Benefits of Olive Oil

Health benefits of extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil contains more healthy fat (unsaturated) than unhealthy fat (saturated). It’s also higher in antioxidants than other olive oils. 

Zumpano recommends 1 to 4 tablespoons of Olive Oil per day, but notes that the amount that’s healthiest for you depends on a variety of factors that include your age, sex, weight, activity level and overall caloric needs.

Let’s delve deeper into the health benefits of Olive Oil.

Ways to add olive oil into your diet

Here are some ideas for adding olive oil – to replace other types of fats – into your diet so you can reap its benefits: 

• Use it as a salad dressing: Mix together olive oil, balsamic vinegar and mustard for a simple and delicious salad dressing.
• Drizzle it over roasted vegetables: Toss your favorite veggies with a bit of olive oil and roast them in the oven for a healthy side dish.
• Use it for cooking: Olive oil may be used for cooking. The more refined types of olive oil may be heated to a higher temperature than EVOO, though EVOO may be used at lower cooking temperatures. If you want to maintain the integrity of the flavor and quality of the olive oil, use your higher quality EVOO as a finishing oil.