Ryan Seacrest and social media influencers promote taking olive oil shots on an empty stomach.Olive oil reduces inflammation and disease risk, and supports brain, heart and joint health.Olive oil shots are not any better for you than consuming olive oil with food.
Since leaving his morning co-hosting role with Kelly Ripa, Ryan Seacrest no longer needs to rush to leave the house first thing. Because of this, he’s been able to dial in his morning routine. “I don’t have to get out the door quite as fast,” Seacrest told our sister brand People in a 2023 interview. “So that’s been a little bit of a change of pace.”
Part of his morning routine includes a staple of the Mediterranean diet. “I have a shot of olive oil in the morning before my coffee every day,” says Seacrest. “I find that that actually helps with weight loss and helps with your inflammation; helps with all the different systems in your body.”
Seacrest isn’t alone in this fat shot strategy. Social media influencers sing the praises of olive oil shots on an empty stomach, claiming that they tame everything from bloating to chronic inflammation, reporting that it delivers benefits like clearer skin, stronger bones and more regular menstrual cycles. But is this habit healthy?
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The health benefits of olive oil are pretty undeniable. Consuming olive oil has been linked to heart and brain health, a lower risk for certain cancers, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, and lower levels of inflammation. There is evidence that extra virgin olive oil goes to work at the cellular level to protect against chronic disease.
However, you need not take shots of olive oil to score those benefits, and downing large amounts of olive oil at once may trigger digestive distress. There’s also no current science to stand behind any claims that there’s something special about sipping olive oil on an empty stomach. On the contrary, there are benefits to consuming olive oil with food, because it helps unlock the nutrients and health benefits of foods containing fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. These vitamins are best absorbed and used by the body when consumed with fat. Since olive oil is a fat, it can help act as an “usher” for these vitamins.
As far as Seacrest’s weight loss claims go, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil per day, and some studies have reported some health benefits for slightly more olive oil than that. A shot of olive oil is 3 tablespoons, and each of those tablespoons has 119 calories. This means that a shot of olive oil has 357 calories. If you’re taking a shot first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, those calories are added to your daily calorie tally before you’ve consumed a bite of food. If you add more olive oil and other fats to your menu throughout the day, it could be easy to go beyond the recommended percentage of daily fat intake, which is 25% to 30% of your total calories per day. Over time, consuming more calories than your body is using could result in weight gain. So if you do olive oil shots, take the calories into consideration for the rest of the day.
If you choose to do olive oil shots, consider taking half a shot to allow yourself room in the rest of the day to consume foods paired with olive oil. And if taking your olive oil shot on an empty stomach upsets it, have it with your breakfast. To date, there is no evidence that taking olive oil shots on an empty stomach is more efficacious than with food.
Our Expert Take
If you enjoy taking shots of olive oil in the morning and find that you feel better starting your day the Seacrest way, just keep its concentrated calorie content in mind as you plan the rest of the day’s menu. Nutrition isn’t one-size-fits-all, and if this works for you, cheers! That said, you’ll score additional health benefits if you consume olive oil as part of meals, as it helps your body absorb those fat-soluble vitamins. If you’re seeking new ways to sprinkle doses of olive oil into your menu, we highly recommend Garlic Hummus, Eat-the-Rainbow Chopped Salad with Basil and Mozzarella and Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette. And for dessert, Greek Walnut Spice Cake.
Dining and Cooking