Olive Oil – Not a Health Food!

Over the years there has been so much excitement about the Mediterranean Diet, but rarely does a person know what that means…exactly.

There are 18 countries considered Mediterranean Countries

Exactly which one was the Mediterranean Diet fashioned after? As you would expect, in 18 different countries there can be a tremendous difference in food availability and customs.

Most people think Mediterranean……..Greece. This must be the way Greeks eat. Well the actual research and study that started all the interest in the Mediterranean Diet was actually done in Greece on the island of Crete. But that research was no done recently, it was done in the 1940s. Back when Europe was still getting over the affects of World War II. Today if you were to take the 18 countries in the Mediterranean and charted them from most obese to least obese populations, Greece would be #1, most obese! So the Mediterranean Diet certainly is not doing them very much for them today.

If there are good health claims to be made about the Mediterranean Diet, exactly what about it creates better health? The one thing everyone focuses in on is the Olive Oil. For some reason we think that including more Olive Oil, that supposed “Heart Healthy Oil” in our diet we somehow transform a mediocre diet into a healthy diet.

I think you will find the video below very interesting.  Dr Michael Klaper  discusses the Mediterranean Diet and his reasoning as to why Olive Oil and oil in general is not a healthy food.

Here are a couple of things from Dr Klaper’s talk you should consider about Olive Oil:

• Olive Oil does one thing well – It makes you fat! As do most oils.
• Olive Oil is the most calorie dense food on the planet. If you are looking to lose weight does it make sense to eat the highest calorie food there is?
• Olive Oil has a poor Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio
• Olive Oil is 14% Saturated Fat

What causes benefits, if any, from a Mediterranean Style Diet?

A high consumption of Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains. Go Figure!

Probably the most important point Dr Klaper makes in his seminar is this:

“You Cannot Kid Your Body!”

You can hide what you eat from your spouse, your kids and your friends, but you cannot hide it from YOUR BODY!