I recently watched a show on TV about Olive Oil.
They said that Olive Oil is very healthy as long as you don't heat it up to much.
Is this true. I use Olive Oil more for cooking than anything else. Anyone heard anything about that or knows more???
Olive Oil is very good and healthy source of fat.
However, if one tends to cook with it, one needs to be careful; it is very calorie dense, will absorb into food, and become a source of hidden calories that "could" become a source of "unaccounted calories".
And, if one is on (for example) a -500 calorie deficit, this calorie deficit "can be" be wiped out rather quickly with a few tablespoons used in cooking (as an example) during the day.
Sometimes the little things we do in our diets are the "silent calorie killers".
We all need a very good fat source in our diet (it plays some key biological functions within us), just be careful with "some" of them, because of their calorie density.
If you are concerned about your calories, a good type of oil to use in cooking is a "Fat-Spray." Fat-sprays typically provide 1 calorie, per spray/squirt. This compares with 120 calories per tablespoon of regular cooking oil, approximately. IMO, the taste suffers a tad using cooking spray as compared to regular olive oil/veggie oil, but it will control the calorie equation a bit more. Or you could use olive/veggie oil in one of your meals, and a spray in another to provide some calorie control and insert some fat in your diet.
There are some good viable fat sources from food (and supplements), that are less calorie dense, but carry some good source fat (and other nutrition), such as: Fish oil (and oily fish such as Salmon,
mackerel, sardines, tuna, and other types of fish, sea food) and Flax Oil, as a few examples.
Personally, my silent calorie killer is Natural Peanut Butter (another very good fat source). I could eat the stuff all day long, and be happier than Santa Clause
)), but I also know it contains a calorie punch in a mere 2 table spoons (200 calories-approximately). If I have weakness in my diet, it is that my fats tend to be a little high (because of you guessed it, NPB,
). I will put it in with Oatmeal, Whey Protein Chocolate Shakes, Whey Protein/NPB Oatmeal Bars (personal recipe), and etc. But, it assists me in keeping my sanity when leaning out (when not low carbing). So its both a friend a foe (good source of fat but calorie dense), so I am careful with it.
Good luck, and happy holidays,
Chillen