Photo credit: Mamma Livet

Researchers have officially proven that Spanish fried food doesn’t make you fat! Well, it won’t give you heart problems at least. Check it out here on Jennifer K. Riggins’ blog. If you don’t know what Spanish food is like, here’s Jennifer’s brief overview:

“Thin potato slices cooked in woks of oil then encased in egg. Haplessly-formed balls of béchamel fried in pools of oil. Toast topped with squished and salted tomatoes, drizzled with oil. Tortilla española, croquetas and the Catalan breakfast favorite tomaca on toast are just a few recipes in the drenched-in-oil Spanish diet.”

She also said, “It is no surprise that researchers looked to prove their fried way of life is heart-healthy, but it may be a surprise that they were right.” Seriously, right?

This just confirms the Spanish may be on to something with their olive oil obsession. They buy it in 5-gallon barrels at the supermarket. The smallest size sold at my local supermarket is about 2 liters.

Pick your size!                                                                  Photo credit: My Worldly Adventures

Spaniards looooove the stuff! I lived with a host family who fried EVERYTHING in olive oil when I studied abroad in Sevilla. I was seriously eating stuff like fried eggs with fried chorizo with fried French fries (I guess those are always fried!).

When I complained about the unhealthy diet to my tiny Spanish program director, she said “Oh, but it’s olive oil. So don’t worry, you won’t get fat!” Uhh….what??

I have to say though, Spaniards are generally slim and petite. So maybe I’ll give in to the olive oil obsession.

Especially when it tastes so good! Tuna with olive oil, potatoes in olive oil, and tomato with olive oil. 

Check out the rest of Jennifer’s interesting article here. Any other foreigners living in Spain have olive oil stories?

Currently reading: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez (nearly done!)

Currently listening: “B is for Brutus” by the Hives