RSS
Home
Olive oil: Not as healthy as you'd like to think
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
.jpg)
Heralded by many and shunned by too few, olive oil has become known as the "healthy oil." While it may be a better choice than other fats, i.e. corn oil and butter, it is not the best fat, nor should it be considered safe to use generously in the diet. Let me explain.
Oils are 100% fat, contributing 9 calories per gram to your caloric intake. Carbohydrates and proteins contribute only 4 calories per gram to your caloric intake. Olive oil is also about 14% saturated fat. Too much! People should strive to consume NO saturated fat, because it damages the artery walls and therefore, is directly linked to heart disease .
Lower cholesterol? Only when substituted for unhealthy fats, such as butter, hydrogenated oils (Crisco), and palm oil, olive oil can lower your cholesterol levels. It is false to say that olive oil lowers your cholesterol level; it just doesn't raise it as much.
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. According to Dr. Dean Ornish, the ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids in our diet should be about 1:1. Omega-3s enhance blood flow in the body, and should be sought out by most people. Omega-6s, when consumed in excess, can increase the chance for heart disease because these elevated levels promote inflammation. Because of the wide use of soybean oil (high in omega-6s) the average Amercian diet varies between 10:1 and 30:1. A recipe for disaster. Olive oil has a ratio of 13:1, and corn oil has a ratio of 46:1. Canola oil has a much improved ratio of 2:1, and better yet, flax seed oil's ratio is 1:3, omega-6s to omega-3s.
.jpg)
Fat damages arteries. Even small amounts of dietary fat, no matter how small, are damaging to the artery walls. Former surgeon and researcher, Dr. Calwell Esselstyn, of the Cleveland Clinic, recommends eating one tablespoon of flax seed (you can sprinkle it over your salad, cereal, or fruit) each day to meet your need for omega-3 fatty acids. In flax seed, not only do you get the omega-3s, you get fiber, lignans (can reduce the risk of cancer by binding to receptors on the cell wall), and a fair amount of protein, and no oil.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
