The Inquisitive Olive

Dr. William Li

I’m Dr. William Li, a physician, scientist and New York Times bestselling author of 2 New York Times bestselling books Eat to Beat Disease and Eat to Beat Your Diet. My mission is to empower people to use food as medicine to transform their health, fight disease, and enjoy a higher quality, longer life.

Dr. William Li

Kosterina Family,

Dr. Li truly elevates the concept of food as medicine, showing us how the right foods can profoundly impact our health and well-being. His deep expertise in nutrition aligns with our philosophy at Kosterina, where we believe in the transformative power of the Mediterranean diet, with extra virgin olive oil at its heart. We were blown away to see that he researches foods with the same rigor as pharmaceuticals. Like Dr. Li, we are passionate about the science-backed benefits of eating for health—and are excited to share his holistic approach as well as include his bestselling book alongside our high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil in our new Eat to Beat Disease Book Set.

"I grew up in a family where there was a great appreciation of food and traditions, and the city where I lived had a great cultural festival, bringing a celebration of foods from many countries, including Greece, Italy, and the Mediterranean. During a gap year after college, I went to Greece to learn more about food, culture, and health. I then became a physician and scientist dedicated to understanding how to conquer difficult diseases. And while new and better treatments are what every doctor seeks — I could never forget the importance of healthy food in the Mediterranean. So, I began to research foods from that region using the same rigorous scientific techniques that are used to research pharmaceuticals. To my great delight, the results exceeded my expectations. Foods like tomatoes, capers, oregano, lemons, and extra virgin olive oil all have properties that can support our body’s health defenses for prevention and amplify the benefits of medical treatments. Oh, and other healthy food traditions, such as Asian cuisine, have similar benefits. Food as medicine became my passion, and the immediacy of the knowledge about healthy food is what motivates me to get my message out to the world." - Dr. William Li

Self

What’s your passion? What makes you feel most alive? 

Cooking. I love to cook Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. 

What about you surprises people when you first meet them? 

People are often surprised by how much I love to explore new foods and flavors. You’ll often see me talk about my favorite style of eating - MediterAsian style on my YouTube channel.

Drop us with some knowledge. What’s the one fact, insight, or story about your area of expertise you’d like to share? Is there a wellness myth you can bust for us? 

Here’s one myth I love to bust: “olive oil is not good for cooking”. In fact, it is excellent for sautéing, stewing, roasting, grilling, you name it. The smoke point is not super low, and plus, whatever you cook with EVOO gets to be loaded with the polyphenols from the oil. https://news.drwilliamli.com/c/waystouseverginoliveoil

Culture & Relationships

How do you stay connected with loved ones?

Sitting down and eating together.

Body

Take us with you on a grocery shopping trip. What’s always in your cart (real or virtual)? Do you hit up farmer’s markets, local bakeries, food coops, etc.? 

Must haves: tomatoes, ripe seasonal fruits, garlic, onions, leafy greens, carrots

What must-haves are in your pantry?

Extra virgin olive oil, coffee beans, loose leaf tea, honey, capers, tomato paste, anchovy paste, tinned seafood, dark chocolate