HOW MUCH OLIVE OIL TO DRINK FOR GOOD HEALTH?

How Much Olive Oil to Drink for Good Health?

Last Updated: Aug 16, 2013 | By Heather Hitchcock

Olive oil has recently become a popular alternative to unhealthy saturated fats for its heart-healthy benefits. 

Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. Replacing unhealthy saturated fats in your diet with olive oil can promote good health.

Evidence

Limited scientific evidence suggests that eating about 2 tbsp., or 23 g, of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated fat in olive oil, according the Food and Drug Administration. 

Health benefits are achieved by replacing unhealthy saturated fats such as lard, butter, margarine and other animal fats or trans fats with olive oil. A serving size of olive oil is 1 tbsp. and contains 120 calories, 13.5 g of total fat and about 10 g of monounsaturated fat.

Types

Monounsaturated fats are essential in providing the body with essential nutrients for developing and maintaining cellular function. 

Although all types of olive oil contain monounsaturated fat, extra-virgin and virgin olive oils are the least processed forms and contain the highest levels of polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant that also can promote heart health.

Considerations

Although consuming olive oil can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, too much olive oil can contribute to unwanted weight gain. Fat in general contains more calories per gram than carbohydrates or protein sources, regardless of whether it is healthy monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats or unhealthy saturated or trans fats. 

Consume between 20 and 35 percent of your total daily caloric intake from healthy fat sources, advises the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, that would be between 44 and 78 g of fat a day.