Eat Clean Challenge: Day 19
Eat your olives!
Eat clean day #19:
Olives are rich in monounsaturated fats. Consumption of olives has been shown to help get rid of belly fat and to enhance insulin sensitivity.
Eat clean action step: Add sliced black or green olives to your morning omelet or as a pizza topping to get an extra boost of good fat.
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Olives are part of a family of fruit called stone fruits and are related to almonds, cherries, peaches and pistachios. The color of an olive is an indication of its ripeness. Green olives ripen and will transform from green to light brown, to red and eventually to black. In general, the darker the olive is, the riper it was when it was plucked from the tree.
Rich in goodness, olives contain a monounsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid ,which has been shown to offer significant cardio protective benefits, as well as helping to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Olives are also an antioxidant rich food, as they contain good amounts of vitamin E, selenium and zinc. They are also known for their anti-inflammatory properties.
The healthy fats in olives are extracted to produce the ever-so popular olive oil. When purchasing olive oil, look for the words “extra virgin” (meaning from the first pressing of the grape, thus less processed) and olive oil that is found in a dark bottle. Olive oil has a smoke point of 410 degrees F so it’s ideal for sautéing and frying over medium high heat. You can also use olive oil cold for dressings and marinades.