Why These 15 Health Benefits of Olive Oil Help Women Lose Weight

Olive oil can be a source of fat in the diet and its health benefits are well known and proven.

It decreases the amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood and help you fight off the effects of coronary heart disease.

This oil also helps in the prevention of cancers like colon cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and breast cancer.

Therefore, it is a good addition to a diet that has healthy fats like in avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fish.

It is also a good choice for those who want to lose weight. In fact, there are studies that show that people eating a diet with olive oil lost more weight (1), (2).  

The reason behind the weight loss benefit of olive oil is a matter that continues to intrigue people.

Many women trying to lose weight have read books on olive oil and use the supplement for weight loss.

Is there really a weight loss benefit in addition to the numerous health benefits of olive oil? Let’s explore this a bit more.

1. It helps to mobilize fat

What about the olive oil effect on fat metabolism? Olive oil has been used for centuries in different parts of the world to mobilize fat in the body.

It’s true that it has been used in Africa and some regions of South America. When fats in the body are mobilized, there is a tendency to see a decline in body weight.

This is not to say that one has to lose weight in order to benefit from this method. Rather, it is beneficial for you to know how to use it because it is a natural substance.

Olive oil is known to fight a lot of health issues. This is why doctors recommend it as the primary dietary fat (18).

What is great about this oil is that it is produced from the olives tree crop. The extra virgin olive oil is obtained from the first pressing with no added chemical processing.

It is well known to have properties that can help burn fat effectively. Other than this, it also contains vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that can serve as a healthy boost to your diet.

The next thing to do when you want to mobilize fat is to use olive oil on a regular basis. When using it, make sure that you’re eating an adequate, nutritious diet in order to get the best benefits.

For example, spreading on bread as a replacement for butter and drizzling over salad. It is also highly recommended that you eat oily fish like tuna and mackerel for a healthier and leaner life.  

Other fat examples

Foods such as white bread, potatoes, refined carbohydrates, sodas, candy, and other junk foods can have an adverse effect on fat metabolism and cause weight gain.

Some of these foods can cause insulin spikes and low blood sugar levels, which have an adverse effect on fat metabolism.

A clinical trial on 41 adult women with excess body fat found that consumption of extra virgin olive oil decreased body fat and improved blood pressure (3).

A similar study carried out on 102 patients with metabolic syndrome found an increased fat metabolism effect with extra virgin olive oil and fish oil use (4).

TAKE-AWAY: Consumption of extra virgin olive oil (the recommended type) is effective in burning and reducing body fat.

2. It enhances metabolic rate

Olive oil has high levels of vitamin E, vitamin K, and fiber which are known to increase your metabolic rate. The best result is achieved when you use it with meals and not taken alone to speed up metabolism.

A three month trial on 41 obese women found that using extra virgin olive oil has a potential cardio-metabolic health benefit (26).

By having a positive cardio-metabolic effect, olive oil can help to properly process carbohydrates and other food to ensure adequate breakdown and storage.

This also means there will be a decrease of developing diabetes and atherosclerosis both of which obstruct weight loss process.

TAKE-AWAY: Olive oil enhances metabolism and allows the proper response of sugar to insulin to prevent diabetes. Overall, it enhances proper digestion of food.

3. A good source of monounsaturated fat

Olive oil contains monounsaturated fats which are considered good fats for your body. 

Even if you are trying to lose weight, everyone needs fat to maintain the proper functioning of the body. Monounsaturated fat is a smart choice.

These fats are known to increase levels of good cholesterols (HDL) while pushing out bad fat from your body. This will enhance heart health and help prevent heart diseases and stroke.

According to the American Heart Association recommendation, the majority of fat you eat should be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats (5), (6).

This means replacing most or all of the trans and saturated fats for healthy fats. However, this is not an excuse to abuse olive oil or other healthy fats.

All fats regardless of being good for the body or not contain 9 calories per gram, which can lead to a substantial increase in calories when taken too much.

If you’re counting your daily calories, then your oil consumption should be factored in and taken with moderation (5), (6).

TAKE-AWAY: Good fats (e.g. olive oil) like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat increase good cholesterol levels and decrease bad cholesterol levels. While trans (fries) and saturated (butter) fats do the reverse.

4. It relieves constipation

Olive oil is a great remedy for constipation and has been proven to ease the passage of hard stool.

It helps lubricate the walls of the colon and rectum. Can also prevent adhesion of stools to the wall which allows it to be passed out more effortlessly.

A four weeks trial on fifty constipated patients on hemodialysis proved olive oil is equally as effective as mineral oil in the treatment of constipation (7).

To get the full benefit of olive oil for constipation, the amount taken must not be completely absorbed in the small intestine. Two tablespoons first thing in the morning can help achieve this.

Though constipation is not directly linked to weight gain, it can hinder your weight loss.

The feeling of bloating can be a big encouragement for sluggish behavior and prevent you from hitting the gym regularly.

Constipation can also affect other areas of your life and should be addressed appropriately.

TAKE-AWAY: Taking adequate amounts of olive oil when constipated will help ease bowel movement. It is important to treat constipation promptly as it can hinder the necessary physical activity needed for weight loss.

5. Stabilizes blood sugar

Olive oil is also said to regulate blood sugar levels and improve your circulation.

Inclusion of olive oil in a balanced diet is associated with an adequate insulin spike and decreased postprandial blood sugar level.

Research from Sapienza University, Rome showed a 20 mg reduction in postprandial blood glucose level with 10 g of extra virgin olive oil during a meal (8).

This study also indicated the presence of oleuropein in olive oil increases the incretin level after a meal (8).

Incretin is a metabolic hormone that stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin in response to food (8).

Using olive oil alone might not achieve similar results and is best to take with an adequate meal (8).

This effect is very powerful against type-2 diabetes and obesity and can help achieve weight reduction.

A balanced Mediterranean diet with vegetables, fruits, whole grain and added extra virgin oil is an ideal diet to help you prevent weight gain.

TAKE-AWAY: Including olive oil with meals will help moderate blood glucose surge after meals and may prevent type-2 diabetes.

6. Reduces water retention

Water retention is a very common occurrence amongst some women especially before the start of the monthly cycle. Many women reportedly experience abdominal bloating, breast heaviness, arms, ankle, and feet swelling.

All of this can be a result of irregular estrogen spikes experienced before your period.

This can lead to an overnight increase in weight especially if it continuous which can make this fluid permanent in the area of accumulation.

Olive oil is known to aid toxin removal from your body.

The antioxidant content helps to reduce fluid retention. It also helps regulate the digestive system by removing or preventing toxins formation via its antioxidant property (25).

TAKE-AWAY: Fluid accumulation and abdominal bloating can give the feeling of increased weight and can become permanent if untended. Drinking a little quantity of olive oil can help move this fluid out of the body as waste.

7.  It reduces appetite and weight gain

Olive oil has been found to be useful as an appetite suppressant. It contains a lipid hormone that sends signals to the brain to prevent feelings of hunger (10), (11).

A hormone called oleoylethanolamide is formed from oleic acid in the small intestine after taking olive oil (9), (10), (11).

In addition, olive oil is an excellent appetite suppressant because it actually causes the brain to release more serotonin, a natural antidepressant, which slows down your appetite.

So you can use olive oil to help with an overall reduction in fat (9).

The gut hormone, oleoylethanolamide is being developed as a potential and cheap anti-obesity drug.

A study in the Journal of Lipid Research discussed the role of oral oleoylethanolamide on food intake and its potential as a weight loss drug (10), (11).

TAKE-AWAY: Olive oil has the potential to decrease the frequency of eating by suppressing appetite. The active appetite suppressant, oleoylethanolamide is being developed for the management of obesity.

8. A good source of vitamin E

Olive oil is a multi-nutrient food substance of which vitamin E is a major constituent. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps to combat oxidative stress which can cause several disease conditions.

Conditions such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, and neurological damage can occur as a result of stress, which makes weight loss more challenging (19).

Dietary source of vitamin E is needed in overweight and obese people. Their high body weight causes oxidative stress and are found to be critically deficient in vitamin E.

This deficiency in vitamin E can be said to be due to people’s approach to weight loss.

The first thing many women trying to lose weight do is decrease dietary fat intake. However, the majority of the nutrients like vitamin E are found in high proportions in this fatty food (12).

Eating a balanced diet that includes recommended fat to ensures adequate vitamin E and other micro-nutrients in the body.

TAKE-AWAY: Olive oil is a good source of vitamin E and prevent oxidative damage of body cells.

9. Ensures healthy digestion

Olive oil empowers the creation of peptides, which bolster sound processing and help in supplement ingestion.

