Most adherents of proper nutrition try to exclude fats from their diet. However, some of them are not only necessary for the body, but also help to lose weight. These include olive oil. In this article we will talk about the benefits of this product and the secrets of its use in Greece and Sicily. We will also tell you how to take olive oil for weight loss. What “doses” of consumption lead to weight gain.
Some scientists call olive oil the “elixir” of longevity and slimness. Today we will tell you how to choose the right product for weight loss. How to store it so that it does not go rancid and lose its beneficial properties. Is it possible to consume olive oil while on a diet? How to use honey and lemon in combination with healthy fat?
How much should you use?
As you know, this is not a dietary product at all - in 100 ml. contains almost 900 kcal. Therefore, its abundance in the diet can lead to the opposite effect. In order not to gain weight, but to lose weight, you should adhere to the following dosages:
- If you need to lose less than 10 kg, drink 1.5 tbsp daily. l. product;
- If you want to get rid of 10-20 kg, then the daily “dose” is 3 tbsp. l.;
- When losing more than 20 kg. use 3.5 tbsp. l.
How to take it correctly
There are several ways you can use this product for weight loss. Of course, the simplest is considered to be 1 tbsp. l. product before bed. This helps start metabolism and reduces bad cholesterol levels.
Most experts note that you should drink olive oil for weight loss 15-20 minutes before your morning meal. It is recommended to adhere to the dosage - 1-2 tsp.
Taking olive oil on an empty stomach is effective for weight loss.
An example menu for losing weight by 10 kg. in 3 months
Breakfast | 200 g non-starchy vegetables with chicken breast. |
In 2 hours | Drink 1 tbsp. l. olive oil. |
Dinner | Vegetable soup without frying, 200 g of vegetable salad, omelet. |
In 2 hours | Take 1 more tbsp. l. oils |
2-3 hours before dinner | Drink another tbsp. l. healthy fat. |
Dinner | fish fillet baked in foil with aromatic herbs, 200 g vegetables. |
You can also eat porridge in the morning - 2-3 times a week. Be sure to include corn in your diet, because it does not contain fat.
If you need to lose more than 20 kg, we still recommend sticking to the third option. The fact is that scientists have proven that consuming more than 5 tbsp. l. olive oil per day is dangerous to health. A healthy product in excessive quantities can become the “culprit” for the development of colon cancer, impair blood clotting and lower blood sugar levels.
Contraindications
Unfortunately, it is not possible to use olive oil for weight loss in all cases. Choose another gentle method if you suffer from kidney or bladder stones. Do not forget about individual intolerance to the drug.
You should also not use olive oil if you have stomach upsets. But for constipation, this product is very useful. Experts confirm that people who drink vegetable oil daily have regular bowel movements.
Contraindications to the use of olive oil
Olive oil is a storehouse of useful components and vitamins, but it also has certain contraindications. They are associated primarily with its use on an empty stomach. Adding it to salads or other dishes is practically not accompanied by any contraindications.
You should not consume olive oil on an empty stomach if you have the following diseases:
- Stomach upsets;
- Diseases of the liver and gall bladder;
- Diarrhea;
- Gastritis, peptic ulcer;
- Acute and inflammatory diseases of the stomach.
In all other cases, olive oil will have an extremely positive effect on the body, saturating it with useful substances. In order not to provoke side effects and disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system, it is necessary to choose the right olive oil, studying the entire composition of the product. Also, dosed consumption daily on an empty stomach or at night plays an important role. Overdoses can cause a significant worsening of the situation.
Healthy drinks
You can diversify your diet with a variety of drinks that contain healthy fat.
Recipe with citrus
- lemon;
- a glass of purified water at room temperature;
- 1 tsp. olive oil.
Add the juice of half a lemon and the main ingredient to a glass of water. This weight loss drink should be taken daily (on an empty stomach).
If you cannot drink citrus juice on an empty stomach for weight loss, then it is recommended to take a mixture of 2 tbsp at night. l. olive oil and 1 tsp. lemon juice.
