Is olive oil making you fat? Nutritionists doubt Mediterranean diet hype
There’s a slippery truth at the heart of the Mediterranean diet.
Often touted as liquid gold, olive oil is a foundational ingredient of the Mediterranean diet, which has been named the No. 1 best diet overall for seven years in a row. Packed with “good” fats and nutrients, food researchers have long touted the myriad health benefits of olive oil.
But experts now warn that the hype surrounding the condiment may have led some dieters to derail their efforts by over-estimating olive oil’s weight loss benefits — and putting on additional pounds in doing so.
A client of New York-based dietician Michelle Routhenstein would consume an entire cup of olive oil every day because he believed it was “exceptionally healthy,” but Routhenstein argued it had a negative effect.
“This extreme behavior not only hindered his weight loss efforts but also adversely affected his cholesterol levels, as such high volumes of olive oil can be high in saturated fat, counteracting its purported benefits,” she told the Daily Mail.
However, the general consensus is that olive oil is relatively good for you, especially when it comes to cooking.
“In terms of risk/benefit and cost, using extra virgin olive oil is very low risk, low cost, and most likely beneficial for most people in the context of positively impacting inflammatory and [heart disease] risk markers,” registered dietitian Kathleen Lopez told the Daily Mail.
One study found that adding more olive oil to your diet may decrease your risk of dying from dementia.
“Our study reinforces dietary guidelines recommending vegetable oils such as olive oil and suggests that these recommendations not only support heart health but potentially brain health, as well,” Anne-Julie Tessier, a dietician and postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in a media release.
Research suggests that regularly using olive oil in your diet rather than animal or processed fats tends to have an overall healthier diet.
“Some antioxidant compounds in olive oil can cross the blood-brain barrier, potentially having a direct effect on the brain,” Tessier said. “It is also possible that olive oil has an indirect effect on brain health by benefiting cardiovascular health.”
Other studies have shown that more than half a tablespoon of the oil can lower the risk of dying from cancer, neurodegenerative disease and respiratory disease.
Adding more olive oil into your diet can mean using it as a base for cooking or as an ingredient in foods like dips or salads.
One serving size of olive oil is one tablespoon and 119 calories — and Routhenstein warned that due to the amount of calories, trouble can come when you overdo it.
“Excessive consumption of olive oil without portion control can lead to an imbalance in energy intake, potentially contributing to positive energy balance and subsequent weight gain or difficulty in achieving weight loss goals,” she clarified.
Part of the reason overconsumption of olive oil is a worry among dietitians is the influx of social media trends praised by influencers and celebrities, including Kourtney Kardashian, Beyoncé, Gwyneth Paltrow Jennifer Lopez, Goldie Hawn — the list seems never-ending.
Rich in unsaturated fats, people are consuming olive oil by sipping a spoonful, drizzling it on ice cream or pouring it into coffee.
Influencers are topping their traditional vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of olive oil in one of the latest food trends sweeping social media.
But the creation didn’t originate on TikTok. Users were shocked to learn that the ice cream dish is an Italian staple, otherwise known as gelato con olio e sale.
In New York City, gelato con olio can be found at L’Industrie Pizzeria in Williamsburg or at a walk-up window in Soho belonging to Softside, which offers vanilla soft serve drenched in olive oil and honey.
Meanwhile, Starbucks began serving their olive oil-infused Oleato beverages — beverages infused with Partanna extra virgin olive oil — nationwide earlier this year.
