Yes, a small amount of extra virgin olive oil can fit a healthy diet, but taking it as a shot adds calories and rarely beats eating it with food.
Olive oil has earned a strong reputation for a reason. It’s rich in monounsaturated fat, it carries plant compounds found in extra virgin oil, and it shows up again and again in research on Mediterranean-style eating. That’s the good news.
The catch is simple: a shot is still oil. It packs a lot of calories into a tiny volume, and your body doesn’t get bonus points just because you swallowed it straight. For most people, olive oil works better as part of a meal than as a daily ritual done on an empty stomach.
If you’ve seen people take a tablespoon every morning, the real question isn’t whether olive oil is “good” in a vacuum. The real question is what you gain, what you give up, and whether the same oil would do more for you on vegetables, beans, fish, eggs, or whole grains.
Why Olive Oil Gets So Much Attention
Olive oil is mostly fat, but the type of fat matters. Its main fatty acid is oleic acid, which is linked with better heart markers when it replaces fats high in saturated fat. Extra virgin olive oil also carries polyphenols, which are natural compounds that are stripped down in more refined oils.
That’s why the type of olive oil matters. Extra virgin olive oil is pressed, not heavily refined, so it keeps more flavor and more of those natural compounds. A pale, neutral “light” olive oil may still be fine for cooking, yet it won’t bring the same mix of taste and polyphenols.
A shot can still deliver those fats and compounds. But the body doesn’t need the drama of a shot to use them. Drizzling the same amount over lunch does the same job, and it often helps you eat more fiber-rich foods at the same time.
Are Olive Oil Shots Good For You? The Part Most People Miss
A shot can be fine for some people. It can also be a poor trade for others. The answer changes with your diet, your calorie needs, and what the shot replaces.
If that spoonful replaces butter on toast or a creamy dressing at dinner, that’s one thing. If it gets added on top of an already full diet, that’s another. Olive oil isn’t magic. It’s a food. Food still counts.
There’s also a comfort issue. Some people feel queasy after taking oil straight, especially first thing in the morning. Others get reflux or loose stools when they take too much at once. That doesn’t mean olive oil is bad. It means the dose and timing can be a poor fit.
When A Shot May Be Worth It
- You struggle to get enough healthy fats in your meals.
- You need extra calories and have a low appetite.
- You already eat well and want a measured amount of extra virgin olive oil each day.
- You use a small serving, not a large pour.
When It’s Usually Not Worth It
- You’re trying to lose weight and haven’t budgeted for the calories.
- You feel sick after drinking oil plain.
- You use the shot as a stand-in for a balanced breakfast.
- You could get the same olive oil on actual food and enjoy it more.
What A Tablespoon Really Gives You
One tablespoon of olive oil is small, but it isn’t trivial. It gives you about 119 calories and roughly 13.5 grams of fat, with most of that coming from monounsaturated fat. That can be useful in the right place. It can also sneak up on you fast.
Two “healthy” shots a day can push close to 240 calories before breakfast is even on the table. If that extra intake helps you replace less helpful fats, fine. If it just stacks onto your usual meals, the math can turn on you.
That’s why portion size matters more than the trend. A teaspoon, a tablespoon, and a free-poured glug are not the same thing.
How Olive Oil Shots Compare With Other Ways To Eat It
Most research on olive oil isn’t built around taking it like a supplement. It’s built around eating patterns where olive oil is used with meals. In the republished PREDIMED trial, people following a Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil had lower rates of major cardiovascular events than those assigned to a reduced-fat diet. You can read the trial in the New England Journal of Medicine.
That matters because the meal pattern may be doing part of the work. Olive oil on tomatoes, lentils, greens, fish, or whole grains can help make those foods more satisfying, so you’re not just adding fat. You’re building a meal you’ll stick with.
