Is this a case of weird science?
Here at Generation Iron we’re all about hard work. There’s no magic pill to instantly make you insanely swole and most of your gains will be made through concentrated training at the gym. At the same time however, we also believe in the adage of working smart. And according to scientific research consuming 12 of these certain type of olives per day is a no brainer. And to think, if Popeye would’ve just eaten 12 olives instead of a whole can of spinach, he would’ve saved himself a lot of time on the can!
The Skinny
Researchers studying the anti-inflammatory, and pro biotic factors of the Norcellara del Belice green olive at the University of Palermo stumbled upon some very interesting findings. The experiment recruited 23 people between the ages of 18 to 65 to eat a dozen Norcellara green olives a day for 30 days.
While they did find significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits from green olives, what was more significant was the body composition of the participants after the experiment. Astonishingly their fat massed dropped about 1.7% while their muscle mass increased by about 1.39%.
To put in laybuilders terms, that’s the equivalent to dropping 2.2 lbs of fat, and gaining it in muscle. That’s impressive.
But Why?
The scientist believe the results had something to do with a particular fatty acid called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) :
“The possible explanation could be linked to the capacity of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to reduce body fat levels. The molecule is present in both extra virgin olive oil and table olives, and can also be produced during their digestion.”
Where Can I Find Them?
As the above quote suggests, CLA can be found in extra virgin olive oil and table olives as well as in your local super market under the name of “Castelvetrano” olives.
Alternatively you can also take CLA directly as a supplement. Online or your local GNC should carry some form of the miracle fatty acid.
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