General research advises 2 tablespoons of olive oil a day to stabilize blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular diseases. But if you also want to lose some weight, nutritionists recommend 3 tablespoons.
See? Just 3 spoons of olive oil can save your life and make you slimmer.
Now, keep in mind that these researches are based on extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
So let’s begin! I will show you the proper way to improve your health and lose weight with 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
What You Need to Know
You might be wondering, is olive oil alone really that magical? Well, it can still keep you healthy. Frankly, for weight loss, olive oil alone won’t do much work.
But wait! Here’s some good news! By adding it to diets and cooking, you can burn more calories.
What that means is, you can make the diets way more effective, lose weight faster, and get healthier.
Mediterranean Diet
Extra virgin olive oil is the star of the Mediterranean diet since it’s the principal source of fat.
Why Mediterranean Diet
So what is the Mediterranean diet?
The main food intake for this diet is olive oil, fish, veggies, fruits, whole grains, beans, seeds, and surprisingly – red wine. But of course, not too much of the wine.
Is this diet valid?
The World Health Organization (WHO) approved that the Mediterranean diet is healthy and sustainable. So don’t worry, it is safe, practical, and not to mention, enjoyable!
But how does olive oil work in this diet?
By maintaining the Mediterranean diet, researches show that olive oil adds long term benefits to the weight loss process within the diet.
Science has also proved that the consumption of olive oil provides satiety. This helps you lose weight by stopping you from overeating.
And if that’s not enough, according to the PREDIMED study, olive oil acted as the key element in the Mediterranean diet to lower the death rates from strokes by 30% among people with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Use Olive Oil The Mediterranean Way
Now, let’s get to how 3 spoons of olive oil can save your life and make you slimmer when added to this diet.
- Replace butter with a tablespoon of olive oil when used with bread. You can spread it on the bread or dip the bread in.
- When cooking, use olive oil instead of other sources of fat.
- Use flavored olive oil as a substitute for salad dressing for your salad.
- Remember to use olive oil when cooking vegetables. Nutritionists highly recommend this because it makes the veggies more nutritious.
Olive Oil All Day
Before I share the daily intake plan with you, you have to note that this plan is only the basis of your process.
You will have to decide the exact amount of food intake that benefits your body the most.
It’s true that 3 spoons of olive oil can save your life and make you slimmer, but you have to combine it with the right diet.
For a day, here are what and how many you should consume:
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil (for cooking or as dressings)
- 2 serves of dairy
- 5-6 serves of starch (use nuts, beans, and/or wholegrains)
- 400g of vegetables
- 200-250g of fruits
- 80g of fish (or lean meat)
The Don’ts
Let me remind you that 3 spoons of olive oil can save your life and make you slimmer. And that’s it, 3 is enough. As much nutritious olive oil is, more is not always better.
Olive oil has high calories, 1 tablespoon equals 120 calories. More than 3 tablespoons of olive oil a day can even make you gain more weight.
I also find that some people drink olive oil. Well, countless researches and studies are showing olive oil brings extra benefits to healthy diets. But there is no evidence supporting drinking olive oil. So I wouldn’t recommend it.
Bring Olive Oil to Your Meal
Since only 3 spoons of olive oil can save your life and make you slimmer, you get limited access to fast foods and those delicious fried foods.
But worry not! I will show you ways to make your meal more enjoyable with just 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Start your morning with a whole wheat sandwich. For fillings, add a thin slice of low-fat cheese, tomato slices, and ½ tablespoon of olive oil.
- You can make a greek salad with mixed salad greens, cherry tomatoes, olives, parsley, and feta cheese. Mix them up with 1 tablespoon of flavored olive oil.
- Ready for some pizza? Brush the top of the dough with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. For the topping, use part-skim mozzarella cheese, carrots, roasted broccoli, and chopped bell pepper and onion.
The Wrap Up
That is all you need to know about how 3 spoons of olive oil can save your life and make you slimmer. I’ve also provided you how to make the most use of olive oil, what not to do, and some tips.
I hope what I shared with you helps to enhance your health and boost your wellbeing. Feel free to leave a comment, I’d love to hear your opinions and stories.
Thank you for reading!