By Elizabeth Barker
Cutting back on bad-for-you fats and opting for olive oil might help lift your mood, according to a recent study from the journal PLoS ONE. After following more than 12,000 adults for six years, the study’s authors determined that participants with a high intake of trans fats and saturated fats had a 48 percent increase in risk of depression (compared to those who shunned the fats found in butter, beef, dairy products and hydrogenated oils). On the other hand, study members who favored healthy fats—such as those in olive oil, fish, nuts and seeds—appeared to have a reduced risk of depression.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Local
author Diane Welland, R.D. offers three ways to add more EVOO to your diet each day:
• Spark up salads by creating dressing from lemon- or orange-infused olive oil. “Flavored olive oils are also excellent in granola, oatmeal cookies and cakes,” says Welland.
• Skip the butter and spread your bread with a blend of olive oil and fresh herbs. “You can even just grab a dry-herb mix and work it into a paste by adding a few drops of oil,” Welland notes.
• Substitute olive oil for butter in baked goods, using 3/4 cup olive oil for one cup butter (or 2 ¼ teaspoon olive oil for 1 tablespoon butter).
