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Viral olive oil shots are promoted by celebs like model Hailey Bieber, reality star Kourtney Kardashian and actress Jennifer Lopez to benefit the skin and support overall health.
“I sound so old! I’m like, ‘Ah, I gotta take my olive oil shot in the morning,’” Bieber told TIME in April, saying she mixes it with lemon. “It really kind of just tastes like a big gulp of salad dressing.”
There are serious benefits to the oil, which is naturally anti-inflammatory – but experts say people should be cautious about how much they consume. You might be adding more calories to your morning than you think.
Just a teaspoon of olive oil has 40 calories, according to Rochester Medicine. A shot glass has about nine teaspoons, or 360 calories – around the same as a bacon, egg and gouda sandwich at Starbucks.
“Taking an olive oil shot or two every day can add several hundred calories to your daily calorie consumption,” Megan Meyer, a science communication consultant based in North Carolina, told Fox News Digital on Thursday.
“Consuming more calories than your body burns each day leads to weight gain, so taking an olive oil shot or two daily will most likely lead to weight gain over time,” she said.
A fat problem
The problem is that olive oil is primarily made of fat. Fortunately, the fat in olive oil is considered good for you when not consumed in excess.
One of those fats is oleic acid, which has been found to support heart health and lower levels of bad cholesterol that increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Oleic acid is part of why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says consuming about 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil instead of other fats and oils may reduce the risk for heart disease.
The recommended daily amount is typically just under 2 tablespoons, per 2025 federal guidelines.
Proven benefits
If you’re not consuming olive oil in excess, there are other proven benefits.
Olive oil has vitamin E, which supports a strong immune system, and has been tied to a reduced risk of dementia-related death. It also has beneficial plant compounds known as polyphenols, according to U.C. Davis Health.
Polyphenols can help the body manage inflammation that leads to disease. Though, the polyphenol content in olive oil varies. There are more polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil, which costs at least $20 a bottle.
“Any habit that gets polyphenols into your body is a step in the right direction,” Dr. Frank Lipman, a longevity expert and bestselling author, told HOLA! magazine. “If you’re doing the olive oil shot, quality matters. Make it high-quality extra virgin.”
