Olive Oil Benefits: What the Research Actually Shows

Quick answer: The best-supported benefit of olive oil is for the heart. In a large trial in Spain, people on a Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil had about 30% fewer heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths than people on a low-fat diet. A 28-year study of over 92,000 Americans linked more than half a tablespoon a day with 19% lower cardiovascular mortality. Most benefits come when olive oil replaces butter, ghee, margarine or other saturated fats.

Olive oil is one of the most studied foods in nutrition science. That also means there are many exaggerated claims online. Below we separate what has good evidence from what does not, and we link to the studies so you can check them.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition or take medicine, speak to your doctor before changing your diet.

1. Lower risk of heart disease

This is the strongest evidence.

• The PREDIMED trial (Spain, 7,447 adults at high cardiovascular risk, about 4.8 years) compared a Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet with nuts, and a reduced-fat diet. Participants in the olive oil group received about one litre of extra virgin olive oil a week for the household and were asked to use at least four tablespoons a day. Their risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death was about 31% lower than the reduced-fat group.
• The Harvard cohort study (92,383 adults, 28 years of follow-up) found that people who consumed more than 7 g of olive oil a day, a little over half a tablespoon, had 19% lower cardiovascular mortality than those who rarely used it.
• The US Food and Drug Administration allows a qualified health claim that about 1.5 tablespoons (20 g) a day of oils high in oleic acid, including olive oil, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease when they replace fats higher in saturated fat. The FDA describes the evidence as supportive but not conclusive.

2. Mostly “good” fats

About three quarters of the fat in olive oil is monounsaturated, mainly oleic acid. Only around 14% is saturated. Replacing saturated fats (ghee, butter, palm-based vanaspati) with unsaturated fats is one of the most consistent dietary recommendations for heart health. See the full breakdown in olive oil calories and nutrition.

3. Natural antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil contains polyphenols such as hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein and oleocanthal, plus vitamin E. These are what make fresh oil taste bitter and peppery. The European Food Safety Authority approved a health claim that olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress, for oils that contain at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and related compounds per 20 g of oil.

Refining removes most of these compounds, which is why refined olive oil and pomace oil do not carry the same benefit. This is the main reason to choose extra virgin. Read more in olive oil polyphenols explained.

4. Lower death rates from several causes

In the same Harvard study, people with the highest olive oil intake also had 17% lower cancer mortality, 29% lower mortality from neurodegenerative disease and 18% lower respiratory mortality. Replacing 10 g a day of margarine, butter, mayonnaise or dairy fat with olive oil was linked to an 8 to 34% lower risk of death. These are observational findings: they show a strong link, not proof of cause, because olive oil users may also have other healthy habits.

5. Better than butter and ghee for everyday cooking

You do not need to drink olive oil to benefit. The simplest change is to cook with it instead of ghee or butter. Extra virgin olive oil is also stable at normal cooking temperatures. In a 2018 laboratory study it produced the fewest harmful compounds of ten oils heated to 180 °C for six hours. See best olive oil for cooking.

6. Helps you absorb vitamins from vegetables

Vitamins A, D, E and K and carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lycopene dissolve in fat. A spoon of olive oil on a salad, or tomatoes cooked in olive oil, helps your body take them up.

7. Part of the Mediterranean diet

Olive oil is the main fat of the Mediterranean diet, which is regularly ranked among the healthiest eating patterns. It works as part of a whole diet with vegetables, pulses, whole grains, fish and nuts, not on its own. Pakistani food already has many of these: daal, chana, sabzi, yoghurt and whole wheat roti.

8. Olive oil benefits for men

There is no special “male” benefit proven for olive oil. Men in Pakistan have high rates of heart disease, so the heart benefits above matter a lot. Some small studies have looked at olive oil and blood pressure or sperm quality, but the evidence is too limited to make claims.

9. Hair and skin

Olive oil can soften dry hair and reduce breakage. For skin, the evidence is mixed, and some research suggests it can weaken the skin barrier in some people. See olive oil for hair and olive oil for skin.

Drinking olive oil: what it does and does not do

Some people drink a spoon of olive oil on an empty stomach every morning. There is no evidence that drinking it is better than eating the same amount with food. A tablespoon taken on its own will not “detox” the body or burn fat. It does add about 119 calories. If you enjoy it, one or two tablespoons a day are reasonable for most adults, and it counts towards your total fat for the day.

Very large amounts can cause loose stools, and olive oil is high in calories, so it is not a weight-loss drink.

Claims without good evidence

• “Olive oil cures diabetes.” Diets rich in olive oil are linked with better blood sugar control, but olive oil is not a treatment.
• “Olive oil melts belly fat.” No food burns fat by itself.
• “Olive oil cures hair loss.” There is no human evidence for this.

How much olive oil per day?

The studies above saw benefits from about half a tablespoon to four tablespoons a day, used in place of other fats. For most people, two to three tablespoons a day in cooking and on salads is a sensible amount. Two tablespoons is about 240 calories.

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of extra virgin olive oil?

Lower risk of heart disease when it replaces saturated fat, healthy monounsaturated fat, natural polyphenols and vitamin E that protect blood lipids from oxidation, and better absorption of vitamins from vegetables.

Is olive oil good for the heart?

Yes. Large trials and long-term studies link olive oil, especially extra virgin, with fewer heart attacks and strokes when it replaces butter, ghee or margarine.

Is it good to drink olive oil every morning?

It is safe in small amounts for most adults, but it is not better than eating olive oil with food. It adds about 119 calories per tablespoon.

Is olive oil better than ghee?

For heart health, yes. Ghee is mostly saturated fat. Olive oil is mostly monounsaturated fat and, if extra virgin, contains antioxidants that ghee does not.

Which olive oil has the most benefits?

Fresh extra virgin olive oil, because refining removes most of the polyphenols. Look for a recent harvest date and a bitter, peppery taste.

Sources

• Estruch et al., 2018, New England Journal of Medicine: PREDIMED trial
• Guasch-Ferré et al., 2022, Journal of the American College of Cardiology (ScienceDaily summary)
• FDA qualified health claim for oleic acid oils, 2018 (TCTMD)
• EU Regulation 432/2012: authorised health claims, including olive oil polyphenols
• De Alzaa et al., 2018: oil stability under heat (Olive Oil Times summary)