Olive Oil Nutrition

Olive oil is what’s known as a “superfood”: a nutritional powerhouse, a food that’s packed with health benefits, filled with nutrients and antioxidants. It’s the high density of antioxidants in olive that’s one of the key nutritional benefits of olive oil, and the secret is in the simplicity of this ingredient. Olive oil is made with just the juice of the fresh olives, pressed and centrifuged until the oil is extracted. There are no chemicals involved.

Olive oil contains lots of healthy fats, and it’s particularly high in monounsaturated fats, which is linked to reducing the risk of many diseases, like cancer and type II diabetes. The Mediterranean style diet, which is linked to the healthiest and most long-lived populations in the world, is rich in these fats, with olive oil, nuts, seeds and fat-rich seafood being the main diet staples.

So while we're speaking of diets, what about dieting? Many people wonder about olive oil calories and whether olive oil is fattening. The calories in extra virgin olive oil are about 884 calories per 100 grams. Although this seems like a lot, it actually doesn’t add significantly to our daily caloric intake – olive oil is consumed in such small quantities that it doesn’t really lead to weight gain.

Extra virgin olive oil is also loaded with vitamins E and K. Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) is a powerful antioxidant, while Vitamin K is thought to ward off osteoporosis by helping increase bone mass and also helpful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s.

Olive oil is rich in oleocanthal, a phytonutrient that reduces inflammation, similar to the effect ibuprofen has on the body. Inflammation is one of the most damaging processes for the body, which is why olive oil is such a great weapon for anti aging.

Bottom Line:

A good extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest foods you can add to your diet!