Healthy Living: Healthy Eating - Olive Oil Isn't Just The Favorite of Popeye Anymore.

It's pretty much common knowledge that olive oil is good for you.  We put it in our salads, on our pizzas, and in our general cooking.  But did you know why it's so good for you?  It's all in the fat.
The secret is that olives naturally have fat that is deemed "good fat" because it is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs).

These monounsaturated fatty acids pack all sorts of good benefits for our hearts and can help in our quest for healthy eating.  In numerous studies, a diet like that of the Mediterranean region that is high in olive oil consumption have shown reduced rates of heart disease along with lower levels of cholesterol.  It turns out that olive oil consumption has a positive affect on reducing LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and helping to raise HDL (good cholesterol) levels.  Anyone who is fighting the good fight to get his or her cholesterol levels under control will appreciate the helping hand offered by the olive.

Here's a tip on getting your daily share of MUFAs.  You don't have to always have to have a salad with olive oil to get this heart goodness, or grab a slice of pizza.  How about simply stocking up on plain old olives for a quick, easy heart healthy snack.  A handful of green or black olives eaten as snacks taste great and will do daily wonders for your heart.

I went to my local supermarket recently and there in the deli aisle was an "olive bar" (I guess it had to happen, after all we have salad bars, sushi bars, why not an olive bar?)  Who'd a thunk?  Eight to ten different types of olives from all over the Mediterranean area from Greece to Italy to Northern Africa. What a smorgasbord of olive goodness for every taste.  There were green olives and black olives in various mixes as well as olives in a hot Moroccan seasoning.  Great, healthy eating choices for every taste bud.

Check out your local supermarket or specialty market and see if they have an olive bar.  If they don't have one, suggest it.  About 10 years ago I noticed that our local village market didn't offer any sushi.  I went to the owner and suggested they look into putting in a sushi counter.  They took up that idea and today they have a very successful sushi counter that is an important profit center to their grocery business.  The supermarket business today ain't what it used to be in your grandfather's day.  And now, the olive bar!  It doesn't get any better.

If you've got any new, healthy "bar" concepts in your neighborhood, let me know.  We'll share it and we'll all be better off in striving for healthy living and healthy eating.  Eat healthy and stay well my friends.