In the ever-changing world of supposed health and wellness fads adopted by celebrities, a new trend has emerged: drinking daily “shots” of olive oil.
Celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian, Beyonce, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez extol the virtues of drinking extra virgin olive oil and rubbing it on their skin, attributing the glow to their skin to this liquid gold.
Lopez even based her JLo Beauty brand on this culinary ingredient, stating that her youthful appearance was not the result of Botox or surgery, but rather a family beauty secret she had decided to share: moisturizing with olive oil.
She is not alone in that. Hollywood star Goldie Hawn drinks olive oil before bed and uses it as a topical moisturizer, while Sophia Loren claims to bathe in it.
As much as these celebrities trust in the beautifying properties of olive oil, the reality is that some skin types should avoid it. If used by people prone to acne or eczema, for example, it could aggravate their problems. But even with healthy skin, some dermatologists advise against using olive oil for skin care. Bad news for JLo's businesses.
Meanwhile, thanks largely to celebrity promotion, drinking olive oil has become a global TikTok sensation. There are many viral videos showing influencers taking shots of cult olive oil brands while proclaiming a wide range of health benefits, from improving digestion to eliminating acne. But what is true?
There is no doubt that olive oil is full of good things. It has a high content of polyphenols and antioxidants, which protect the body's tissues. It is also a rich source of essential fatty acids, such as oleic acid, known to lower cholesterol, which reduces the chances of suffering from heart disease.
Science has shown that incorporating olive oil into the diet has encouraging effects on a variety of inflammatory diseases. It can also help with weight control if used correctly.
What's more, replacing butter, margarine, mayonnaise, and dairy fat with olive oil has been linked to a lower risk of mortality. There is even evidence that the protective compounds in olive oil can help protect against cancer, prevent dementia, and keep the liver and kidneys healthy. That is why nutritionists have been promoting extra virgin olive oil for years as an optimal substitute for saturated fats in cooking. Nothing new under the sun.
After all, a constant element of the Mediterranean diet, which has been considered one of the healthiest in the world for decades, is precisely virgin olive oil. It is used as the main source of cooking fat and is included in all types of foods, from salad dressings to bread.
Fats are crucial for a balanced diet, as they contribute to the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K, as well as increasing the nutritional value of foods.
However, fats are also calorie dense and excessive consumption can lead to weight gain. According to the World Health Organization, to avoid unhealthy weight gain, adults should limit fat consumption to 30% of total energy intake, with no more than 10% coming from saturated fat.
Two tablespoons of olive oil – the usual amount in photos of celebrities and influencers on social media – contain 28 g of fat (238 calories) and 3.8 g of saturated fat, which is equivalent to 19% of the recommended daily intake.
So, that daily shot of extra virgin might not be the best idea. Adding small amounts of olive oil to meals throughout the day seems like a more balanced – and appetizing – method of incorporating healthy fats into your diet.
So what about Kourtney Kardashian's recommendation to “consume extra virgin olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach so the oil can coat your system and neutralize the stomach walls for optimal benefits”? There is no scientific evidence to corroborate the benefits of drinking oil on an empty stomach. For a healthier and more appetizing snack, Kourtney could try including a handful of olives in her daily diet. Olives offer nutrients, such as vitamins E, A and K, as well as essential amino acids and minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium or potassium.
Unlike olive oil, olives have the added benefit of their high fiber content. The combination of fat and fiber increases the feeling of satiety, making olives a nutritious complement to the diet.
