A woman who decided to drink two tablespoons of olive oil a day for two weeks has revealed if the wellness trend is actually bulls**t or not.
Olive oil is pretty much dubbed 'liquid gold' for how prevalent it is in the Mediterranean diet, considered to be the healthiest food regime around.
The diet is proven to reduce risks of heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes thanks to its high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and healthy fats like - you guessed it - olive oil.
In her column for Women's Health, writer Lynsey Hope wanted to test out if she could feel the benefits in just two weeks.
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And so she followed 'advice' on TikTok which suggests drinking two tablespoons on an empty stomach each morning to see what happened.
Day one
Hope started out by using 'good quality' extra virgin olive oil, and initially found finding the taste 'fresh' and 'fruity'.
Although her taste buds started to switch up on her when she noticed a 'burn as it hit the back of the throat' - apparently perfectly normal.
“Afterwards I felt nauseous and a little dizzy,” she said.
Days two to four
With a bit of initial discomfort, Hope revealed: “The symptoms were not severe so I persevered in the hope they might settle down.
“I struggled to manage my usual gym routine and found I was craving dry foods, such as toast, to settle my stomach.”
Days five to seven
A week in, she started to feel 'a little sick' and questioned why people were recommending her to have it on an empty stomach.
Hope found the claim that fishermen in the 60s used to have a glass of olive oil to prepare for a hard day of fishing was not backed up by science.
Days eight to ten
That's when she started to switch up the approach by taking her shot after a bit of food.
“On day eight, I took my shot after breakfast. I didn’t notice the usual rush of nausea so kept up the change,” she said.
No longer feeling unwell, Hope explained: “By around day 10, even though I was still drinking two tablespoons a day, I didn’t feel unwell at all. If anything, my gut health improved.
“By the end of week two, I was feeling lighter, more energised and surprisingly full between meals.”
Days 11 to 14
All of a sudden, Hope said she started to experience fewer cravings: “I felt less hungry than usual… I was snacking far less late morning and early afternoon and could only attribute this to the olive oil.
“My skin and hair were noticeably improved too and several people asked if I was wearing a different foundation – I wasn’t, so it must have been the effects of the oil.
“Despite the extra daily calories and fat… I didn’t put on any weight.
“My family had suffered colds but I seemed to dodge it.”
Final verdict
“While I don’t think everyone needs to drink olive oil daily – and even though it was hard going at first – I’ve been shocked by the wide-reaching benefits,” Hope admitted.
Meanwhile, dietitian Emma Shafqat warned: “For most people, it’s safe in moderation, but those with difficulties digesting fats should be cautious as it may trigger discomfort or diarrhoea.”
At the time of writing, Hope said she was 'going to try to keep up' the daily habit.
Topics: Food And Drink, Health
Anish Vij