For
many of us, no matter how little we eat or control our diet and how much
exercise we do, as soon as we give a little break with the ‘dieting’ we just go
‘kpoof’, that is, start going fat immediately. While on the other
hand, you have very slim people who can eat thrice the amount of a regular meal
at a ‘seating’ yet will not add the weight you so much dread. m “Life isn’t fair”
you may be tempted to say, but then what else can you do but to keep trying
hard to keep off the extra fat by trying out new techniques or methods and diet
plans that we come across everyday combined with the regular exercises.
On
a daily basis, we hear nearly everything is ‘fattening’ so we tend to avoid
nearly everything that contains any form of oil as we get more and more
confused by the ‘dos and don’ts’ by may healthy eating habits practitioners.
Recently an article written by an MD and a Senior Medical Advisor at Verywell, David L. Katz, was reviewed by a board-certified Physician with the tittle “What Makes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil So Healthy?
The article says, with
headlines like “fat is back” appearing so regularly in the news, it is perhaps
wise to remember that healthy fats, such as the monounsaturated fats in extra
virgin olive oil have never really “been away.” Olive oil has been at the heart
of the traditional Mediterranean diet for thousands of years and evidence is
revealing even more fascinating ways in which it may contribute, as a central
part of a healthy lifestyle, to preventing chronic diseases including heart
disease, some cancers, and even dementia.
Verywell’s Senior Medical Advisor, David L. Katz, MD, spoke to his True
Health Initiative colleague and council member Dr. Simon Poole about his
new book “The Olive Oil Diet," written with Judy Ridgway. The book
explains not only the most recent scientific discoveries on the food which
Homer called “liquid gold,” but also how to choose and use the best extra
virgin olive oils and incorporate them into recipes for every day.
David L.
Katz, MD: Many people might not think of oil as part of a diet, so how do
you explain the title of your book?
Simon
Poole, MD: I use the word
“diet” in its original sense, derived from the Latin “diaeta” which means “way
of life.” Olive oil is a fundamental to the cultures of the Mediterranean
region, part of ancient traditions, including religious ceremonies as well the
ubiquitous fat in the diet for cooking, lubricating and flavoring. We should
think more about our diet as a way to keep healthy rather than simply as a way
to lose weight.
Although high in
calories, olive oil contains good fats which not only promote a feeling of
being full, but also reduce the speed of absorption of carbohydrates and help
the hormone insulin respond to the potentially fattening sugars released from a
meal.
DK: The
subtitle talks of the “secrets of the original superfood”—what do you think
makes olive oil a “superfood”?
SP: I have heard it said, rather
irreverently, that the definition of a superfood is a food with a publicist!
And that may well be the case for exotic berries from the Himalayas or green
algae, for example. That said, if we accept that the word is here to stay, and
that it describes foods with particular nutritional advantages, then extra
virgin olive oil is perhaps the most extensively studied single ingredient
which has clear benefits for health.
DK: What
is the role of olive oil in the Mediterranean diet as a whole?
SP: The most recent US Dietary Guidelines have
recommended we focus on the types of fat we eat, rather than on limiting the
total fats in our diet, and the book takes a look at the whole Mediterranean
diet from the perspective of the part this ubiquitous ingredient plays in the
diet, especially when combined with colorful vegetables, fruits, whole
grains, beans, nuts, fish, herbs, and spices.
DK: What
is the evidence that olive oil, per se, is important in the health benefits of
the traditional Mediterranean diet?
SP: Whilst the evidence of
the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are now well established, it is
more challenging to take a detailed look at individual foods that are part of
the scoring methods researchers use.
However, there
have been notable published papers in particular from a study called the EPIC
(European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study, which is
a collaboration of research in different European countries. A cohort of the
population in Greece demonstrated a significant benefit attributed to the type
of fat in the diet and analysis of the work in Spain reported that the
participants who consumed the most olive oil appeared to have a relative
decrease in death rates of 26 percent.
It is of course
very important to look at diets as a whole, and consider the benefits of, for
example, combining olive oil with vegetables and other important healthy foods.
DK: What
are thoughts on other "healthy" cooking oils? How does olive oil
compare? Do any other oils figure in the Mediterranean diet mix?
SP: Certainly the traditional Mediterranean diet
includes olive oil as the main source of fat. Although we know that other oils
such as canola oil contain monounsaturated fats and other oil manufacturers are
increasing the proportion of healthy unsaturated fats in their products, there
is increasing interest in the role of the many antioxidants found
uniquely in extra virgin olive oil.
Since the evidence
for the benefits of the Mediterranean diet has overwhelmingly been gathered in
populations who use extra virgin olive oil, it seems wise to follow the pattern
of eating practices of this traditional diet.
DK: Are
there any healthy ways in which olive oil combines with other foods?
SP: There is evidence to suggest that olive oil
combines with nitrate compounds in salads and this can lower blood pressure
and protect the good omega-3 oils in fish when fried or baked.
