I Drank a Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Daily for 32 Days

The one constant in my life has always been olive oil. As far back as I can remember, my mother has a solution for everything with olive oil. — Norma Kamali

Consuming a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil is a part of my 30-day challenge to build tiny, sustainable, healthy, and productive habits.

In the past four months, I have completed 13 30-day challenges. You can read my experiences at the following link in detail.

Why only one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil?

Dietary fat’s health benefits are debatable. Experts, on the other hand, believe that olive oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil, is beneficial to health.

Extra virgin olive oil is the main source of fat in the Mediterranean diet, which is related to low mortality from cardiovascular disease.

According to the research, olive oil benefits are beyond cardiovascular disease.

Extra virgin olive oil contains two main types of fats.

i) monounsaturated fat

ii) polyunsaturated fat such as omega-6 & omega-3 fatty acids

Studies prove that both fats can help reduce bad cholesterol levels, which can lower the risk of strokes and heart disease.

Research shows that olive oil is also a great source of antioxidants, which help to fight chronic diseases and inflammation in the body.

According to my research, one tablespoon is enough to get all the health benefits without upsetting my stomach.

What is olive oil?

Researchers say that the olive tree likely originated in ancient Mesopotamia and Persia and then spread to other parts of the world.

Olives have also been discovered in Egyptian tombs dating back to 2,000 years BC.

Simple definition: Olive oil is a super healthy liquid fat obtained from olives.

Micronutrients per tablespoon (three teaspoons) of extra virgin olive oil

One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil:

Calories: 126

Fat: 14 grams

i) saturated fat: 2.3 grams

ii) Polyunsaturated fat: 0.97 gram

iii) Monounsaturated fat: 10.4 gram

Protein: 0 grams

Carbs: 0 grams

Fiber: 0 grams

Free from Cholesterol,sugar, sodium & gluten

Vitamin E: 13% of the daily value (DV)

Vitamin K: 7% of the DV

How did I consume extra virgin olive oil?

Most of the time, I added one tablespoon to my favorite smoothie. I consumed the smoothie almost every day for lunch. Here are the ingredients to make a power shake:

• 1 cup of 2% milk
• One scoop of whey protein (any flavor; I prefer vanilla)
• 1/3 cup of oats
• 1 cup of frozen wild blueberries
• One tablespoon of olive oil

By the way, drinking only olive oil is the healthiest way to get all the benefits. You can always incorporate it into your daily diet in other ways, such as cooking, salads, etc.

11 health benefits of olive oil

Consuming just one teaspoon of olive oil a day can keep heart disease at bay — Unknown

Olive oil is part of the Mediterranean diet for excellent health and longevity. It’s no doubt that people who consume more of the Mediterranean diet in North America have a higher life expectancy with fewer chronic diseases.

Here are the 11 health benefits of extra virgin olive oil.

1. It helps slow down the heart aging process. The antioxidant properties in the extra virgin olive oil may protect against damaging the red blood cells.
2. Consuming olive oil regularly can help to reduce high blood pressure (hypertension).
3. Olive oil will help to improve the health of your damaged hair.
4. It’s no doubt why companies use olive oil in skincare products. It’s full of antioxidants, vitamin E, and A properties.
5. It might give you the feeling of fullness, which is good for the stomach and, in the long run, might improve your digestive system.
6. Olive oil is a great source to protect you against Type II diabetes.
7. It’s also a great way to prevent obesity.
8. People who consume a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil may help reduce depression.
9. Research shows that olive oil consumption might lower the risk of colon cancer.
10. Olive oil may help you to fight mental diseases. Studies show that people who consume an olive oil-rich diet may help combat Alzheimer’s disease.
11. Olive oil can help to treat arthritis.

Warning: Stay away from fake olive oil

According to research, there is up to 70% fake olive oil in the USA, which means 2/3 percent of olive oil in your local market is fake.

I buy extra virgin olive oil (amazon affiliate link) from Costco. If there is a Costco in your neighborhood, I highly recommend buying only the extra virgin. I found the Costco brand on the Amazon store in case you don’t have a Costco membership. Here is the link — Kirkland Extra virgin olive oil.

Here is an image from a recent research paper on emerging trends in olive oil fraud.

Did I see any results after 32 days

When you get involved with olive oil, I think it starts circulating in your veins. — Gregory Antoniadi

I would say consuming a tablespoon of olive oil is way better than nothing.

However, I believe that additional time is required to detect significant health differences. There are two fundamental reasons behind this.

i) For the past 5–6 years, I am only consuming olive oil for cooking, salads, and smoothies.

ii) Nowadays, I am also on a healthy dark leafy green diet.

I did not see a massive difference. But I am sure, based on my research, olive oil has several health benefits, especially cardiovascular health.

I observed that consuming olive oil on a regular basis helped me to relieve constipation. According to this research paper, constipation affects more than 34% of adults.

Based on my comprehensive research, I believe that olive oil has long-term health benefits, especially for the heart.

According to this exciting study, people who consumed four tablespoons (60ml) of extra virgin olive oil daily had a 30% less possibility of developing heart disease than a low-fat diet for five years.

The bottom line

Good olive oil, good butter, milk — they give food taste and depth and a richness that you can’t reproduce with low-fat ingredients. — Nigella Lawson

I can guarantee that if you incorporate extra virgin olive oil in your daily diet for the long haul, it will definitely help to boost your heart health.

All you have to do is replace the daily cooking oil with extra virgin olive oil. It’s worth investing in the pure extra virgin olive oil.

Stay away from fake olive oil.

I’ll leave you with a quote from my grandma. She always said that you should never use a cheap product on your skin or stomach.