Is Olive Oil Keto? Your Questions Answered

The ketogenic diet, or keto diet for short, is one of the most popular diets of the 21st century and it shows no signs of letting up any time. Whether you are a keto veteran or are looking to try it out for the first time, getting used to the diet definitely presents a learning curve and many people wonder if their favorite foods are keto-friendly or not. Today, we will quickly explore what the keto diet is before investigating whether or not olive oil is keto-friendly.

Keto and Fats: What You Need to Know

In a nutshell, the keto diet is low in carbs and high in fats. It does bear some similarities to other popular low carb diets, such as the Atkins diet, but it places a special emphasis on fats. There are several types of ketogenic diets, with the standard one aiming for 70 percent fat, 20 percent protein and only 10 percent carbs overall.

Basically, the idea behind the keto diet is to cut your carbohydrate intake so far down that your body starts burning fat for fuel instead. That is where the name of the diet comes from. Ketosis is a term that refers to a metabolic state in which your body uses fat for fuel instead of carbs. In order to enter ketosis, you must drastically reduce your intake of carbs, which are your body’s main source of glucose, or fuel. You must also limit your protein intake because protein is also converted into glucose.

Many people end up gravitating towards refined, unhealthy fats when first beginning the keto diet. Unfortunately, these types of fats can increase inflammation and have other negative effects on your health — even though they are technically keto-friendly. Prioritizing healthy fats while on the keto diet will help you get results faster and prevent the diet from accidentally backfiring or causing other issues.

Is Olive Oil Keto-Friendly?

At this point, you are probably wondering: Is olive oil keto? And, is olive oil a healthy addition to the keto diet? The resounding answer to both of these questions is yes! Coming in at 100 percent fat content, olive oil is compatible with a ketogenic diet, and it is also an excellent source of healthy fats. This is because olive oil is high in both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (a.k.a. the “good” fats), while being low in saturated fats (a.k.a. the “bad” fats).

Besides its fat content, extra virgin olive oil also contains antioxidants and many other beneficial and nutritious compounds that support overall health. For best results, you should choose extra virgin olive oil, which has not been heated or refined. The heating and refining processes remove these beneficial compounds from the olive oil, making it less flavorful and reducing its nutritional advantages as well.

If you are on the keto diet and you have been eating a lot of different oils that are high in saturated fats and low in antioxidants and other nutritional compounds, try switching to extra virgin olive oil instead. Not only is it better for your health, it will also taste better, too. Prioritizing healthier fats such as olive oil, avocados and fatty fish will help you get results from the keto diet faster and support your health overall.

Ready to stock up on keto-friendly extra virgin olive oil? Brightland has got you covered. We offer multiple types of olive oil, from an olive oil set of our most versatile classics to flavored olive oils for the days you need something more unique. All of these are extra virgin and unrefined so that you are getting the highest quality, most flavorful oil possible.