It provides a
protective antioxidant glaze when meat is marinated and cooked in olive oil,
reducing harmful chemicals released at high temperatures, and also an easily
absorbed mixture of healthy fat soluble antioxidants and vitamins is created
when vegetables are cooked together with extra virgin olive oil.
DK: How
important for health are the antioxidant compounds in olive oil?
SP: Antioxidants in foods and their effect on our health
is a really interesting area of research. The European Food Safety Authority
has acknowledged, for example, the importance of antioxidants in extra
virgin olive oil in reducing a process called “oxidative stress” of LDL
cholesterol, one of the key factors thought to occur in the development of
heart disease. The antioxidants in olive oil may, in effect, neutralize some of
the harmful chemistry which can occur in our body and cause disease.
DK: What
are the different types of olive oil and is it safe to use for cooking?
SP: Unless specified as extra virgin, which is
created directly from the juice of the olive in a temperature
regulated process, olive oil may be made by an industrial process of
refining low quality oil in order to make it fit for consumption.
The refining
process destroys many of the antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil
which contribute to its very special health properties. Frying,
roasting, and baking is generally done at temperatures well below the “smoke
point” of a good extra virgin olive oil (200 degrees Celcius) so there is
no need to be concerned about the risk of producing harmful chemicals during
most types of cooking.
This was confirmed
by the large EPIC study which showed that there was no increased risk of heart
disease with the regular use of olive oil in cooking. Levels of some of
the health giving antioxidants in the oil gradually reduce during
prolonged heating, but many remain intact.
DK: Are
all extra virgin oils equally healthy?
SP: Quantities of antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil
can vary considerably, depending on the olive tree variety, how olives are
grown, and how the oil is produced and stored. Over-intensive
farming with too much irrigation and fertilization may increase the amount of
oil produced, but it reduces the “stress” on trees, so they need to produce
less protective antioxidants. It is possible to taste the difference. A healthy
oil, rich in antioxidants, will be peppery and strong in flavor.
DK: Are
there any top tips for how to incorporate healthy extra virgin olive oil into
our diets?
SP: Extra virgin olive oil can be used for all types
of roasting, frying, and baking as well as having a bottle on the table to be
used for drizzling, dipping, and flavoring, just as they do in the
Mediterranean. The Mediterranean Foundation recommends olive oil with every
meal, and certainly it can be used on toast with honey for breakfast and with
baked fruit and nuts as a dessert, and not just confined to dressings or as a
cooking oil.
For
many of us, no matter how little we eat or control our diet and how much
exercise we do, as soon as we give a little break with the ‘dieting’ we just go
‘kpoof’, that is, start going fat immediately. While on the other
hand, you have very slim people who can eat thrice the amount of a regular meal
at a ‘seating’ yet will not add the weight you so much dread. m “Life isn’t fair”
you may be tempted to say, but then what else can you do but to keep trying
hard to keep off the extra fat by trying out new techniques or methods and diet
plans that we come across everyday combined with the regular exercises.
On
a daily basis, we hear nearly everything is ‘fattening’ so we tend to avoid
nearly everything that contains any form of oil as we get more and more
confused by the ‘dos and don’ts’ by may healthy eating habits practitioners.
Recently an article written by an MD and a Senior Medical Advisor at Verywell, David L. Katz, was reviewed by a board-certified Physician with the tittle “What Makes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil So Healthy?
The article says, with
headlines like “fat is back” appearing so regularly in the news, it is perhaps
wise to remember that healthy fats, such as the monounsaturated fats in extra
virgin olive oil have never really “been away.” Olive oil has been at the heart
of the traditional Mediterranean diet for thousands of years and evidence is
revealing even more fascinating ways in which it may contribute, as a central
part of a healthy lifestyle, to preventing chronic diseases including heart
disease, some cancers, and even dementia.
Verywell’s Senior Medical Advisor, David L. Katz, MD, spoke to his True
Health Initiative colleague and council member Dr. Simon Poole about his
new book “The Olive Oil Diet," written with Judy Ridgway. The book
explains not only the most recent scientific discoveries on the food which
Homer called “liquid gold,” but also how to choose and use the best extra
virgin olive oils and incorporate them into recipes for every day.
David L.
Katz, MD: Many people might not think of oil as part of a diet, so how do
you explain the title of your book?
Simon
Poole, MD: I use the word
“diet” in its original sense, derived from the Latin “diaeta” which means “way
of life.” Olive oil is a fundamental to the cultures of the Mediterranean
region, part of ancient traditions, including religious ceremonies as well the
ubiquitous fat in the diet for cooking, lubricating and flavoring. We should
think more about our diet as a way to keep healthy rather than simply as a way
to lose weight.
Although high in
calories, olive oil contains good fats which not only promote a feeling of
being full, but also reduce the speed of absorption of carbohydrates and help
the hormone insulin respond to the potentially fattening sugars released from a
meal.
