How to Use Olive Oil to Promote Weight Loss

Olive oil has a long list of associated health benefits. It's well known for reducing cholesterol levels and protecting against heart disease but, surprisingly for a fat, it can also help you lose weight. The Shangri-La Diet and the Mediterranean Diet both rely on the consumption of olive oil as a component of their weight loss plans. Research in the British Journal of Nutrition shows that olive oil can assist with weight loss because it increases fat metabolism--the rate at which we break down body fat. The key is to ensure that olive oil is the main source of fat in the diet, alongside smaller amounts of saturated fat.

Instructions

Replacing Saturated Fat with Olive Oil

1

Choose extra virgin olive oil for maximum health benefits. Use it for cooking and preparing salad dressings instead of butter, mayonnaise or other sources of saturated fat. Dip bread into olive oil instead of spreading it with butter. It is important to use olive oil as a replacement, not as an addition to other fat sources, to lose weight.

2

Drink olive oil between meals. The Shangri-La Diet claims that a tablespoon of olive oil between meals will make you feel fuller and eat less food at mealtimes. The Shangri-La Diet places no other dietary restrictions and only recommends the addition of small quantities of olive oil or sugar water to control the appetite.

3

Follow the Mediterranean diet. Eat a combination of olive oil, fresh fruit, vegetables and oily fish. Also increase the amount of heart-healthy unsaturated fat and essential fatty acids, such as Omega-3 and 6, in your diet. Olive oil is the main source of fat in the Mediterranean diet, which is celebrated for its health benefits as well as its promotion of weight loss.

4

Keep your overall fat consumption moderate. The average man has a recommended daily maximum fat allowance of 95g; 70g is the recommended maximum for women. Even if you get all your fat from olive oil and don't eat any saturated fat, it won't help you lose weight if you stray above these guidelines. Preparing the majority of your food from fresh ingredients helps to keep within these guidelines as you can control the amount of fat you add to your meals.