may present some minimal sensory defect.
  • Olive oil : it is a lower quality oil made by mixing different refined oils and virgin oils. A portion of this mixture is made by adding virgin olive oil with acidity greater than 2%. Despite this, it cannot be sold with an acidity level greater than 1%.
  • Olive pomace oil : it is the lowest quality oil and cannot be considered olive oil since it is obtained by mixing refined pomace oil and virgin olive oil. It is suitable for consumption and its acidity cannot exceed 1%.

Health benefits of olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality, and its moderate consumption can provide benefits for our health. This product contains monounsaturated fats and oleic acid, whose properties reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Some of the health benefits of olive oil are:

  • Help you lose weight . Olive oil is part of the Mediterranean diet, and it is a good way to lose weight because it allows you to feel full and its healthy fats stimulate weight loss. In this article we explain how to carry out a Mediterranean diet to lose weight .
  • Strengthen the immune system . The immune system is in charge of fighting free radicals in the body, which in excessive amounts can be harmful. This oil is rich in antioxidants that allow them to be eliminated and to keep the defenses in good condition, in charge of fighting viruses and bacteria.
  • Control cholesterol . The monounsaturated fats present in olive oil increase the levels of good cholesterol and facilitate the reduction of bad cholesterol, thus preventing cardiovascular diseases.
  • Control hypertension . Moderate consumption of olive oil helps reduce blood and systolic pressure.
  • Diabetes . The healthy fats present in olive oil regulate blood sugar levels, as well as insulin production. In this way, you can reduce the cases of type 2 diabetes .

What is the recommended daily amount?

As we have mentioned earlier in this article, the important thing about olive oil to be beneficial for health is its quality and moderate consumption. Thus, the recommended daily consumption of olive oil to achieve the positive and non-harmful effects is 50 grams . This is an approximate amount of 3 tablespoons of olive oil a day .

Does olive oil make you fat?

Everything we eat is fattening, with the difference that some products have a higher caloric level, as well as a higher amount of unhealthy fats. Therefore, it is necessary to consume the appropriate amount of olive oil, eat a healthy and balanced diet and exercise, without the need for high intensity activities.
Thus, in the event that a person consumes a higher daily amount of olive oil, does not get used to eating a healthy diet, and does not get used to exercising, they will have a greater chance of gaining weight and suffering from some types of diseases. A good way to have a balanced diet is taking into account the food pyramid , which indicates the food groups that we must incorporate, as well as their quantity.

The organic oil

According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, in 2012 a total of 443 million liters of olive oil was consumed in Spain. This total is made up taking into account organic oil, virgin olive oil, extra virgin olive oil and the rest of olive oil. Despite the fact that the amount of organic oil is the lowest in relation to the other oils, it is the consumption that has increased the most in relation to the others. This indicates a greater awareness of consumers of the importance of consuming quality oil so that it has positive effects, as well as the consumption of organic products that are responsible with the environment.

Organic olive oil is a good way to acquire a healthy olive oil, made using techniques that ensure its quality, without the use of pesticides. In addition, it allows to be sustainable with the environment. These are some of the advantages that organic olive oil offers :

  • 100% natural . The process by which organic oil is made removes it from external elements, turning it into a product that preserves its initial composition. It is made solely from olives, so it preserves all the qualities of said fruit.
  • Authentic taste . Its flavor is intense and aromatic, since it preserves all the properties of the olive. In addition, its harvesting is carried out at the ideal time and its grinding is carried out the same day to preserve all its qualities.
  • Respectful with the environment . The procedures carried out to obtain olive oil use natural resources, dispensing with chemical components, reducing the environmental impact.

Now it is up to you to decide what diet to eat, what type of olive oil to consume, how much and how much physical exercise to do.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Does olive oil make you fat? We recommend that you enter our Food category .

You may also like

Leave a Comment