Published: Jul 1, 2016 · Last Updated: Jan 13, 2022 by Dr. Sonali Ruder · This post may contain affiliate links · 33 Comments

Ingredient 911: Olive Oil

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Olive oil is one of the main ingredients in the Mediterranean diet, a healthy eating plan that has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases. Read all about the health benefits of olive oil and ways that you can incorporate it into your diet.

#thefoodiephysician #shrimpskewers #oliveoilsfromSpain

This post was sponsored by Olive Oils from Spain. All opinions expressed are my own.

People are always asking me for healthy eating tips. What’s one of the best ways to make sure that you’re eating the right types of foods? Cook at home! When you cook at home, there’s no mystery involved. You are the one controlling the ingredients and the cooking methods. Healthy eating is not about following a restrictive diet and denying yourself the foods you love. It’s about eating a well balanced diet filled with a wide variety of delicious and nutritious whole foods and leading an active, fulfilling lifestyle.

One of the most basic changes you can make to your every day cooking routine that can significantly improve your health is to cook with olive oil.

Olive Oil from Spain

First, let me give you a little background on olive oil. Did you know that Spain is the largest producer of olive oil in the world? Spain provides around 50% of all the olive oil produced worldwide and is the largest exporter of organic extra virgin olive oil to the USA. Spain has taken great strides in developing and promoting the quality of its olive oils and they invest more in R & D than all of the other olive oil-producing countries combined. With more than 260 different olive varieties, Olive Oils from Spain have a unique range of flavors, aromas, and textures. Some of the world’s best chefs cook with Olive Oils from Spain, including José Andrés. I’ve actually had the good fortune of dining at his amazing restaurant The Bazaar in both Beverly Hills as well as South Beach, and it’s no wonder he has such a stellar reputation!

Fat is not the enemy

It’s interesting how diet advice changes over the years as new research emerges. For years, we were taught to follow a low-fat diet if we wanted to lose weight. Fat was the enemy and we should avoid it at all costs. Now, we know that we need fat in our diets and it actually plays an important role in our health. The key is not cutting out all fat, but rather eating the right types of fat. Focus on eating unsaturated fats like those found in foods like extra virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and cold water fish. Try to limit the amount of saturated fats in your diet. You should also limit the amount of trans-fats, which are unhealthy manmade fat found in many packaged foods. Saturated and trans fats can increase your risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and some cancers.

Extra virgin olive oil, on the other hand, is composed of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid. These fats help lower your risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels and normalizing blood clotting. They also help regulate your blood sugar. Extra virgin olive oil also contains many other powerful compounds like antioxidants, polyphenols, anti-inflammatories, and vitamin E, which have many important health benefits and can help prevent chronic diseases.

The Mediterranean Diet

Olive oil is one of the main ingredients in the Mediterranean diet. The heart-healthy Mediterranean diet is a healthy eating plan based on typical foods and recipes of Mediterranean-style cooking. It emphasizes eating primarily plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (like lentils and beans), and nuts and replacing butter with healthy fats like olive oil. It also encourages limiting red meat and instead enjoying seafood and poultry, along with some red wine in moderation.

There are officially three different types of olive oil recognized by the International Olive Council (IOC): extra-virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil and olive oil. Although in stores you’ll most commonly find olive oil and extra virgin olive oil. All of them are excellent sources of monounsaturated fatty acids, which makes them an essential part of any healthy diet. To learn about the differences between these varieties, visit the Olive Oils from Spain website.

Research has shown that following a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease. It’s also associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases like cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. One of the most significant studies to show these cardioprotective effects was the PREDIMED study out of Spain, which was a randomized controlled trial that included over 7000 participants who were at high risk for heart disease. The study found that eating olive oil in the context of a balanced, Mediterranean-type diet reduced the incidence of stroke, heart attack or cardiovascular death by 30%.

How to Incorporate Olive Oil into your diet

So how can you incorporate olive oil into your home cooking to reap all of its health benefits? Here are just a few ways:

- - Use it to sauté vegetables, seafood or meat in a pan

- - Use it to make homemade salad dressings

- - Marinate vegetables, seafood or meat with olive oil-based marinades

- - Incorporate it into your baked goods like bread or muffins

- - Brush it on your food when grilling

Grilled Garlic Shrimp Skewers with Parsley Oil

Since it’s officially summer, that means it’s grilling time! And with the Fourth of July right around the corner, you may be looking for some delicious and nutritious grilling recipes that can feed a crowd! My Grilled Garlic Shrimp Skewers with Parsley Oil are the perfect solution. Easy to make and packed with flavor, this dish really showcases the versatility of Olive Oils from Spain. First, I make a simple but flavorful marinade for the shrimp using olive oil, lemon juice and spices.

Then, I thread the shrimp onto skewers, alternating with lemon slices, and toss the skewers on the grill.

The shrimp cook in a matter of minutes and the lemons get a nice char. To drizzle over the skewers, I also make vibrant, green herb oil by blending olive oil with fresh parsley.

I like to arrange the skewers on a serving platter and drizzle some of the parsley oil on top. Tell your guests to squeeze the charred lemon on the shrimp for an extra punch of flavor before digging in!

To get the full recipe, head over to Olive Oils from Spain blog HERE.