Can Drinking Olive Oil Help You Lose Weight?

Sarah Jio,Glamour magazine

Maybe you've heard about the so-called Shangri-La Diet pioneered by author Seth Roberts, PhD. Sounds crazy, right? So why are people saying that it ... works!?

See more: Spring 2012's Most Wearable Fashion Trends

A decade after the release of The Shangri-La Diet, a book by Seth Roberts, PhD, a professor of psychology, experts are now wondering if there may actually be something to his weight loss principles.

From Shape: "The Shangri-La Diet says you can lose weight by drinking 1-3 tablespoons of sugar water and/or 1-2 tablespoons of extra-light (not virgin) olive oil twice daily between meals. According to Roberts, the diet curbs your appetite and dramatically lowers your body's "set point" (the weight at which it naturally wants to settle)."

See more: 19 Cute Celebrity Hairstyles to Consider

The verdict? Experts are still on the fence about the results, but some say that this method has merit and may actually trick the body into weight loss. Here's the theory, explained by Shape: "If you eat a variety of familiar, flavor-rich foods, the brain stimulates hunger, raising the set point and causing weight gain. But if you consume foods with little or unfamiliar taste, the brain thinks the body must be starving (why else would you eat tasteless food?), thus lowering the set point and causing weight loss."

See more: 7 Signs of True Love

Fascinating, and yet, I'm still pretty skeptical. Thoughts on this?

P.S. Cookies made with olive oil and tofu? And, drizzle it on! Olive oil protects your health in big ways, say experts...

More from Glamour:
10 Things He's Thinking When You're Naked
18 Midlength Hairstyles to Consider
5 Quick Fixes for Anything That Jiggles
What Your Hair Says About You (According to Guys)