Is it good to drink olive oil every day?

A daily amount of extra virgin olive oil fits a healthy diet, and studies link it with better blood lipids and post-meal glucose. The benefit comes mainly from using it in place of butter or other fats rather than adding it on top. There is no evidence that drinking it neat is better than eating it with food, so a shot is a preference, not a requirement.

How much olive oil should I drink a day?

The EU's authorised polyphenol claim is based on 20 g a day, about one and a half tablespoons, and many dietary studies use 10-50 g of total olive oil daily. One tablespoon is roughly 13.5 g and 120 kcal. If you have a medical condition or are watching your weight, agree on an amount with your doctor or dietitian.

Is it better to drink olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach?

No trial has shown that an empty stomach improves the effect. The measured benefits, such as lower blood glucose after eating, come from oil taken with meals. A fasting dose also makes the gallbladder contract strongly — hospitals use olive oil for exactly that test — so people with gallstones should ask their doctor before trying a morning shot.

What polyphenol level should olive oil for drinking have?

The EU health claim requires 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 g, equal to 250 mg/kg. Because phenolics fall by roughly half within a year, researchers suggest above 500 mg/kg at bottling for an oil labelled high-phenolic. Ask for a lot figure with its measurement date, and check whether it is total phenols or hydroxytyrosol.

Why does drinking olive oil make me cough?

The cough comes from oleocanthal, a phenolic compound in fresh extra virgin oil that activates the TRPA1 receptor in the throat. Tasting panels grade this pungency as a positive attribute. It is stronger in early harvest oils and fades as an oil ages, so a gentle cough usually means a fresh oil rather than a faulty one.

Reading the label #6

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2 October 2026 · 3 min read

What Is the Best Olive Oil for Drinking Daily? 5 Numbers to Check

Quick Answer

The best olive oil for drinking is a fresh extra virgin oil with zero sensory defects, low acidity and peroxide, a recent harvest date and a measured polyphenol figure. Drinking it neat is the harshest test an oil can face: no food hides staleness, so freshness matters more than any brand or price.

This article provides general information and is not medical advice. Discuss health decisions with a qualified professional.

The best olive oil to drink daily is a fresh extra virgin oil that passes five checks: no sensory defects, low acidity, low peroxide, a harvest date inside the last year and a polyphenol figure measured on that lot. Variety and origin come after those numbers. A spoonful taken neat is the least forgiving way to meet an oil — nothing on the plate masks a stale or flawed one — so the bar is higher than for cooking.

The five numbers, in order of importance

Sensory defects: zero. The IOC trade standard requires a panel median of 0 for defects in extra virgin oil. In the UC Davis study of 2010, 69% of imported supermarket oils labelled extra virgin failed that standard, through oxidation, poor fruit or blending with refined oil. Neat, those defects are what you taste.
Harvest date: under 12 months. A qNMR survey of Greek oils found samples kept only 54.1% of their phenolic content after a year at room temperature.
Polyphenols: measured, with a date. Look for a lot figure, not a claim. Note what was measured: the EU health claim counts hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives, not total phenols — the distinction is explained in our polyphenols guide.
Peroxide: well under the legal 20. It tracks early oxidation; a low value at bottling buys shelf life.
Acidity: well under the legal 0.8%. It reflects fruit condition and time to the press.

How much is a "shot"?

Most shot routines use one tablespoon, about 13.5 g and roughly 120 kcal. The only EU-authorised polyphenol claim (Regulation 432/2012) is tied to a daily intake of 20 g — about one and a half tablespoons. So a single tablespoon of an oil that only just clears the 250 mg/kg threshold delivers about two-thirds of the amount the claim is based on. Calories matter too: if the oil is added rather than swapped for butter or other fats, 120 kcal a day accumulates.

Neat, or with food?

No trial has shown that drinking olive oil on an empty stomach works better than eating it. The measured effects come from meals: in Violi and colleagues' 2015 study, 10 g of extra virgin oil added to a Mediterranean-style lunch lowered two-hour blood glucose from 131 to 106 mg/dL. A spoon on salad or bread counts just as much as a shot. One caution: a fasting dose of olive oil is what hospitals use to make the gallbladder contract, so if you have gallstones or digestive problems, talk to your doctor before starting a daily routine.

Why the cough is fine

A fresh, high-phenolic oil drunk neat often stings the throat and can make you cough. That is oleocanthal, graded by the IOC as positive pungency, not a fault — see why olive oil burns your throat. A flat, waxy taste is the warning sign.

What we drink in Milas

For drinking neat, the oil we point people to is our October pick: Memecik olives picked green and pressed the same day in a closed system. Our lot register publishes the analysis values for every lot — lot 2025-EH-03 measured 384 mg/kg total polyphenols, 0.28% acidity and peroxide 7.4. That early-harvest oil goes into the Ultra Premium 500 ml; at a daily 20 g a half-litre bottle lasts about three weeks, so it is finished long before it ages. For the variety behind it, see Memecik olive oil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it good to drink olive oil every day?: A daily amount of extra virgin olive oil fits a healthy diet, and studies link it with better blood lipids and post-meal glucose. The benefit comes mainly from using it in place of butter or other fats rather than adding it on top. There is no evidence that drinking it neat is better than eating it with food, so a shot is a preference, not a requirement.
How much olive oil should I drink a day?: The EU's authorised polyphenol claim is based on 20 g a day, about one and a half tablespoons, and many dietary studies use 10-50 g of total olive oil daily. One tablespoon is roughly 13.5 g and 120 kcal. If you have a medical condition or are watching your weight, agree on an amount with your doctor or dietitian.
Is it better to drink olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach?: No trial has shown that an empty stomach improves the effect. The measured benefits, such as lower blood glucose after eating, come from oil taken with meals. A fasting dose also makes the gallbladder contract strongly — hospitals use olive oil for exactly that test — so people with gallstones should ask their doctor before trying a morning shot.
What polyphenol level should olive oil for drinking have?: The EU health claim requires 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 g, equal to 250 mg/kg. Because phenolics fall by roughly half within a year, researchers suggest above 500 mg/kg at bottling for an oil labelled high-phenolic. Ask for a lot figure with its measurement date, and check whether it is total phenols or hydroxytyrosol.
Why does drinking olive oil make me cough?: The cough comes from oleocanthal, a phenolic compound in fresh extra virgin oil that activates the TRPA1 receptor in the throat. Tasting panels grade this pungency as a positive attribute. It is stronger in early harvest oils and fades as an oil ages, so a gentle cough usually means a fresh oil rather than a faulty one.

Sources

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