Adequate intake of olive oil will keep your gut working productively by taking what it requires for good well-being and wiping out the rest in your waste (20).

Eating rapidly, just as eating high-fat nourishments, can cause gastric reflux, or indigestion.

Indigestion is described by the consuming sensation in your stomach, esophagus or throat because of a high cluster of digestive acids.

Olive oil can quiet and forestall gastric reflux, which implies fewer acids returns up. Additionally, olive oil is processed all the more gradually so you may eat less, which forestalls reflux (20).

The pancreas is basic for hormone creation and for delivering enzymes the small digestive system needs to process nourishment.

Olive oil is advantageous to the pancreas since it just requires to deliver a limited quantity of digestive juice, which implies that it is working less.

This satisfies your pancreas by keeping it solid and sound.

In 2000, an article by “Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health” included that olive oil plays a role in preventing pancreatic cancer (13).

In addition, olive oil helps the intestine better absorb nutrients from food and is of great benefit to those with metabolic disorders.

TAKE-AWAY: Olive oil will help promote gastric health and ensure proper food digestion.

10. Better absorb nutrients from food

Aside from being a powerful antioxidant, olive oil can help better absorb antioxidants and other nutrients from food.

A study found that natural antioxidants like polyphenols and vitamin E intake from the vegetable are higher with olive oil use (14).

TAKE-AWAY: Using olive oil with meals increases the intake of nutrients that will be absorbed from food.

11. Strengthens immune system

The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits of olive oil are known to be beneficial to your body’s immunity.

Taking this oil has been said to decrease the incidence of inflammatory and several autoimmune conditions. Also helps fight bacterial and viral infection, and even decrease the risk of developing cancer (21).

Extra virgin olive oil is can be the best choice for you since it contains the highest amount of antioxidants.

TAKE-AWAY: Olive oil use can help increase the body’s ability to fight certain infectious and inflammatory diseases.

12. Promote brain health

Once again, the antioxidant content of olive oil helps you slow the aging process and prevent or slow the onset of memory loss.

This can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and other memory decline seen in the elderly population (15).

Also, linoleic acid in olive oil has been shown to increase the dopamine level in your brain. This has great potential to be useful in the prevention and treatment of depression (15).

Depression can be a major barrier for women trying to lose weight so olive oil can be helpful here.

TAKE-AWAY: Olive oil enhances brain activity and improves memory. It can also help overweight women who are depressed.

13. Reduce the chance of gallstone formation

As earlier mentioned, olive oil helps reduce the amount of cholesterol entering the gallbladder.

This cholesterol and other component are what form gallstones in the gallbladder which can be very painful if not treated.

The presence of gallstone also blocks the bile duct and this decreases fat breakdown in the body.

High body weight and obesity increase the chance of developing gallstones because of higher cholesterol in bile (22).

TAKE-AWAY: Olive oil can help you prevent gallstone formation and cleanse the gallbladder.

14. Increased thermogenesis

Olive oil increases uncoupling protein in brown adipose tissue which increases thermogenesis and caloric burn (16), (17).

The process of thermogenesis is normally activated in your body during cold and persistent eating to increase caloric breakdown and heat production.

This will help use up calories in food rather than store them as food.

An article published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed olive oil increases thermogenesis in women with abdominal obesity (23).

TAKE-AWAY: Olive oil increases calorie burn through a series of interactions of the body rather than storing it as fat.

15. Energy boost

Each gram of olive oil contains 9 calories and is useful as a fuel for the body. It gives the boost to engage in sexual and other physical activity that burns calories fast.

Carbohydrates give instant energy boost for high energy-draining tasks. Fat helps to store extra calories and provide the energy needed during slow, long, and intensive activities (24).

This is why athletes that run marathons and triathlons use fats like olive oil as body fuel (24).

Women trying to lose weight should burn more calories and olive oil will give the energy boost needed.

TAKE-AWAY: Olive oil will give that boost to burn more calories and lose weight efficiently.

The bottom line on the health benefits of olive oil for women to lose weight

It is no doubt that olive oil is of great use for women trying to lose weight. Its has benefit on metabolism, blood sugar, cholesterol, and appetite.

However, not all olive oil grade work equally and attention must be paid to the type you choose.

Extra virgin olive oil which is the highest grade has the most health benefit especially for women trying to lose weight.

Finally, olive oil should be used as a nutritional fat within the dietary recommended allowance and not consumed in excess.