Healthy Living

Is Drinking Olive Oil Healthy ?

Drinking olive oil is common practice in the Mediterranean region and the practice is not without reason. Generally, it is sprinkled on salad and pasta, but drinking it everyday has its share of positive health benefits, particularly due to the oil’s anti-inflammatory properties. More than adding it as a complementary ingredient in a meal, some people claim it aids good health when drunk plain. An article by Healthline sheds some light on the topic. 

The positive aspects are:

Instead of avoiding fats completely, the dietary guidelines suggest getting 20 to 35 percent of the daily calories from fat. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are necessary healthy fats. Olive oil is considered to have ample healthy fats in its content, and consuming the oil daily can help delay the onset of heart trouble.

Consuming 4 ml of olive oil per day helps relieve constipation and softened stools according to a particular study. It can be compared to mineral oil that has the same effect.

Olive oil also reduces inflammation thanks to the presence of several compounds, oleocanthal especially. It’s effect is equivalent to that of other pain medication. Other common benefits include the stabilization of blood sugar and enhancement of bone density.

The negative impacts are:

You can unexpectedly gain weight from drinking 15 ml of olive oil and studies have proven that olive if consumed in huge amounts can lead to weight gain despite having the required healthy fats. There is no dispute over the fact that increasing calorie intake leads to weight gain. However healthy the ingredient is, moderation is still key.

Olive pollen is some rare cases is considered to be an allergen and could be the reason why some people develop dermatitis.

Though some people prefer consuming olive oil straight from the glass, there are others who believe that consuming it along with tomatoes increases the ability of antioxidants in tomatoes to be absorbed by the body. 

Research supports the usage of olive oil being good for health when mixed with food and not consumed by itelf, for that preference is based on anecdotal evidence only and needs further investigation. As a precautionary method, it should be consumed in small quantities.

Olive Oil A picture shows a sample of olive oil from the Buonamici Farm nestles in the hills of Fiesole, just outside Florence, Tuscany, on December 2, 2014. Olive oil is an effective home remedy to treat dry skin. Tiziana Fabi/AFP/Getty Images

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