If we were to list all the benefits of olive oil, it would take a whole novel, and then another.
Right at the center of the Mediterranean diet, which had been endorsed by many a nutritionist, is olive oil.
Olive oil is a special ingredient in cosmetic products, it has long been used in skin and hair products. It is also good for the heart and even better for gut health. But did you know that olive oil can also help you lose weight? Especially the extra virgin olive oil that has been cold-pressed.
Below are surprising ways olive oil can help you lose weight.
How Olive Oil Helps Weight Loss
1. It is unrefined and unprocessed
Extra virgin olive oil that has been cold-pressed does not go through any refining or extra processing. This means it has all the nutrients that the olives themselves have.
The process of refining and processing oil adds extra chemicals and free radicals that are detrimental to your weight loss.
2. It is rich in monounsaturated fats
Olive oil has much higher levels of monounsaturated fats (MUFA), the most being oleic acid. Monounsaturated fats are much stable and take a longer time to break down.
Multiple studies have found that a diet high in MUFA is effective for weight loss. One study found that a high-MUFA diet was just as effective as a low-fat diet.
Yet another study concluded that a high-MUFA diet led to faster weight-loss than a high-carb diet.
3. Reduces blood sugar
In one study, researchers found that participants who took olive oil registered almost a 34% reduction in blood sugar. Low blood sugar not only results in less weight gain, but it also keeps diabetes away.
4. Reduces insulin resistance
There are enough good things insulin does to our bodies, especially when it is at moderate levels. If it is high, that is when things go wrong. Insulin and weight gain go hand in hand because it oversees the conversion of sugar into fat.
When there is too much sugar in the body, cells may not respond to insulin, a phenomenon often referred to as insulin resistance. Thankfully, olive oil reverses insulin resistance, thus reducing the chances of accumulating excess fat.
5. Makes food retain nutrients better
Imagine cooking healthy foods, only for the nutrients to get lost in the process of cooking simply because you used the wrong oil. That is what other oils are capable of. Olive oil, on the other hand, could never do that. This is all thanks to the antioxidants present in olive oil.
This study came to that conclusion when broccoli was cooked in sunflower, regular and extra virgin olive oil. The levels of key nutrients were lowest in the sunflower-cooked broccoli, and highest in the broccoli cooked in the extra virgin oil.
6. Induces feelings of satiety
Using extra virgin oil in your cooking will help you feel fuller faster, thus reducing the likelihood of overeating. You’ll enjoy this benefit because of oleic acid, a type of fatty acid that is found in large concentrations in olive oil.
A study conducted in 2008 found a link between oleic acid and a lipid receptor that played a key role in inducing satiety and limiting the amount of food you take at one go.
7. Speeds up metabolism
On top of all the other benefits of olive oil, turns out it also speeds up metabolism, going by this study.
The last thing you want if you are trying to cut weight is slow metabolism, but just a teaspoon of olive oil every other day will do the trick for you.
8. Aids digestion
If you have been consistently plagued by constipation, it is time to introduce olive oil in your diet. Not only will it relieve it, but it will help in your overall digestion and transit of food through your gut.
Remember, the better the digestion, the better the metabolism, and the opposite is of course true.
9. Fat absorption
When you cook in a majority of vegetable oils, the food ends up absorbing the oils. Olive, being mostly unsaturated prevents this, leading to much healthier cooking.
10. Secretes serotonin and promotes sleep
Serotonin is one of those feel-good hormones that relax you and assure you of a good night sleep. Don’t even get us started on the things that can go wrong with your weight if you do not get enough sleep.
The longer you stay up, the higher the chances of eating after dinner or waking up so hungry you will want to eat anything in sight. Cooking with olive oil will not only keep you full through the night but will also send you straight to bed.
11. Rich in antioxidants
Olive oil is so rich in antioxidants, especially of a variety known as polyphenols. Polyphenols were found in this study to be capable of promoting weight loss by lowering calorie intake and hastening fat breakdown.
If you want a few inches off your waists, olive oil might just be the way to go! It also helps you absorb more antioxidants from other foods.
12. Has Anti-inflammatory properties
All thanks to its antioxidants, olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties. It is also rich in Omega-3 which improves insulin resistance, keeps the bad cholesterol at bay while increasing the good cholesterol. It also prevents heart diseases this way.
Final Word
Even though olive oil helps weight loss in so many ways, it is remarkably high in calories. Therefore, make sure you don’t use too much. It does have a unique taste that you will love in any food but do not let this be a reason to get carried away and take too much of it.
If you are keeping a strict eye on your calorie count, ensure you compliment olive oil with foods that are relatively lower in calories so as not to surpass your limits.
Yet another thing, supplement your olive-oil infused diet with exercise to lose weight faster. Lastly, choose extra virgin olive oil over regular oil.
If you prefer to exercise from home, you must take advantage of these stunningly simple fat-burning workouts that transform your body in15 minutes.
[related_posts_by_tax posts_per_page="4"]
