Best Olive Oil For Exercise

How Polyphenol-Rich Extra Virgin Olive Oil Like Morocco Gold Helps With Your Exercise Routine

^{Updated September 24th 2024}

Key Reasons Extra Virgin Olive Oil Helps Your Workout

Extra virgin olive oil is not only a delicious addition to your meals but it can also do wonders for your workout routine.

If you’re a fitness enthusiast or health-conscious individual looking for ways to enhance your exercise routine, you may be surprised to learn about the benefits of extra virgin olive oil.

This isn’t just any cooking oil; it’s a powerhouse of nutrients that can significantly boost your performance and recovery. In this blog post, we’ll explore why extra virgin olive oil is a game-changer for your workouts, from its ancient history to modern-day applications. Let’s uncover how incorporating this polyphenol-rich elixir into your diet can transform your fitness regimen.

This versatile oil contains a high amount of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants that are beneficial for your overall health. In terms of exercise, it has been found to increase endurance and enhance recovery time. The monounsaturated fats help to reduce inflammation in the body, allowing for faster recovery after exercise, while the antioxidants fight off free radicals that can cause cellular damage. So, next time you’re lacing up your sneakers, consider adding some extra virgin olive oil to your diet to help fuel and maintain a healthy body.

When it comes to enhancing your workout, extra virgin olive oil offers numerous benefits. First, it is rich in monounsaturated fats, which provide a stable energy source that can help sustain your endurance during long workouts. These healthy fats are slowly digested, ensuring that you have a consistent energy supply without the crashes associated with simple carbohydrates.

Second, extra virgin olive oil is packed with antioxidants, primarily polyphenols. These compounds play a crucial role in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in your body, allowing for quicker recovery times and less muscle soreness. The antioxidants neutralize free radicals produced during strenuous exercise, aiding in muscle repair and growth.

Third, the anti-inflammatory properties of extra virgin olive oil can help minimize exercise-induced inflammation. This is particularly beneficial for those who engage in high-intensity workouts that can cause micro-tears in muscle fibres. By reducing inflammation, extra virgin olive oil helps you bounce back faster and maintain a consistent workout schedule.

The Importance Of Physical Activity For Wellness

NHS Choices calls exercise a miracle cure. ‘It’s free, easy to take, works immediately and you don’t need a prescription. It can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer by up to 50 per cent.’

What’s more, exercise has been proven to boost mood and strengthen mental wellbeing. According to Stephen Buckley of mental health charity Mind: ‘Research shows outdoor exercise such as running can be as effective as antidepressants in treating mild to moderate anxiety and depression. Getting outdoors for a short run or walk can provide a real boost to wellbeing’.

Ancient Greece, Exercise And Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Ancient Greece And Olive Oil

Ancient Greece is known for its many contributions to modern society, including their love of exercise and olive oil. Greeks believed in the importance of a healthy body and mind, which is why they trained in various physical activities such as running, wrestling, and javelin throwing. Olive oil was a staple in their diet, and it was used not only for cooking but also to anoint the winners of the Olympic games.

That is why the winners of the first Olympic Games, held in 776 BC were crowned with branches of the sacred olive trees. The winners of the Great Panathinea, a sports event held in Athens in honour of the goddess Athena were also gifted with largely decorated amphoras filled with EVOO.

Today, we still use olive oil in our cooking and recognize the importance of exercise for our well-being. It’s interesting to see how ancient traditions still have a significant impact on our everyday lives.

«Νοῦς ὑγιής ἐν σώματι ὑγιεῖ». That’s the ancient Greek saying which means “a healthy mind in a healthy body” and underlines the necessity for keeping both your mind and body in shape. Greece has a great tradition in sports, considering they were the ones who introduced The Olympic Games. They also provide a large vat of EVOO The Greeks enjoyed their exercise and their EVOO.

History Of Athletes And Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Throughout history, athletes from various cultures have recognized the benefits of extra virgin olive oil. In addition to ancient Greek athletes, Roman gladiators and soldiers also consumed and applied olive oil to prepare for battles and competitions. The oil was considered a symbol of strength and resilience, and it was believed to confer both physical and mental fortitude.

In the Mediterranean region, olive oil has long been a dietary staple, and its consumption is linked to the renowned Mediterranean diet, which is associated with numerous health benefits. Athletes in these cultures have relied on olive oil as a key source of nutrition, providing essential fatty acids and antioxidants that support overall health and athletic performance.

