Why take a tablespoon of olive oil on an empty stomach? Many people ask this question, because it is something that has been done for generations but we do not always know why it is done exactly. There are those who use it to regulate intestinal transit, those who use it to lose weight or to strengthen the liver, among other things. The truth is that this oil is very beneficial for health but, as with everything, you have to know how to use it properly to benefit and not overdo it. Thus, one of the best methods to take advantage of everything that this food can offer us is, effectively, to take it first thing in the morning without having eaten anything yet.
If you want to really know what are all the benefits of olive oil on an empty stomach, keep reading this article of, because we tell you all the details and answer frequent questions about this habit.
Properties and benefits of fasting olive oil
Olive oil has a composition that makes it very beneficial for our body. As long as we take it in moderation we will achieve spectacular benefits for our digestive system, for the cardiovascular system, for the liver and kidneys and to prevent premature aging of cells. The main components of extra virgin olive oil are polyphenols (oleuropein), sterols, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, oleic acid, healthy fatty acids, phospholipids, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron and carotenes. It also contains a very low proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids and does not contain hydrogenated fatty acids, known as trans or hydrogenated fats.
Due to this composition, the main properties of olive oil are antioxidants, detoxifiers, depuratives, anti-inflammatories, regulators and protectors, among others, so it is considered a very suitable natural product to cure and treat certain conditions but also to prevent them.
Benefits of Fasting Olive Oil
Among the benefits of taking a tablespoon of olive oil on an empty stomach we find the following:
- Improves intestinal transit
- Relieves constipation
- Prevents premature aging
- Relieves joint pain
- Helps take care of the liver
- It is detoxifying
- It's good for a hangover
- Regulates cholesterol
- Helps to lose weight
There are those who prefer to take olive oil before sleeping, but this is something that is recommended to do in small quantities, at most a teaspoon, and to help us do better digestion. But it is not advisable if what we want is to lose weight, in addition to taking better advantage of other qualities of this natural product, in such a case it is better to take a tablespoon of this oil on an empty stomach half an hour before having breakfast every morning.
Fasting olive oil for weight loss
Many people wonder if taking olive oil on an empty stomach makes you fat, the answer is that if you take the recommended doses and eat a balanced diet and do some daily exercise this oil helps you lose weight. On the other hand, if you do not take into account taking care of your diet or do any exercise, even if you take this natural oil, you will hardly lose weight and you will not do it if you take too much of this product daily.
So, if you want to take olive oil on an empty stomach to lose belly or lose weight in other areas that can be somewhat complicated such as the thighs, we advise you to take just one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on an empty stomach every day.
This natural product helps us achieve the goal of losing weight because oleic acid, which oleylethanolamide, helps us calm the appetite, as it has a satiating effect. In addition, it serves to purify and detoxify the body so it is easier to eliminate accumulated fats and retained liquids. This component also helps us transform bad fats into good fats, that is, saturated fats into unsaturated fats. In addition, one tablespoon of this product (5 ml) contains between 40 and 50 calories.
If you are interested in the benefit of detoxifying the body, here you can also know some juices to detoxify the body.
Fasting olive oil for constipation
This natural product helps regulate intestinal transit by acting as a laxative, so above all it is suitable for treating constipation. The best way to treat constipation naturally is to take a tablespoon of olive oil on an empty stomach. This works very well in cases of mild constipation, but it is possible that in severe cases you need to use some stronger treatment and recommended by the doctor, because taking only this natural product could cost more time to solve it.
Also, this natural product favors the absorption of nutrients, facilitates digestion and relieves gastritis. Therefore, it is not only recommended to take it preventively, but when we suffer from a mild problem of this type, we use this product to relieve it and go to the doctor.
In this other article you can learn more About Foods for Constipation.
Fasting olive oil for the liver
As we have mentioned, olive oil is good for detoxifying and purifying the body and this includes helping to cleanse the liver, gallbladder and pancreas. By helping us to have good health in these organs helps us prevent the formation of gallstones and dissolve and expel them in case they are mild.
This ability helps eliminate toxins from the whole body and, for this reason, it is highly recommended to follow this natural treatment in cases of quitting smoking or stopping drinking alcohol, as it helps to make the cleaning much more effective and effective. In this way, the health of the liver will be reinforced and more diseases related to this organ can be prevented. In addition, because of this detoxifying ability it is considered a good remedy to help treat mild hangovers.
Protects the heart and regulates cholesterol
Another great beneficial capacity of this natural product is that it helps prevent various cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis and heart attacks and vascular strokes.
It helps to purify the blood and transform saturated fats into unsaturated fats, so it reduces the levels of fats accumulated in the blood, regulating cholesterol and triglycerides, by increasing HDL or good cholesterol and decreasing LDL or bad. This property is greatly reinforced by mixing the morning tablespoon with a few drops of lemon, in addition to following a proper diet.
In this other post you can know the best foods to lower cholesterol and triglycerides.
Natural anti-inflammatory
The higher the quality and purity of this product, the greater its benefits, as it has been shown in various studies that extra virgin contains an organic compound that has an anti-inflammatory capacity similar to ibuprofen. For this reason, it is recommended to take it to people suffering from osteoarthritis, arthritis and other inflammatory processes of the joints. On the other hand, if you are looking to treat muscle inflation, the best option is to apply this natural product directly topically with a gentle circular massage on the affected area.
Contraindications of fasting olive oil
There are no contraindications of olive oil on an empty stomach as long as it is taken in the indicated doses and we do not exceed, because if we take more than the account it can cause diarrhea and will not help us lose weight by ingesting too many calories. For this reason, it is advisable not to take it on an empty stomach in cases of gastroenteritis.
In addition, it is recommended to consume the one that is extra virgin and therefore the most natural possible, because the refined ones lose many properties and include many components that are not so beneficial for the body.
