To Shot or Not? The Truth About Olive Oil Shots

live oil shots are a modern wellness trend inspired by a much older Mediterranean habit. Some people enjoy taking a daily spoonful of extra virgin olive oil straight, while others prefer it drizzled over food. Both can work. The most important factor is not how you consume olive oil, but the quality of the extra virgin olive oil itself.

Should You Take Olive Oil Shots?

Olive oil shots are everywhere right now.

From wellness influencers to nutrition experts, more and more people are taking a daily spoonful or shot of extra virgin olive oil first thing in the morning.

But should you actually be taking olive oil shots? Or is olive oil better enjoyed drizzled generously over food?

In our house, we believe there's room for both.

My husband loves his daily morning shot of our Governor extra virgin olive oil, neat, straight from the spoon. I, on the other hand, prefer to drizzle mine over food: ripe tomatoes, warm bread, roasted vegetables, salads, pasta, cakes and even ice cream.

Are Olive Oil Shots Actually New?

While olive oil shots may feel like the latest wellness trend, the idea itself is far from modern.

Across Greece and the wider Mediterranean, olive oil has been consumed daily for thousands of years, not as a "health hack," but simply as part of life.

Farmers and labourers would often start the day with bread dipped in olive oil or even a spoonful of oil before long hours working in the fields, partly because it was nourishing, sustaining and helped keep them full.

In many Greek households, a spoonful of olive oil in the morning was also traditionally believed to support digestion and overall well-being.

Long before wellness trends existed, Mediterranean families were already treating olive oil as both food and daily nourishment.

The difference now is simply that social media has turned an old Mediterranean habit into a modern trend.

Is Olive Oil Better With Food?

EVOO can actually work synergistically with certain foods, helping your body absorb nutrients more effectively. This is one of the foundations of the Mediterranean way of eating: combining simple, nutrient-rich ingredients together.

One of the best-known examples is tomatoes. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, but lycopene is fat-soluble, meaning your body absorbs it better when eaten with healthy fats like olive oil.

Olive Oil and Leafy Greens such as spinach, kale and rocket contain vitamins A, E and K, which are also fat-soluble. Adding extra virgin olive oil to salads or cooked greens helps your body absorb these nutrients more effectively.

Vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene, another antioxidant that becomes more bioavailable when eaten alongside healthy fats.

A drizzle of olive oil doesn’t just improve flavour; it also helps unlock nutritional benefits.

Even over pasta, olive oil offers more than flavour. When combined with fibre and protein, olive oil can help slow digestion and reduce the glycaemic load of a meal, helping energy levels stay steadier, and meals feel more satisfying.

What Are the Benefits of Olive Oil?

A high-quality extra virgin olive oil is naturally rich in monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

For centuries, olive oil has been a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, which is consistently associated with longevity and overall health.

Many people who take olive oil daily say they enjoy benefits such as:

Supporting heart health
Helping reduce inflammation
Supporting digestion
Increasing satiety
Supporting skin health
Providing a natural source of healthy fats

One reason many people swear by a daily olive oil shot is digestion and regularity.

Extra virgin olive oil has traditionally been used to help support regular bowel movements, and many people say a spoonful first thing in the morning helps "keep things moving," particularly when combined with a balanced diet rich in fibre, vegetables and water.

Taking a spoonful of olive oil is simply a concentrated way to consume it, particularly when using fresh, high-polyphenol extra-virgin olive oil.

But quality matters enormously.

A true extra virgin olive oil should taste vibrant and alive, grassy, peppery, slightly fruity and fresh.