Are Olive Oil Shots Actually Good for You?
TikTok’s olive oil and lemon shot. Photo credit Pamela Vachon
A pillar of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil has long been associated with healthy living. Leave it to TikTok, though, to take something undeniably good and alter how it’s consumed to try to concentrate its benefits. Enter the olive oil shot, which has joined the list of health-focused shooters like castor oil, apple cider vinegar, and wheatgrass in the long line of wellness fads. Influencers and celebrities have popularized taking a shot of olive oil, sometimes spiked with a little freshly squeezed lemon juice, as a bedtime “detox,” or morning supplement, claiming that it benefits digestion and skin health.
As with any health trend that gains momentum via social media personalities rather than scientists or health experts, one must also take the olive oil shot with a healthy dose of skepticism. Farhan Abdullah, DO, Medical Director of Magnolia Functional Wellness, and Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN, and founder of Nutritious Life, shared insights into whether this potion is really the liquid gold some have made it out to be.
So, are olive oil shots actually good for you? Let’s dive in.
How Olive Oil Shots Claim to Work
An olive oil shot with a side of lemon. Photo credit Pamela Vachon
Proponents of the shot cite benefits centered on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that extra virgin olive oil brings. The golden nectar is a supposed yellow brick road leading to all manner of health benefits such as better digestion, enhanced liver function, joint wellness, collagen production, cholesterol support, cardiovascular enhancement, and rejuvenated skin, among others. Sounds promising.
Evidence-based research has shown that olive oil does offer a number of health benefits.
“Extra virgin olive oil is a super nutritious food, and there is strong research supporting its role in cardiometabolic health,” Glassman says.
Farham Abdullah, DO. Photo credit Magnolia Functional Wellness
In particular, Abdullah emphasizes the ingredient’s cardiovascular benefits, especially for cholesterol.
“Olive oil contains large amounts of monounsaturated fats and polyphenols that both possess potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics,” he says. “As such, I commonly prescribe it for heart health due to its potential ability to enhance lipid profiles by increasing HDL and decreasing oxidized LDL.”
Do Olive Oil Shots Actually Work?
Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN. Photo credit Nutritious Life
According to Glassman, however, the focus on taking a straight concentrated dose misses the point. The real value of olive oil isn’t in how you take it — it’s how consistently you consume it.
“The key point is that the benefit comes from regularly consuming high-quality extra virgin olive oil, though, not necessarily from doing it as a ‘shot.’”
Taking a shot of olive oil, often on an empty stomach, does not ultimately deliver the same benefits as it would as part of an actual meal, no matter how high-quality the oil.
“If someone likes taking a small spoonful on its own, that is fine,” Glassman adds, “but it is not nutritionally superior to incorporating it into meals.” Instead of reaching for a shot glass, Glassman suggests consistently including it with other nutrient-dense foods.
“Personally, I’d rather see someone use extra virgin olive oil in a way they’ll actually enjoy and repeat, like drizzled over vegetables, beans, salads, fish, or grain bowls,” she says.
Drawbacks of the Olive Oil Shot Trend
For most healthy people, consuming extra virgin olive oil on its own is not harmful. But for certain people, such as individuals with a history of gallbladder complications, or people who struggle with gastrointestinal issues, consuming extra virgin olive oil by itself could actually have downsides. For this reason, Abdullah cautions against taking it on an empty stomach.
“Eating fats alone can occasionally result in minor gastrointestinal disturbances or even nausea, particularly in highly sensitive individuals,” he says. “Combining consumption with food enhances stimulation of bile production, thereby improving digestive function.”
In fact, isolating olive oil may actually reduce its health benefits, Abdullah says. “Eating olive oil in isolation does not provide the same level of metabolic or nutritionally positive effects as adding it to whole foods,” he explains. “The body works better at absorbing fat, sending satiety signals, and regulating blood glucose levels when nutrients are eaten together.”
Most people in good health can rest easy knowing that there’s little risk in taking them.
For Health Benefits, Be Sure to Get the Good Stuff
Health experts say it’s important to buy fresh, high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Photo credit Pamela Vachon
Of course, the most important factor in consuming olive oil, whether you’re downing it or drizzling it, is to make sure to get the highest quality for the maximum benefit. This means choosing extra virgin olive oil.
“It is the least processed form,” Glassman says, “so it retains more of the phenolic compounds and other beneficial nutrients found in the olive.”
She also recommends looking for an olive oil that has been pressed within the last 12 to 18 months: “Olive oil is not one of those pantry items that improves with age. A harvest date is one of the best clues that you are getting fresher oil.”
In addition to freshness, Abdullah says it’s important to consider how the oil is processed and stored.
“I always advise consumers to purchase extra virgin olive oils that have been cold-pressed and placed in dark glass containers to prevent oxidative degradation,” he says.
Olive Oil Shots: The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, regular shots of olive oil aren’t bad for you. For most people, there’s little harm in trying one, typically taken as a tablespoon of olive oil—not a full 1.5-ounce shot—with the juice of half a lemon. Just know that it may not deliver TikTok’s promised results. As long as your doctor doesn’t advise against it, an olive oil shot is fine to try.
“Taking a shot can feel a little trendy and disconnected from how this food works best in real life,” Glassman says. “You do not need to take a daily shot of olive oil in order to be healthy.”
“The win is not doing something extreme or performative … The win is regularly using fresh, high-quality extra virgin olive oil in a balanced whole food diet. That is where the long-game health benefit is.”