Recipe with ginger
- 0.5 tsp olive oil;
- honey - 1 tsp;
- 0.5 tbsp. l. chopped ginger.
Mix all ingredients. Consume the mixture daily before your first meal. If you suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, it is recommended to take the mixture 30-60 minutes after breakfast.
Detox recipe for effective weight loss
- 240 ml. freshly squeezed apple juice;
- garlic clove;
- 1 tbsp. l. olive oil;
- 2 cm ginger root - optional;
- 120 ml. purified water.
Beat the mixture in a blender, add water and stir. Drink the fat-burning “cocktail” twice a day - morning and evening.
Recipe with juice
- ½ tbsp. grape juice;
- 2 tsp. fat
Boil grape juice, pour in fat, beat with a blender. Consume this “cocktail” daily until your weight normalizes.
Recipe for active weight loss
- 1 tbsp. l. oils;
- 0.5 tbsp. l. balsamic vinegar.
Pour this mixture into a cup of water and drink it daily. It can also be used to season vegetable salads.
You can replace balsamic vinegar with regular apple cider vinegar, but the product tends to interact with food additives and substances contained in medications for treatment.
It is not recommended to take the product before bedtime. You need to drink a portion of the weight loss drink 2 hours before bedtime.
We snack constantly throughout the day. Most of the snacks on our table can hardly be classified as healthy and dietary. To dull the feeling of hunger, it is recommended to drink 1 tbsp before the main meal. l. olive oil. Then immediately drink a spoonful of water with added sugar.
Dish recipes
It is very beneficial to make olive oil a part of your daily diet. You can prepare a delicious dressing based on it. It is suitable for preparing fresh or grilled vegetable salads. The recipe is:
- Pour olive oil into a glass halfway.
- Add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
- Add two chopped cloves of garlic.
- Add a tablespoon of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.
- Mix everything well.
- The prepared dressing can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator, covering the glass with cling film.
You can also use olive oil as a marinade. To do this you need:
- Cut a large onion into half rings.
- Add two tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add salt to taste and knead well with your hands (you can add spices or lemon juice).
- When the mixture releases juice, place a lean fish steak into it and put it in the refrigerator.
- After two hours, steam the fish.
In general, you can replace other types of oils in recipes with olive oil. With a few notes:
- Extra Virgin oil should not be added to dietary baked goods (even if they are based on whole grain flour). The product has too rich a taste and unsuitable properties for this type.
- The daily dose of olive oil should not exceed 50 g (total in all dishes).
To learn how to make salad dressing with olive oil, watch this video:
How to eat to benefit from olive oil
Despite the fact that scientists have proven the effectiveness of using the product for weight loss, you must not forget about important rules.
- Avoid eating sugar-containing foods. The abundance of this product in the diet blocks the work of healthy fats. Replace sweets with healthy dried fruits, and sweet sodas with delicious cocktails based on natural yogurt with the addition of fruits and berries.
- When using olive oil for weight loss, experts advise significantly increasing the amount of non-starchy vegetables you consume (up to 600 g per day). It is they, in combination with lean poultry, rabbit and fish, that should form the basis of your menu.
- Gradually reduce the amount of salt you consume.
- Although the product promotes fat burning, this is not a reason to overeat. Reviews say that if you have a goal to lose weight, the calorie content of your daily diet should not exceed 2000-2500 kcal.
- Avoid eating extra fat.
Contraindications
In some cases, you should refrain from consuming olive oil or take it, following some recommendations. For example, for gastritis, the oil should be washed down with water, and for liver problems, the product should be combined with tomato juice.
Among the main contraindications are:
- individual intolerance;
- cholecystitis;
- diarrhea;
- chronic stomach diseases;
- obesity.
In other cases, it is recommended to consult a specialist before using the product.
Storage Features
Olive oil quickly loses its beneficial properties if stored improperly. To lose weight and stay healthy, you should adhere to the following rules:
- Store the product only in dark glass bottles. Even if you buy olive oil in a plastic bottle to save money, be sure to transfer the fat into the appropriate container.
- Place the bottle only in a dark place (to avoid the product becoming rancid under the influence of ultraviolet rays).