DK: The
subtitle talks of the “secrets of the original superfood”—what do you think
makes olive oil a “superfood”?
SP: I have heard it said, rather
irreverently, that the definition of a superfood is a food with a publicist!
And that may well be the case for exotic berries from the Himalayas or green
algae, for example. That said, if we accept that the word is here to stay, and
that it describes foods with particular nutritional advantages, then extra
virgin olive oil is perhaps the most extensively studied single ingredient
which has clear benefits for health.
DK: What
is the role of olive oil in the Mediterranean diet as a whole?
SP: The most recent US Dietary Guidelines have
recommended we focus on the types of fat we eat, rather than on limiting the
total fats in our diet, and the book takes a look at the whole Mediterranean
diet from the perspective of the part this ubiquitous ingredient plays in the
diet, especially when combined with colorful vegetables, fruits, whole
grains, beans, nuts, fish, herbs, and spices.
DK: What
is the evidence that olive oil, per se, is important in the health benefits of
the traditional Mediterranean diet?
SP: Whilst the evidence of
the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are now well established, it is
more challenging to take a detailed look at individual foods that are part of
the scoring methods researchers use.
However, there
have been notable published papers in particular from a study called the EPIC
(European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study, which is
a collaboration of research in different European countries. A cohort of the
population in Greece demonstrated a significant benefit attributed to the type
of fat in the diet and analysis of the work in Spain reported that the
participants who consumed the most olive oil appeared to have a relative
decrease in death rates of 26 percent.
It is of course
very important to look at diets as a whole, and consider the benefits of, for
example, combining olive oil with vegetables and other important healthy foods.
DK: What
are thoughts on other "healthy" cooking oils? How does olive oil
compare? Do any other oils figure in the Mediterranean diet mix?
SP: Certainly the traditional Mediterranean diet
includes olive oil as the main source of fat. Although we know that other oils
such as canola oil contain monounsaturated fats and other oil manufacturers are
increasing the proportion of healthy unsaturated fats in their products, there
is increasing interest in the role of the many antioxidants found
uniquely in extra virgin olive oil.
Since the evidence
for the benefits of the Mediterranean diet has overwhelmingly been gathered in
populations who use extra virgin olive oil, it seems wise to follow the pattern
of eating practices of this traditional diet.
DK: Are
there any healthy ways in which olive oil combines with other foods?
SP: There is evidence to suggest that olive oil
combines with nitrate compounds in salads and this can lower blood pressure
and protect the good omega-3 oils in fish when fried or baked.
It provides a
protective antioxidant glaze when meat is marinated and cooked in olive oil,
reducing harmful chemicals released at high temperatures, and also an easily
absorbed mixture of healthy fat soluble antioxidants and vitamins is created
when vegetables are cooked together with extra virgin olive oil.
DK: How
important for health are the antioxidant compounds in olive oil?
SP: Antioxidants in foods and their effect on our health
is a really interesting area of research. The European Food Safety Authority
has acknowledged, for example, the importance of antioxidants in extra
virgin olive oil in reducing a process called “oxidative stress” of LDL
cholesterol, one of the key factors thought to occur in the development of
heart disease. The antioxidants in olive oil may, in effect, neutralize some of
the harmful chemistry which can occur in our body and cause disease.
DK: What
are the different types of olive oil and is it safe to use for cooking?
SP: Unless specified as extra virgin, which is
created directly from the juice of the olive in a temperature
regulated process, olive oil may be made by an industrial process of
refining low quality oil in order to make it fit for consumption.
The refining
process destroys many of the antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil
which contribute to its very special health properties. Frying,
roasting, and baking is generally done at temperatures well below the “smoke
point” of a good extra virgin olive oil (200 degrees Celcius) so there is
no need to be concerned about the risk of producing harmful chemicals during
most types of cooking.
This was confirmed
by the large EPIC study which showed that there was no increased risk of heart
disease with the regular use of olive oil in cooking. Levels of some of
the health giving antioxidants in the oil gradually reduce during
prolonged heating, but many remain intact.
DK: Are
all extra virgin oils equally healthy?
SP: Quantities of antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil
can vary considerably, depending on the olive tree variety, how olives are
grown, and how the oil is produced and stored. Over-intensive
farming with too much irrigation and fertilization may increase the amount of
oil produced, but it reduces the “stress” on trees, so they need to produce
less protective antioxidants. It is possible to taste the difference. A healthy
oil, rich in antioxidants, will be peppery and strong in flavor.
DK: Are
there any top tips for how to incorporate healthy extra virgin olive oil into
our diets?
SP: Extra virgin olive oil can be used for all types
of roasting, frying, and baking as well as having a bottle on the table to be
used for drizzling, dipping, and flavoring, just as they do in the
Mediterranean. The Mediterranean Foundation recommends olive oil with every
meal, and certainly it can be used on toast with honey for breakfast and with
baked fruit and nuts as a dessert, and not just confined to dressings or as a
cooking oil.
