Should You Put Olive Oil in Your Coffee?
Olive oil in coffee sounds strange until you see how many people swear by it. A spoonful goes into the cup, gets blended, and the drink turns silky. Adding olive oil to coffee has gone from a Mediterranean habit to a social media trend. The question is whether it is good for you or just a good story.
Start with what the research does cover. A 2017 umbrella review in the BMJ by Poole and colleagues pulled together 201 reviews of observational coffee studies. The lowest risks of early death and heart disease showed up at three to four cups a day. Those studies cannot prove cause and effect. And we could not find a single human trial that tests olive oil in coffee. So this post separates what is known about each ingredient from what is only assumed about the pair.
|
At a Glance: Olive Oil in Coffee • A 2017 BMJ umbrella review of 201 meta-analyses linked three to four cups of coffee a day with the lowest risk of early death and heart disease. The data are observational. • We found no human trial that tests olive oil in coffee. Any benefit of the mix is assumed from each ingredient on its own. • A major coffee chain’s olive oil drinks in 2023 used one spoonful of oil, which added about 120 calories per drink. • A dietitian told CNN that a drink with high fat and coffee can cause cramping and a laxative effect, but it is not going to make someone physically ill. • A tablespoon of olive oil is about 120 calories, so a daily spoonful adds up to roughly 840 calories a week. |
Why People Are Putting Olive Oil in Coffee
In parts of the Mediterranean, taking a spoonful of olive oil each day is a routine. In 2023, that habit reached the coffee aisle. A CNN report carried by ABC7 described how a major coffee chain launched drinks with a spoonful of olive oil in each cup. The company’s former CEO said he picked up the habit while visiting a Sicilian olive oil producer.
The idea also borrows from bulletproof coffee, where people blend butter or coconut oil into a cup to feel full longer. Olive oil is the lighter, plant-based version of that idea.
For why people take a spoonful of oil on its own, see Why Do People Take a Shot of Olive Oil Every Morning?.
What Olive Oil Does to the Taste and Texture
Oil and water do not mix. If you stir olive oil into coffee, most of it floats on top as a thin film. Blending or frothing breaks the oil into tiny drops and gives the silky, creamy feel that fans describe.
Taste is where opinions split. A fresh, high-quality olive oil is grassy and peppery. Next to bitter coffee, some people like that, and others find it harsh. A mild, old, or refined oil mostly disappears into the cup, so it adds fat without adding much else.
What the Research Says About Coffee and Fat
There are two separate bodies of research here. The first is coffee. The BMJ review found that the largest drop in risk came at three to four cups a day compared with none. The authors were careful to say that randomized trials are still needed, because the studies they pooled were observational.
The second is olive oil, and that research is strong, but it is about eating olive oil in food. It is not about putting it in a cup. People who use butter or coconut oil in coffee often swap in olive oil because it is the better fat for the heart. For that comparison, see Olive Oil vs Coconut Oil: Which Wins for Heart Health?.
“We could not find a single human trial that tests olive oil in coffee. Any benefit is assumed from each ingredient on its own.”
Some websites claim olive oil slows how fast your body absorbs caffeine, or that the two boost each other’s antioxidants. Fat does slow stomach emptying, so the first idea is plausible. But we found no study that confirms either claim, so treat them as guesses.
Does Hot Coffee Hurt the Oil?
Probably not by much. A cup of coffee is hot, but it is well below the temperatures of a frying pan, and you drink it within minutes. Heat does change olive oil, and how much depends on the temperature and the time. The studies behind that are laid out in Raw vs Cooked Olive Oil: What You Keep and What You Lose. A cup of coffee is a far gentler test than the ones in that post.
Who Should Skip It
The biggest downside is not toxicity. It is calories and your gut.
One spoonful of olive oil is about 120 calories. If you already eat olive oil with meals, a daily spoonful in your coffee is extra, not a swap. Over a week, that is roughly 840 calories.
Your gut may object too. In the CNN report, registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade said coffee already stimulates the bowels. Add a high-fat drink and the combination can cause cramping and a laxative effect. She also said the drink is not going to make anyone physically ill, and that many people drink coffee on the go with no fiber or carbohydrates to cushion it.
