Olive oil is the flagship of the good-fats fleet. In fact, we recommend using olive or canola oil (when you need a neutral-tasting oil) most of the time instead of other oils.Good fats like those in olive oil work miracles for your blood sugar — and your health in general.
- Unlike butter, these unsaturated fats don't increase insulin resistance and may even help reverse it, helping your body steady its blood sugar.
- Olive oil also "spikeproofs" your meals by slowing digestion so carbs take longer to break down into blood sugar.
- Simply tossing your salad with olive oil and vinegar will help blunt the blood sugar impact of whatever else you're eating.
One recent Australian study found that when six men were given either olive oil, water or a mixture of water and oil before a high-carb meal, it took almost three times as long for their stomachs to begin emptying — significantly delaying the subsequent rise in blood sugar — when they had the olive oil.
Meals that raise blood sugar quickly result in feeling hungrier before the next meal. Slower rises in blood sugar equal feeling full longer, which in turn equals weight loss!
As for heart health, eating generous amounts of olive oil is one of the main reasons that people who follow the Mediterranean diet have less heart disease and far fewer heart attacks.
The studies
- One study found that when 28 men and women added 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) of extra-virgin olive oil a day to their usual diets for six weeks, they experienced a 12 percent drop in total cholesterol and a 16 percent drop in LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
- Numerous studies over the years have shown that olive oil not only lowers LDL but also raises HDL, the good kind.
- The oil is also rich in antioxidants called phenols, which help protect artery walls from cholesterol buildup.
Health bonus
Olive oil contains an anti-inflammatory component so strong that researchers liken it to aspirin. This may be another reason that people who follow the Mediterranean diet have such low rates of heart disease, which is linked to inflammation. So, by the way, is type 2 diabetes, not to mention other chronic diseases like Alzheimer's.
In contrast, a diet heavy in corn, safflower and sunflower oils can actually promote inflammation in the body, which can damage arteries and lead to heart disease and other health problems. Most doctors recommend avoiding any of these types as your main cooking oil.
Olive oil also contains natural compounds called lignans, which may reduce the risk of cancers of the colon, breast, prostate, pancreas and endometrium.
Perfect portion
One portion is 15 millilitres (one tablespoon). Use olive oil whenever you can in place of other oils, but pour lightly. At 120 calories per 15 millilitres (one tablespoon), those healthy calories could easily turn into unhealthy pounds.
