There are enough health benefits tied to olive oil that you really don’t need one more reason to make it part of your life.

You can read about eight benefits you can only get from extra virgin olive oil, right here — but there’s just one in the list I want to focus on right now…

According to a study published in the journal Foods, Greek men and women over 70 who exclusively used olive oil in food prep and cooking had higher scores on a scale of successful aging attributes, including particularly good body mass index (BMI) scores.

In other words, less body fat and a healthier weight.

I feel this is important to talk about because I’m constantly reading about the wave of semaglutide weight loss drugs that people are clamoring for. I guess they’re not reading the same reports I’m seeing about the many negative and dangerous side effects these drugs pose.

Could some people swap a dangerous drug for olive oil and enjoy the weight loss they’re looking for?

I believe the answer is yes….

5 reasons to choose olive oil over weight loss drugs

You hear many stories about the health of people living in the Mediterranean. Books have been written about the longevity of people living in this blue zone and others. There’s even a blue zone diet and a popular Netflix series based on the book, travels and experiences of author David Buettner.

I’ve never been to Greece, but I’m a fan of one of its most well-known daughters, Chef Maria Loi, who is considered the official Ambassador of Greek Gastronomy.

I read in an interview that she grew up in a family that took daily doses of olive oil, like most do vitamins. But what really interested me is what she shared about the one time in her life when she stopped the olive oil ritual: “When I stopped, I gained 40 pounds. But I went back to my roots, and the weight just fell off.”

So I began digging… just what are the super slimming secrets of olive oil? Actually, the more apt question may be: Where should I start?

1. A key compound of the Mediterranean diet. Not only is olive oil a staple of the Mediterranean diet — a diet linked to better health and weight loss — its role is well-established as one of the most essential components of the diet. It is the primary fat source and exceptionally nutrient-rich.
2. Boosts metabolism. Thermogenesis is the body’s process of generating heat, primarily by burning calories. Diet-induced thermogenesis happens when you eat certain foods that help your body burn more calories during digestion and throughout the day. A 2-month study found that daily extra virgin olive oil reduces body weight and waist circumference in people with metabolic syndrome. Research by Brown University found that women on an olive oil-rich diet can actually consume hundreds more calories a day and still lose significantly more weight than their counterparts on a traditional low-fat diet.
3. Suppresses appetite. Both Wegovy and Ozempic are synthetic versions of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a hormone made in the gut that influences the satiety centers in the brain. Well, the monounsaturated fats in olive oil regulate appetite through the natural release of GLP-1 and PYY to communicate to the brain that you’re full. The benefit without the drawbacks.
4. Supports insulin levels. European researchers found that two tablespoons of olive oil a day alters cell membranes in a way that can significantly improve blood sugar control. Better blood sugar control reduces fat storage, particularly in the belly. 
5. Slows the digestive process. Slowing the digestive process is one way semaglutide drugs work to help people feel fuller longer. But you may have read how they’ve led to pancreatitis, gastroparesis and bowel obstruction. Olive oil slows the digestive process and triggers the release of natural serotonin — a neurotransmitter associated with fullness — with none of those uncomfortable side effects. Nature’s way is always gentler and better.

Olive oil for a healthy weight and a healthy body

Dietary fat used to be the scapegoat for heart disease, obesity, diabetes, premature aging — you name it. All the bad things got blamed on fat.

But we were just eating the wrong fat. Eating the right fat is one of the best things you can do to stay fit and healthy, lose and maintain weight and avoid disease.

If you’ve been eating the standard American diet, which is substantially higher in fat (and not the good ones), you might wonder if olive oil can help you drop the weight and the ill effects of a high-fat diet. Yes, it’s not too late.

A sluggish liver is the result of a high-fat diet. But incorporating olive oil can even turn that around. Hydroxytyrosol, a polyphenol found in extra-virgin olive oil, reversed the effects of poor eating, prevented insulin resistance, reduced the signs of fatty liver disease, as well as negative effects seen in other organs, like the heart and brain.

If you’ve tried olive oil and didn’t like the taste, don’t be discouraged. I found most of them bitter until I made the switch to extra virgin olive oil. Below, there’s an editor’s note where you can learn about my favorite kinds and even receive a special offer to try a bottle.

It could be the beginning of positive changes you’ll see not only on the bathroom scale, but in the health of your entire body.

Editor’s Note: You’re invited to join a tiny handful of Americans who enjoy rare, fresh-pressed olive oil all year long. Take my word for it, there’s a difference in taste, quality and benefit! Try it for $1! Click here to learn more…

Sources:

Olive Oil for Weight Loss: One Chef’s Happy Experience — Yahoo!life

Daily Use of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with High Oleocanthal Concentration Reduced Body Weight, Waist Circumference, Alanine Transaminase, Inflammatory Cytokines and Hepatic Steatosis in Subjects with the Metabolic Syndrome: A 2-Month Intervention Study — Journal Metabolites

The Effects of Diets Enriched in Monounsaturated Oleic Acid on the Management and Prevention of Obesity: a Systematic Review of Human Intervention Studies — Advances in Nutrition