Thanks for the useful reminder that all fats are not created equal. I’ll have to incorporate more olive oil into my diet. My 88-year-old mother-in-law already does and is in the peak of health.
Hi Ellen, This is a thorough and wonderful article I think everyone should read! I'd like to quote from it in an upcoming article I'm writing about eating and cooking in italy, if it's ok with you! Please let me know
This was a great article and a real eye-opener! It challenged common perceptions about dietary fat and weight gain, especially at my age. The insight on different oils and their potential benefits was fascinating! Thanks for sharing.
Very helpful! I've been aspiring to a whole food plant based diet. Both doctors I follow promote no oil, I believe in part b of caloric density. They promote using the whole food instead - blending the avocado for salad dressing rather than using avocado oil. It's nice to know a sprinkle of olive oil here and there is okay.
I think it's worth probing why an umbrella prohibition of no oil and understanding the sources of fats these physicians prioritize as fats are essential as well as co-promoters of making use or absorbing other nutrients like carotenoids. What evidence do they base these prohibitions on? We can see from these trials that extra virgin olive oil supplemented in capsules in the PREDIMED trial or used market available in the Nurses and Health Prof studies promoted cardiovascular health, and the latter trials lower death with dementia rates, lower diabetes, and all-cause mortality. There is concern about the declining quality of "seed oils," but, I don't believe a blanket prohibition is a solution. Choosing cold expeller pressed oils can cut down on impurities.
very helpful. As a veggie and based in the UK I have a lot of olive oil in my diet but the prices have sky rocketed and see more people reach for other oils that may not be as healthy.
I need to plant a few olive trees - we use olive oil or butter - these are our main cooking fats - and yes our whole family is pretty slim but boy is olive oil expensive now. I would love to have a look at one of those backyard oil presses! And yes - we always buy the first press - what they call virgin. Great article - thank you!
I have been to community olive processing cooperatives in Greece and Italy...wouldn't it be nice to have those here?...and the temperate climate for olive trees to thrive
And the space!! I was in California the other day and they had so many olives in the gardens the fruit was falling onto the sidewalk. Such a waste I thought as we crunched through.
Thank you for this interesting piece! I have used extra virgin olive oil once when baking plant based Madelienes. They were wonderfully moreish. I am intrigued by your comments about walnut oil too and am going to look into that.
Thanks, Shell. I use olive oil and canola oil quite a bit in my home baking as I try to avoid animal saturated fat...a less flaky but moist crumb and probably earthier flavor.
I use grape seed oil in my chocolate cake and it does make the crumb lovely and light! You have inspired me, I see an olive oil based baking newsletter in my future! 😀
Fascinating article! by the way, we have two large olive trees in the backyard that we planted for purposes of growing olives. When we tried to process them, it was incredibly difficult. We couldn't get the chemicals that were needed and the salt cure method required more than 6 weeks of changing the salt water every day. Wouldn't it be great if it were easier to do things the way our ancestors did?
So many times I have warned off high fat olive oil, and I have ignored it. I use only extra virgin olive oil, unless I am cooking Asian dishes and then it's peanut oil. I have used coconut oil for Sri Lankan recipes because that's what they use, but I'm not really a fan. Then again I suspect the coconut oil I can get here in the UK isn't the same as 'right from the coconut' oil in Sri Lanka.
It's always wonderful to have science-backed reasons to indulge in a food I already love! Inspired by your article, we made your Greek bruschetta last night - it was delicious and my family thanks you!
Thanks for the useful reminder that all fats are not created equal. I’ll have to incorporate more olive oil into my diet. My 88-year-old mother-in-law already does and is in the peak of health.
Proof is in the m-i-L...may she have 120 years!
Hi Ellen, This is a thorough and wonderful article I think everyone should read! I'd like to quote from it in an upcoming article I'm writing about eating and cooking in italy, if it's ok with you! Please let me know
I'm so glad to hear...and, of course, you are welcome to quote (perhaps I might preview so we represent the science )
definitely! won’t be immediately. Thank you, Ellen
This was a great article and a real eye-opener! It challenged common perceptions about dietary fat and weight gain, especially at my age. The insight on different oils and their potential benefits was fascinating! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Jill. Extra virgin olive oil can be useful for roasting and baking as an every day oil.
