Using more olive oil in your meals is an easy task.
Olive oil is a staple flavor of Mediterranean cuisines including Greek, Italian and Catalan. Olive oil can be used in cooking, baking, to dress salads or simply as a dip for a chunk of crusty bread. Olive oil is not only one of the most flavorful oils available for cooking, but it is one of the healthiest. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Flavor
One benefit of olive oil is the distinct flavor it adds to foods. It can be used in lieu of other oils in pasta, rice and salad sauces and dressing to add a bolder taste. Bake or grill chicken or pork in spiced olive oil, or drizzle over vegetables for grilling or baking. Replace the butter on garlic bread with a spoonful of olive oil to achieve a richer Mediterranean taste.
Heart Health
Olive oil contains about 75 percent monounsaturated fat, while butter, canola, vegetable, corn, safflower and soy oil are primarily composed of saturated fats. Saturated fats are largely responsible for the buildup of cholesterol and high blood pressure. Olive oil helps prevent the risk of heart attack and stroke when consumed in place of other oils, according to Science Daily. When olive oil replaces high-fat meats, butter and other cooking oils, blood cholesterol levels drop.
Cancer
Consuming monounsaturated oil rather than polyunsaturated oils lessens the risk of colon cancer development, according to Karen Collins, R.D., MSNBC. Monounsaturated oil does not produce the same amount of cancer-promoting bile acid in the digestive track as its counterpart does. The oil also contains a number of plant compounds that are rich in antioxidants that help fight against destructive free radicals.
Disease Prevention
By helping to reduce cholesterol and lower blood pressure, substituting olive oil for other vegetable oils may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Studies link higher levels of cholesterol to increased risk of the onset of Alzheimer's disease, according to Allison B. Reiss, M.D. Though there is a suspected a link, studies and tests yet remain to link the two concretely.
Versatility
The oil can be used in cakes, breads, cookies, piecrusts, on top of cheese, drizzled on toast or over rice. Olive oil can be a substitute for butter in many instances.
Tags: Alzheimer disease, blood pressure, other oils