Why do so many people object to eating olives and avocados due to their “high fat content”? Isn’t vegetable fat better for you, overall, than animal fat? And isn’t there such a thing as a good fat?
Well, all fats are higher in calories per gram than either carbs or proteins, so if you’re looking to decrease calorie intake, cutting fat makes the most sense. But one does need some fat in one’s diet, or one will die ugly (try living long without those essential fatty acids!) so one should select their fats carefully, minimizing the saturated and “trans” fats which have been implicated in heart disease, and opting for the mono and polyunsaturated variety. Olives are high in the mono variety. I’m not sure about avocados right off the top of my head, and I’m too lazy to look it up for you. Tropical plants, like Palm and coconut have their oils high in the saturated variety, so one should avoid them. Most fish have “good” fats. So the general source (animal vs. vegetable) of the fats is less important than what the individual fats are made of.
Qadgop, MD
Some people don’t like eating them for the reason that they are both very high in fat content, and as far as calories go, fat is fat. The bulk of the fat in olives and avocadoes is monounsaturated, which, as far as reducing bad cholesterol, is the good one. It is also the bulk of what Canola oil is made up of. (it is also theorized now that it helps in reducing breast cancer, but it hasn’t been proven yet, that I know of). Polyunsaturated fat is a “good fat” for the same reason, however it is thought now that it also lowers the good cholesterol just as much as the bad. Saturated fat is the big no-no. Not much good at all about it except that it is the best tasting one (of course, huh)?
So yes, most of the fat in olives and avocadoes is the “good” fat of the three types, and an avocado is a healthier snack than a stick of chocolate covered butter, but too much of any fat is not a good thing.
The fat in avocados is also monounsaturated. (Yay!)
This was asked a long while back, but both avocados and olives (as well as olive oil) are GOOD for you, and actually will not cause one to gain weight (unless one simply eats too much). Yes, they contain fat, but they’re monounsaturated fats that are not only easy for the body to break down, they encourage a higher metabolism (which in turn makes a person burn more calories).
Eating half an avocado a day (or every few days) and using primarily olive oil in cooking (unless the food would taste REALLY weird with it) are two steps anyone can take towards a better diet AND losing weight. It also helps if people cut back on their portion size (it’s not so much what you eat as how much of it), and get out walking some every day.
There is no magic bullet to weight loss, and really what MATTERS is eating healthy. That means eating less, overall, and eating better, fresh, and less-processed food. Avocados and olives are among the best fruits to add to one’s diet. I know not everyone likes their taste, but cutting them out of the diet because they’re high in fat is, actually, a BAD idea.
(Another good thing about avocados, at least – eating an avocado will make a person feel full more quickly than other sorts of foods. Eating the RIGHT froods in reasonable portions actually cuts down on cravings.)
You know, I thought I’d answered this question before. I am just surprised that it was 11 years before.
Like hoopy froods? 
Some doctors, such as Andrew Weil, say that you should make olive oil your ONLY fat.
I consider Dr. Weil to be a proponent of unsubstantiated, unproven assertions in far, far too many cases. He pushes waaay too much woo.
Yeah, well, we spent decades being told trans fats were good for us, so I hope you’ll understand when I say I don’t believe a word of the medical or dietitian communities’ opinions on the subject.
Don’t you think it’s a mistake to lump saturated fat together with trans fat as the “bad” fats to be avoided as much as possible?
It just seems that the opinions, as well as findings, on saturated fat are so conflicting and ever-changing that blanketing it as an evil substance devoid of any health benefit whatsoever-like trans fat apparently is-is a bit erroneous.
Also, while I didn’t look for a cite, saturated fat has also been shown to raise testosterone levels in men.
Found one…
Now, yes. 11 years ago, when I wrote what you quoted, the evidence was not that clear cut.
LOL. Contextual zombies are high in saturated fats.
Apologies sir. The date of your post was not noted. :smack:
Some earlier posts say that polyunsaturated fat is all good - but that isn’t quite true:
Modern diets have WAY too much omega-6 (up to 30:1 with respect to omega-3s, when it should be 4:1 or less) due to all of the grains consumed; this also applies to grain-fed meat (although not quite as bad as straight grains).
Incidentally, like saturated fat, not all trans fats are bad; specifically, that which naturally occurs in ruminant meat and milk (e.g. beef and dairy). Labeling doesn’t take this into account though, so you’ll have to see if there is any partially hydrogenated vegetable oil present (full hydrogenation creates saturated fat, not sure how it compares to natural saturated fat though).