So helpful! Thank you for sharing this Ellen. I always learn something new from you!
So glad you found this helpful, Valerie!
Very helpful! I've been aspiring to a whole food plant based diet. Both doctors I follow promote no oil, I believe in part b of caloric density. They promote using the whole food instead - blending the avocado for salad dressing rather than using avocado oil. It's nice to know a sprinkle of olive oil here and there is okay.
I think it's worth probing why an umbrella prohibition of no oil and understanding the sources of fats these physicians prioritize as fats are essential as well as co-promoters of making use or absorbing other nutrients like carotenoids. What evidence do they base these prohibitions on? We can see from these trials that extra virgin olive oil supplemented in capsules in the PREDIMED trial or used market available in the Nurses and Health Prof studies promoted cardiovascular health, and the latter trials lower death with dementia rates, lower diabetes, and all-cause mortality. There is concern about the declining quality of "seed oils," but, I don't believe a blanket prohibition is a solution. Choosing cold expeller pressed oils can cut down on impurities.
very helpful. As a veggie and based in the UK I have a lot of olive oil in my diet but the prices have sky rocketed and see more people reach for other oils that may not be as healthy.
yes, I heard drought is driving up prices in Spain
I need to plant a few olive trees - we use olive oil or butter - these are our main cooking fats - and yes our whole family is pretty slim but boy is olive oil expensive now. I would love to have a look at one of those backyard oil presses! And yes - we always buy the first press - what they call virgin. Great article - thank you!
I have been to community olive processing cooperatives in Greece and Italy...wouldn't it be nice to have those here?...and the temperate climate for olive trees to thrive
And the space!! I was in California the other day and they had so many olives in the gardens the fruit was falling onto the sidewalk. Such a waste I thought as we crunched through.
Thank you for this interesting piece! I have used extra virgin olive oil once when baking plant based Madelienes. They were wonderfully moreish. I am intrigued by your comments about walnut oil too and am going to look into that.
Thanks, Shell. I use olive oil and canola oil quite a bit in my home baking as I try to avoid animal saturated fat...a less flaky but moist crumb and probably earthier flavor.
I use grape seed oil in my chocolate cake and it does make the crumb lovely and light! You have inspired me, I see an olive oil based baking newsletter in my future! 😀
Perhaps a collab?
Oooh yes! Although I have not done a collab before... I'll pop you a msg 😄
Great 👍 Thank you 🙏
Thanks for reading, Ibrahim! Hopefully, I've left you with something you can use.
Fascinating article! by the way, we have two large olive trees in the backyard that we planted for purposes of growing olives. When we tried to process them, it was incredibly difficult. We couldn't get the chemicals that were needed and the salt cure method required more than 6 weeks of changing the salt water every day. Wouldn't it be great if it were easier to do things the way our ancestors did?
So many times I have warned off high fat olive oil, and I have ignored it. I use only extra virgin olive oil, unless I am cooking Asian dishes and then it's peanut oil. I have used coconut oil for Sri Lankan recipes because that's what they use, but I'm not really a fan. Then again I suspect the coconut oil I can get here in the UK isn't the same as 'right from the coconut' oil in Sri Lanka.
I source my oil from a few places; via Crowdfarming ( https://www.crowdfarming.com/en ) I sponsored an olive tree in Spain, and once a year they send me the oil from that harvest. I also buy from Rob and Pam at Olive Olive ( https://www.oliveolive.co.uk/olive-oil ) as their oil comes from their own trees in Cyprus. I signed up to Citizens of Soil tasting club too ( https://www.citizensofsoil.com/products/olive-oil-club ) so every 2 months I get a new variety to try.
I'm far more likely to buy from the source if I can. I've not bought supermarket olive oil for a while now.
So good, so smart: restacked.
So kind, Mary!
It's always wonderful to have science-backed reasons to indulge in a food I already love! Inspired by your article, we made your Greek bruschetta last night - it was delicious and my family thanks you!