Why I Eat the Olives
Whether or not to include oil, or to instead rely primarily on whole food sources of plant fat, is a hotly debated topic in health circles. First, I feel the need to clarify that olive oil is absolutely a health food. It is excellent for heart health, it helps to lower cholesterol, and it has recently been shown to inhibit the formation of amyloid plaques common in Alzheimer’s. Olive oil can absolutely be a healthy addition to a whole food, plant-predominant diet. www.europepmc.org/article/MED/33979140
Why then, would I opt to use other sources of plant fat, such as avocado, olives, nuts, and seeds, instead of automatically reaching for olive oil? I personally choose to reduce my oil consumption, especially when making dressings and sauces, for two primary reasons - weight maintenance and nutrient density.
Oil is the most calorically dense food on the planet, so if you are looking for weight loss or weight maintenance, removing oil is an easy way to lower the caloric density of your food. Without oil, you can eat a greater volume of food for equivalent or even fewer calories, leading to increased fullness and meal satisfaction while supporting weight loss efforts. Personally, I’d rather eat a large bowl of whole plant foods, rather than a tablespoon or two of oil.
If you need a refresher on calorie density, please see my post: www.thewell-nourishedbrain.com/blog/calorie-density
Moreover, very few of a food’s innate vitamins and minerals are preserved when it is processed into oil, particularly when compared to the whole plant food from which it was derived. There is no fiber, reduced phytonutrients, and it is pure fat. While we need plant fat for optimal absorption of fat soluble vitamins and for brain health, I prefer to get my fat from foods like avocados, olives, nuts, and seeds, which also contain abundant vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Take olives vs. olive oil, for example. Both are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been linked to reduced risk of heart disease and improved cognitive health. However, olive oil is virtually 100% fat, while whole olives are only about 20% fat. As a result, a serving of olive oil (1 tablespoon) contains 120 calories while a serving of olives (about 10 medium) has only 40.
Here is a nutritional comparison of 100 grams of olives vs. 100 grams of olive oil:
Olives are an excellent source of calcium and they have 87 times more calcium than olive oil. Olives have 88mg of calcium per 100 grams and olive oil has 1mg of calcium.
Olives are an excellent source of iron and have 10 times more iron than olive oil. Olives have 6.3mg of iron per 100 grams and olive oil has 0.56mg of iron.
Olives have significantly more dietary fiber than olive oil. Olives have 1.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and olive oil does not contain fiber.
Olives have significantly fewer calories than olive oil. Olive oil has 662% more calories than olives. Olives have 116 calories per 100 grams and olive oil has 884 calories.
Olives have more protein than olive oil. Olives have 0.84g of protein per 100 grams and olive oil does not contain protein.
So when given the choice, I’d rather skip the olive oil in my salad dressing, and top my salad with olives instead. It will be much more satisfying to eat, lower in calories, and have increased nutrient density.
Should you decide to reduce your oil consumption, here are some of my favorite oil substitutions:
A handful of nuts can be blended in the place of oil in almost any salad dressing recipe. Walnuts are a particular favorite, but raw soaked cashews also work beautifully.
For pesto, try adding an avocado for a particularly creamy sauce.
For the taste of sesame oil, try toasting sesame seeds and then blending them into dressing. This increases the fiber content and retains all the delicious sesame flavor.
Hemp seeds make fabulously creamy sauces. Add fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon juice for a ranch-like dressing.
For frying, I use water, broth, or even a splash of wine or marsala.
The choice as to whether to reduce your oil consumption is entirely up to you. For me personally, given my mission for optional nutrient density and a desire to maintain a healthy weight, I choose to consume a minimal amount of oil in my daily cooking. I try not to sweat the small stuff, though, so when eating out, I don’t worry about the oil used. I will also occasionally use oil when making celebration treats. For my day-to-day cooking, though, I’d rather eat real, whole, plant foods instead of oil.
This is clearly a personal choice. If you are at a healthy weight and you are filling your plate with whole plant foods, then you are already doing a fantastic job. If using oil, especially heart- and brain-healthy olive oil, encourages you to eat more plants, then absolutely use the olive oil! However, if you are still struggling to lose weight or you have been told to lower your overall fat consumption for health reasons, then you might consider using less oil and instead reach for whole food sources of plant fat, such as olives, avocado, nuts, and seeds.
No matter what you choose, I wish you optimal health with every bite!
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