- Although virgin olive oil is not the cheapest product, for weight loss you should only choose a bottle that is labeled "Extra Virgen". This variety has a slightly greenish appearance and a bitter taste.
You should not take the refined product for weight loss. It is only suitable for frying.
How to choose quality oil and store it
Good olive oil should have low acidity, which is determined by its acid number. This is an indicator of the content of free fatty acids in the product, which tend to accumulate over time - the more there are, the lower the quality of the oil.
Another parameter of high-quality oil is the peroxide value, which indicates the amount of fat oxidized under the influence of air. Fat oxidation processes lead to the formation of toxic substances in the human body.
The lower the acidity of olive oil, the better quality it is.
In high-quality oil, the amount of fatty acids should be no more than 1%. These are the characteristics that distinguish Extra Virgin olive oil. This is the most expensive and healthy oil, which is obtained by cold pressing without heat treatment. If possible, you should purchase and use Extra Virgin oil for health purposes. Cheaper varieties sold in our stores are Virgin olive oil, Olive oil, Pure olive oil, Pomace oil (technical oil). They can be used for cooking, for cosmetic and other purposes, but they cannot be compared in their beneficial properties with extra-class oil.
Choose only extra virgin olive oil
As for the countries producing high-quality olive oil, Greece is the most famous in the world, in particular the island of Crete, as well as Italy, Spain and Tunisia. It must be remembered that olive oil cannot be stored for a long time; its shelf life ranges from one to two years. It is better to store the oil in a tightly sealed container in a dark and cool (up to +150C) room, or in the refrigerator.
Improper storage will lead to deterioration in taste and loss of valuable properties of the product. The oil should not be exposed to light or high temperature, meaning the ideal place to store it is in the refrigerator or cellar.
Reviews
When I learned about the benefits of olive oil, I decided to replace sunflower oil with it. At first I dressed salads, and then I found a recipe with lemon and began to use it internally. After a month, I noticed that my skin cleared up and my constipation went away. And most importantly, I lost 2 kilograms without dieting or fitness.
Inga, 26 years old
I learned about the fat-burning properties of oil from my mother. Together with her I decided to take the product 1 tbsp. l. within a month. During this time, I lost 2 kilograms and revised my eating habits.
Ksenia, 33 years old
Now you know whether you can eat olive oil while losing weight, and how to do it correctly. We remind you that not a single miracle cure will work if you lead a sedentary lifestyle and rely on fast food and baked goods.
Contains compounds that may promote weight loss
Many of the benefits of olive oil have been seen in the context of following a Mediterranean diet.
This eating pattern is characterized by a high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, potatoes, legumes, nuts and seeds. Although the diet often includes fish, the main source of fat is olive oil, and the consumption of red meat and sweets is limited (, ,).
Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which have one unsaturated carbon bond in their chemical composition. MUFAs are usually liquid at room temperature.
One long-standing 4-week study found that overweight or obese men who replaced saturated fat with monounsaturated fat in their diets experienced a small but measurable reduction in body weight compared to a diet rich in saturated fat, despite no significant changes in overall fat or calorie intake ().
More recent research confirms that unsaturated fatty acids are likely more beneficial than saturated fats when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight ().
Diets rich in monounsaturated fats have also been shown to prevent weight gain and fat accumulation in animal studies (, ).
In addition, olive oil is a rich source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which have long been studied for their ability to play a role in healthy weight loss and weight maintenance (, ,).
MCTs are triglycerides that contain fatty acids containing 6-12 carbon atoms. They are quickly broken down and absorbed by your liver, where they can be used for energy.
While some studies have found a positive effect of MCT on weight loss, others have found no effect.
However, one study compared MCTs to long-chain triglycerides, finding that MCTs led to greater production of certain appetite-regulating hormones such as peptide YY, which promotes feelings of fullness ().
Other research suggests that MCTs may promote weight loss by increasing the body's burning of calories and fat (,).
Conclusion:
Olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated fatty acids and medium chain triglycerides, which have been shown to be potentially beneficial when included in a weight loss diet.