LIGHT olive oil is an alternative to regular olive oil and has fewer calories.
It has only around one calorie per spray with maybe five to six sprays needed to sauté a handful of vegetables. This contrasts with regular olive oil, which has around fifty calories per portion size (which is a teaspoon).
But fewer calories come at a cost in terms of the resulting reduction in Omega 9. Omega 9, or oleic acid, is linked to good heart health due to its central place in the cholesterol-friendly Mediterranean diet.
Light olive oil also has fewer antioxidant polyphenols and flavonoids. These can protect against inflammation in the body. Too much inflammation in the body can provide an environment for inflammatory diseases to prosper like heart disease, cancer, diabetes etc.
While light oils us olive oil as the base, the processing involved in creating the low-calorie spray removes or degrades the Omega 9, polyphenols and flavonoids naturally present in olive oil.
But light oil is perfect for all sorts of cooking where a hint of Mediterranean cuisine is called for. It is ideal for people watching their calories and who maybe use too much of the regular olive oil.
But, remember – you don’t need to completely avoid the regular olive oil in general based on the nutritional and health profile. Just stick to portion sizes and you will be absolutely fine.
Lee McCusker (BA; MSc; MSc; MSc; ANutr; SENr) is a registered nutritionist from Belfast and can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Email: attentivenutrition@
gmail.com