So skip it, or ask your doctor first, if you have a sensitive stomach, a bowel condition, a gallbladder problem, or advice to limit fat. For how olive oil behaves before food, see Olive Oil on an Empty Stomach: Does It Actually Work.
How to Try It Well
If you want to try it, keep it small and keep it simple.
Start with one teaspoon, not a tablespoon, and see how your stomach feels. Drink it with breakfast rather than alone if your gut is sensitive. Blend or froth it, since a stirred cup leaves oil on top.
Count it as part of your daily olive oil, not on top of it. For how much is a reasonable total, see How Much Olive Oil Should You Take Per Day?.
The oil matters more here than in cooking, because you taste it raw. A USDA organic olive oil with real flavor will show up in the cup. A weak, stale oil will only add calories.
|
Why Four Hour Olive Oil Is Worth Putting in a Cup, If You Do Polyphenols, the plant compounds behind much of olive oil’s flavor and benefit, start fading the moment olives are picked. Much grocery store oil has lost a large share of them before it reaches your shelf. In coffee, where the oil is not cooked and you taste every note, that difference shows. Four Hour Olive Oil presses Ayvalik olives within 4 hours of harvest on the Aegean coast of Turkey. It is USDA Organic, single origin, and bottled in Italian dark glass, which makes it a true high-polyphenol olive oil with real flavor. If you are going to put olive oil in your coffee, the oil should actually contain what you are taking it for. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you put olive oil in your coffee?
It is safe for most people, but the benefits are unproven. We found no human trial that tests olive oil in coffee. If you try it, start with a teaspoon and watch how your stomach responds.
Can you add olive oil to coffee?
Yes. People do it by blending or frothing a teaspoon or a tablespoon of oil into a hot cup. Stirring alone leaves the oil floating on top.
Is olive oil in coffee good for you?
Each ingredient has research behind it. Coffee shows lower risks of early death and heart disease at three to four cups a day in observational studies, and olive oil has strong evidence as part of a diet. No study has tested the two together.
Does olive oil in hot coffee ruin it?
Probably not by much. Coffee is far cooler than a frying pan, and you drink it quickly. Heat does change olive oil, but a cup is a gentle test.
Does olive oil in coffee make you poop?
It can. A dietitian told CNN that coffee already stimulates the bowels, and adding a high-fat drink can cause cramping and a laxative effect. It is not going to make you ill, and not everyone reacts.
How much olive oil should you put in coffee?
Start with one teaspoon. A full tablespoon is about 120 calories, and it is more likely to upset your stomach. Count it as part of your daily olive oil, not on top of it.
Should you have olive oil before or after coffee?
No research settles this. If your stomach is sensitive, take it with food. For more on olive oil before eating, see our empty stomach guide.
Can you use olive oil in bulletproof coffee?
People do. They swap it for butter or coconut oil. No study has tested it, but olive oil is a better choice for the heart than either. Expect a different flavor, and expect the same calories.
Is olive oil better than MCT oil in coffee?
We found no head-to-head comparison. Olive oil brings polyphenols and has strong heart evidence from food studies. MCT oil is a different kind of fat with its own claims. Neither has been tested in coffee in people.
Does olive oil in coffee help you lose weight?
There is no evidence for it. A spoonful adds about 120 calories. Some people feel fuller, but the oil is not a weight loss tool.
What kind of olive oil should you use in coffee?
Use a fresh extra virgin olive oil that you enjoy tasting. Four Hour Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a good everyday choice for a daily cup. A mild or stale oil adds calories without adding much else.
Why does olive oil float on coffee?
Oil and water do not mix, and oil is lighter. Blending or frothing breaks the oil into tiny drops and spreads it through the drink.
|
References [1] Poole, R., et al. "Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes." BMJ 359: j5024. 2017. Correction published in BMJ 360: k194. 2018. View study [2] Maruf, R. "Starbucks’ new olive oil-infused drink has some customers complaining about running to the bathroom." CNN, via ABC7 Los Angeles. April 2023. View study |
The studies cited in this post are peer-reviewed and publicly available. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet or health regimen.