Modern athletes continue to incorporate extra virgin olive oil into their diets, recognizing its role in enhancing endurance, reducing inflammation, and promoting recovery. The rich history of athletes and extra virgin olive oil serves as a testament to its enduring value as a natural performance enhancer.

The EVOO was produced from specific olive trees growing on the famous rock of the Acropolis. Those trees were considered sacred and the value of the olive oil, being symbolic and pecuniary was extremely high, as no one else but the winners could possess it. Even nowadays, Marathon winners in the Olympic Games, are crowned with olive branches, continuing a tradition of 3000 years.

However, the olive trees and oil did not have only symbolic and pecuniary significance. The ancient athletes also applied olive oil on their skin before a competition to protect their muscles and they regularly consumed pure EVOO.

​​​Today, EVOO remains as beneficial to today’s athlete as ever and the Mediterranean diet. This is rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and EVOO. As the only source of fat, is the ideal food model. In fact, good nutrition is an integral part of training which improves the mental well-being and ensures a better performance.

How Olive Oil Contributes To Energy Boost From Excercise

One of the key benefits of extra virgin olive oil for athletes is its ability to provide a sustained energy boost. The monounsaturated fats in olive oil are an excellent source of long-lasting energy, making it an ideal addition to pre-workout meals. Unlike simple carbs that offer a quick spike followed by a crash, the fats in olive oil are metabolized slowly, providing a steady release of energy throughout your workout.

Additionally, extra virgin olive oil contains small amounts of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are rapidly absorbed and converted into energy. This makes it an excellent option for athletes seeking to optimize their energy levels without relying on sugary snacks or supplements.

Incorporating extra virgin olive oil into your diet can help you power through intense workouts and endurance activities. Whether you’re hitting the gym, running a marathon, or engaging in a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session, the energy-boosting properties of olive oil can help you perform at your best.

To start with, the consumption of olive oil provides energy and fats essential to athletes. Fats included are saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and trans-fat. Unsaturated fats are the best choice for athletes. EVOO helps lower cholesterol levels and contributes to heart health and building bones. Mostly made up of mostly monounsaturated fatty acids. This is in the form of oleic acid, a few saturated fats and some polyunsaturated fats. Examaples of these are linoleic acid.

At its most basic, olive oil provides energy, something athletes never want to be without. Compared to the sedentary who should consume no more than 15% of their calories from fat, athletes need anywhere from 20%-30%. This is true for both endurance and high-intensity sports. Fat is the body’s main fuel during low-intensity lengthy endeavours like triathlons and marathons. But it’s just as necessary for high-intensity sports too. Carbohydrates may be the central fuel for high-intensity activities but without fat, carbohydrate energy cannot be released.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil And Muscle Recovery

Did you know that extra virgin olive oil may help with muscle recovery after a workout? It’s true! Extra virgin olive oil contains powerful anti-inflammatory compounds that can help reduce muscle soreness and inflammation. Additionally, the healthy fats in olive oil provide fuel for your muscles, helping them recover and rebuild after strenuous exercise.

Muscles have a hard time during athletic training and need immediate recovery, which includes repair, strengthening and muscle building. EVOO is better than other fat sources in helping cells absorb cholesterol and convert it to testosterone. This is critical to the body’s muscle building process. Moreover, its combination of oleic acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids work together to build bone tissue and allow the body to regenerate.

If you can exercise don’t just a few times a week, but every day. Movement is key to a healthy life. Exercising daily can improve your health in many ways. It can help increase your life span, lower your risk of diseases, help you develop higher bone density, and lose weight.

Recovery is a crucial aspect of any fitness routine, and extra virgin olive oil can play a significant role in this process. The polyphenols in olive oil have potent antioxidant properties that help to reduce oxidative stress and muscle damage caused by intense exercise. This aids in quicker muscle repair and growth, allowing you to bounce back faster and maintain a consistent workout schedule.

Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effects of extra virgin olive oil can help alleviate muscle soreness and stiffness. By incorporating olive oil into your post-workout meals, you can reduce the inflammation that often follows strenuous exercise, promoting faster recovery and improved performance in subsequent workouts.

Extra virgin olive oil also supports overall muscle health by providing essential nutrients such as vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients play a vital role in maintaining muscle function and preventing muscle breakdown. By making extra virgin olive oil a regular part of your diet, you can support your body’s natural recovery processes and achieve better results from your fitness routine.