| Way To Use Olive Oil | What You Gain | Main Drawback |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon as a shot | Quick, measured intake of healthy fat | Easy to add calories without much fullness |
| Drizzled on vegetables | Better taste and easier to eat more produce | Portion can creep up if not measured |
| Used in salad dressing | Pairs olive oil with fiber-rich foods | Bottled dressings can add sugar or sodium |
| Added to beans or grains | Makes simple staples more filling | Can turn a light meal heavy if overdone |
| Cooked with eggs or fish | Works well with protein-rich foods | Still calorie-dense |
| Mixed into yogurt or dips | Easy texture upgrade and good flavor | Not everyone likes the taste |
| Used instead of butter | Better fat profile in many meals | Doesn’t fit every recipe or taste |
| Large daily “wellness” shot | Easy habit to repeat | Can crowd out a smarter meal choice |
What The Research Actually Says
The strongest case for olive oil is tied to heart health and meal quality, not to dramatic single-shot rituals. The FDA allows a qualified health claim for oils rich in oleic acid, including olive oil, when they replace fats higher in saturated fat. The wording matters, and so does the swap. You can read the claim on the FDA page on oleic acid and coronary heart disease.
That “replace” part is where many olive oil shot posts go off track. Adding olive oil is not the same as replacing a less helpful fat with it. If nothing gets swapped out, you may just be taking in more calories.
There’s also no hard rule saying you must drink it plain for it to work. A tablespoon on food still delivers the same fat. If it helps you eat more vegetables or stick with a meal built around whole foods, that may be the smarter move.
Olive Oil Shots And Weight Goals
This is where the habit can help or hurt. Olive oil can make meals more satisfying, which may help some people eat less later. But the oil itself is still energy-dense. A tablespoon has close to 120 calories, and those calories are easy to miss because liquid fat doesn’t feel as filling as chewing through a whole meal.
USDA nutrient data puts one tablespoon of olive oil at about 119 calories, with almost all of that coming from fat. You can check the numbers in USDA FoodData Central.
If weight loss is your goal, a daily shot only makes sense when it replaces something else. That could be mayo, butter, cream-heavy sauces, or random snack calories later in the day. If it doesn’t replace anything, it can slow progress even though the oil itself has a good nutrition profile.
| Person Or Goal | Shot A Good Fit? | Smarter Move |
|---|---|---|
| Trying to lose weight | Only if it replaces other calories | Measure 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon on meals |
| Low appetite or need more calories | Often yes | Add it to soups, eggs, grains, or toast |
| Heart-health minded eater | Sometimes | Use extra virgin olive oil in place of butter or creamy sauces |
| Gets reflux or nausea | Usually no | Take it with food or skip the habit |
| Wants a simple daily habit | Could work | Measure the dose and track total intake |
Who Should Be Careful
Most adults can eat olive oil safely in normal food amounts, but a straight shot isn’t for everyone. If you have gallbladder trouble, chronic reflux, frequent diarrhea, or you feel off after fatty foods, plain oil may not sit well. People taking medicine that changes digestion or fat absorption may also want to be cautious.
There’s also a quality issue. If you’re taking olive oil straight, buy one you’d happily eat on food. A stale bottle with flat flavor won’t do you any favors. Fresh extra virgin olive oil should smell lively and taste grassy, peppery, fruity, or a little bitter.
The Better Way To Use Olive Oil Daily
For most people, the sweet spot is simple: use extra virgin olive oil on real meals. That gets you the same food with better texture, better taste, and a better shot at staying full.
- Measure your serving for a week so you know what “a tablespoon” looks like.
- Use it where it replaces butter, creamy dressings, or other fats you’d rather cut back on.
- Pair it with vegetables, beans, fish, eggs, potatoes, or whole grains.
- If you still want a shot, keep it modest and see how your stomach handles it.
So, are olive oil shots good for you? They can be, in the narrow sense that olive oil is a nutritious fat. But the shot itself is not the star. The better win usually comes from using olive oil in a diet built around whole foods, sensible portions, and smart swaps.
References & Sources
- New England Journal of Medicine.“Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet Supplemented with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Nuts.”Reports lower rates of major cardiovascular events in a Mediterranean diet pattern that included extra virgin olive oil.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).“FDA Completes Review of Qualified Health Claim Petition for Oleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease.”Explains the qualified health claim tied to oleic acid-rich oils when they replace fats higher in saturated fat.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).“FoodData Central: Oil, Olive, Salad or Cooking.”Provides calorie and fat data used for the tablespoon serving details in the article.
Mo Maruf
I created WellFizz to bridge the gap between vague wellness advice and actionable solutions. My mission is simple: to decode the research and give you practical tools you can actually use.
Beyond the data, I am a passionate traveler. I believe that stepping away from the screen to explore new environments is essential for mental clarity and physical vitality.