Everything to know about olive oil benefits for your heart, gut and brain health
There are wellness fads that come and go – small ripples in the supersonic cycle of social media consumerism. And then there are those that date back thousands of years and have stood the test of time, through ancient civilisations to the present day.
One trend that can claim this sort of longevity is olive oil. The Ancient Egyptians were certainly onto something when, in 1550BCE, they called upon the nutrient-rich elixir for skin and joint ailments. Even with immense innovation in the skin and health space, olive oil benefits continue to get recognition today, from reducing inflammation to improved heart health.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or EVOO as it is known, has been “proven to reduce inflammation, decrease cholesterol, regulate blood sugar and support brain, gut and heart health. There have been thousands of peer-reviewed studies on this front with many specifically centred on its prevention of certain cancers, heart disease and neurodegenerative decline,” explains olive oil sommelier and founder of Citizens of Soil, Sarah Vachon.
But why does it have so many health associations? Jed Coleman, CEO and co-founder of Rise & Fall, explains, “The active ingredients are a class of compounds called polyphenols – hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein in particular – which behave as antioxidants in the body. The European Food Safety Authority permits a specific health claim that olive oil polyphenols help protect blood lipids from oxidative stress and the PREDIMED trial in the New England Journal of Medicine showed a roughly 30 per cent reduction in major cardiovascular events among people on a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil.”
It comes as no surprise, then, that the wellness community has jumped on its consumption. Don’t Die longevity entrepreneur Bryan Johnson is just one of the many high-profile individuals who waxes lyrical on its benefits – but there is so much more to it, says Vachon. “The virality of the olive oil ‘trend’ seems to be connected to the ‘food-as-medicine’ movement, combining with a distrust of the ultra-processed, fortified food space and a desire to get back to basics with whole foods that have been used to support health for millennia in the Mediterranean Basin and beyond.” Coleman explains, adding, “The polyphenols in olive oil are known to be anti-inflammatory and given inflammation lies at the heart of most chronic diseases, it’s understandable that olive oil is having its moment.”
A heavily documented trend on social media, content creators have taken to drinking a shot of olive oil each morning. So what do the experts make of that and is it worthwhile? “There’s a long tradition in southern Italy, Greece and parts of Spain of taking a spoonful of olive oil first thing,” Coleman says. As for whether it is worth it, “If the oil is high quality and high in polyphenols, you’re getting a meaningful dose of antioxidants. A tablespoon gets you comfortably into the range the EFSA claim is built on.” But he cautions, it’s all about feeling that peppery sting. “It’s the compound doing its job. If the oil doesn’t make you cough slightly, it probably isn’t doing very much.”
Vachon adds that it may help with “steadier energy levels, a curb in sugar cravings, better absorption of nutrients (for example, supplements you might take first thing) and work as a prebiotic to best set up your gut for the day. People with digestion issues often find this helps them when taken on an empty stomach as well.”
Intrigued? The Vogue team has been road testing the trend and here are all the health benefits of olive oil:
