A daily shot of olive oil, typically one to two tablespoons, delivers a concentrated dose of monounsaturated fat and plant compounds that can lower cardiovascular risk, reduce inflammation, smooth out blood sugar spikes, and help keep you regular. It’s not a miracle cure, but the benefits are well-documented, and the practice has become popular for good reason. Here’s what actually happens in your body when you drink it.
What’s in a Single Shot
A standard shot of olive oil is about one tablespoon (15 ml), which contains roughly 126 calories and 14 grams of fat. Nearly all of that fat is monounsaturated, the type consistently linked to better heart health. There’s no protein, no carbohydrates, no fiber.
The real difference between olive oils comes down to polyphenols, the protective plant compounds that give extra virgin olive oil its peppery bite. Extra virgin varieties contain anywhere from 50 to 1,000 milligrams of polyphenols per kilogram. Refined olive oil is essentially stripped of these compounds, along with most of its vitamins. If you’re going to take a daily shot, extra virgin is the only version worth choosing. It also provides vitamin E, though you’d need about four tablespoons a day to fully cover your recommended intake from olive oil alone.
Heart Protection
The strongest evidence for olive oil sits in cardiovascular research. The landmark PREDIMED trial, which followed thousands of people over five years, found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events (heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular death) by about 30% compared to a low-fat diet. That’s a meaningful difference for something as simple as adding olive oil to your routine.
The FDA has acknowledged this connection with a qualified health claim: daily consumption of about 1½ tablespoons (20 grams) of oils high in oleic acid, when used to replace saturated fats like butter, may reduce coronary heart disease risk. The key phrase there is “replace.” Pouring olive oil on top of an already high-fat diet won’t produce the same results. The benefit comes from swapping out less healthy fats, not simply adding more calories.
A Natural Anti-Inflammatory
If you’ve ever noticed a sharp, peppery sting at the back of your throat after swallowing good extra virgin olive oil, that’s oleocanthal, one of its most studied polyphenols. Oleocanthal works on the same inflammation pathways as ibuprofen. It inhibits the same enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) that drive pain and swelling, and at equal concentrations it actually outperforms ibuprofen, blocking 41% to 57% of enzyme activity compared to ibuprofen’s 13% to 18%.
That doesn’t mean a shot of olive oil replaces a painkiller for a headache. The concentrations used in lab studies are higher than what you’d get from a single tablespoon. But consumed daily over time, these anti-inflammatory effects accumulate. Researchers have found that oleocanthal also suppresses the production of signaling molecules involved in joint inflammation, which is why some scientists see potential for it in managing degenerative joint conditions.
Blood Sugar Control
One of the more practical benefits of a shot of olive oil is what it does to your blood sugar after eating. A randomized controlled trial in Diabetes Care found that when people consumed a high-glycemic meal (white bread, sugary foods) with extra virgin olive oil, their blood sugar response in the first three hours was roughly cut in half compared to eating that same meal with butter or with low fat content. The glucose area under the curve dropped from around 416 to 198 units.
This effect was specific to high-glycemic meals. When the meal was already low-glycemic, adding olive oil didn’t make a noticeable difference. So if you tend to eat meals with refined carbohydrates, taking olive oil alongside them can meaningfully blunt the blood sugar spike. Some people take their shot right before a meal for this reason.
Digestive Effects
Olive oil acts as a mild lubricant in the digestive tract, and there’s clinical evidence behind its use for constipation. A study comparing olive oil to mineral oil (the traditional medical laxative) found that daily olive oil was equally effective. Patients saw significant improvement across five of six constipation symptoms, including stool consistency and frequency of bowel movements.
Taking it on an empty stomach tends to amplify the laxative effect, which is partly why the morning shot has become a wellness trend. For some people, though, swallowing a tablespoon of pure fat first thing in the morning can cause mild nausea or stomach discomfort, especially when you’re not used to it. Starting with a teaspoon and working up to a full tablespoon over a week or two gives your digestive system time to adjust.
Appetite and Fullness
Fat is satiating, and olive oil specifically appears to trigger the release of GLP-1, a hormone that signals fullness to your brain. Oral intake of about 19 grams of olive oil (just over a tablespoon) has been shown to effectively stimulate GLP-1 release. In controlled studies, oil treatments containing olive oil increased feelings of satiety by 25% to 28% compared to no oil, and fullness ratings climbed by 24% to 47% over the hours following consumption.
This makes a morning shot potentially useful if you’re trying to manage portion sizes. The effect isn’t dramatic enough to replace a meal, but it may take the edge off hunger and help you eat a bit less at your next sitting.
Morning vs. Other Times of Day
There’s no rigorous clinical trial proving that morning is categorically better than evening for taking olive oil. The blood sugar benefits are tied to meals, so timing your shot before or with a carb-heavy meal matters more than the hour on the clock. The digestive benefits are strongest on an empty stomach, which naturally points toward mornings for most people. And the satiety effects are most useful when they precede a meal you’d otherwise overeat at.
In practice, the best time is whenever you’ll actually do it consistently. The cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory benefits come from long-term daily intake, not from a single perfectly timed dose. One and a half tablespoons a day is the threshold the FDA references for heart health claims, and that aligns well with the “shot” format most people follow.
Who Should Be Cautious
At 126 calories per tablespoon, olive oil adds up quickly if you’re not accounting for it. Two tablespoons a day is 252 calories, which over a week equals nearly a full day’s worth of extra food energy. The benefits depend on using olive oil to replace other fats in your diet, not layering it on top. People with gallbladder issues should also be careful, since any concentrated fat can trigger discomfort or gallbladder contractions. And if you’re on blood-thinning medication, the vitamin E and anti-inflammatory compounds in olive oil could theoretically amplify the effect, so that’s worth a conversation with your prescriber.