Olive Oil: A Weight Loss Blessing

In Sonoma County each year, there's a festival called the Blessing of the Olives. That's how central olive trees are to the economy and the eating habits of the region. Olive oil, the most treasured gift from these trees, is just as central to The Sonoma Diet.

This is good news for your taste buds, because no other vegetable oil comes close to olive oil's rich and pleasing flavor. It's at the heart of Mediterranean cuisine's appeal. Research has shown that olive oil is a major reason for southern Europeans' low rate of heart disease. By using olive oil in the same way — as your main source of dietary fat — you'll enjoy the same benefits. You'll learn to enjoy olive oil in healthy amounts. By using it in place of other, more harmful fats, you will lose weight.

Also, try not to think of olive oil as the "least bad" fat. It is a heart-healthy food, and it's good for you. Dietary fat is necessary for weight loss. You just need the right kind.

Choose extra-virgin olive oil and you'll enhance the flavors of your food and boost your health. The kind of fat found in olive oil (monounsaturated fat) actually lowers your levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol and blood fats called triglycerides. The fats you'll be avoiding (saturated fat) raise those levels. That alone qualifies olive oil as a power food par excellence.
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Dr. Guttersen's Tip of the Day

A Wealth of Antioxidants

Olive oil — particularly extra-virgin olive oil — is rich in a family of antioxidants known to protect against heart disease, diabetes, and possibly Alzheimers. Many of these antioxidants are also found in other foods on our Top Ten list. Olive oil also contains carotenoids (like beta-carotene) and vitamin E. In addition, olive oil reduces the risk of high blood pressure and inflammation.