Q:
OK, I know Olive Oil is a healthy fat – but is it smart to cook with it when you’re trying to lose weight? And, if so, how much? How many times per day? And, should I stay away from cooking with it at night?
A:
Yes, Olive oil is a healthy fat (monounsaturated fat)! It has several health benefits and is a great addition to a salad and or in other forms of cooking. I would suggest you use the olive oil spray to avoid over doing it with the oil itself. It is too easy to over pour and not only that, there is no use to use the actual oil when they have the spray cans out! I use tons of PAM, Canola Spray or Olive Oil Spray but mostly I stick with PAM. I use tons of my non stick sprays, even pre contest and have never worried about them. Yes, I am sure they do add up, if you use massive amounts or spray for seconds on end but it isn’t going to kill you, if you use the spray. You definitely want to avoid butters and I would stay away from sunflower, corn, and safflower oil.
I use my oil sprays throughout the day as non sticking agents but also spray them on my veggies to allow them to get more crisp when I cook them. I use them morning through night. At night I also add in my flaxseed or oil to my protein shake to ensure a longer lasting digestion throughout the night. This is on top of my cooking with oil sprays.
—If you cook with very very little olive oil, you will be fine but just to be safe, I would suggest getting the Olive Oil Spray because it all adds up. Keep the actual oil for your salads 🙂