My Little Obsession with Olive Trees

I have a confession to make: I love absolutely everything about olive trees. The olives, the oil, the beautiful silvery-green leaves, and even the wonderfully twisted old trunks. There’s something about these trees that makes me happy.

And my love for olives doesn’t stop in the kitchen. Of course, I make my own honey and balsamic marinated olives, but I also use olive oil to make homemade soap.

I’m sensitive to fragranced soaps, so making my own has become something of a little passion project. My homemade olive oil and rosemary soap works beautifully for my skin, and I love knowing exactly what goes into it. I often make extra bars to give to friends, neighbors, and family. There’s something lovely about giving someone a little handmade gift.

And then there’s olive wood. If I’m choosing a cutting board, I’ll almost always reach for one made from olive wood. A pepper mill? Olive wood, naturally. I adore the beautiful grain, the warm colors, and the fact that no two pieces ever look quite the same.

I suppose you could say the olive tree has found its way into almost every corner of our home.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

There’s a stainless steel olive oil container on our kitchen counter that gets used almost every single day. A drizzle over tomatoes, a little in the frying pan, a generous splash over roasted vegetables, and sometimes even a spoonful with freshly baked bread.

Olive oil is such an ordinary part of our life in Spain that I hardly think about it anymore.

We use approximately one liter a month, and most of it comes from a small mountain village called Castell de Castells, not far from our home.

But beyond its wonderful flavor, olive oil has an impressive nutritional story.

It’s one of the most studied ingredients in the Mediterranean diet, particularly when it comes to heart health.

So what exactly makes olive oil good for you? Is taking a tablespoon on an empty stomach really beneficial? And how much should you use each day?

Let’s separate the science from the myths.

Our Olive Oil Comes from a Little Village in Spain

One of the things I love about living in the Spanish countryside is the connection between local food and the people who produce it.

Castell de Castells is a small village tucked into the mountains of Alicante province. It’s the sort of place where agricultural traditions still feel close to everyday life.

During the olive harvest, local growers bring in the olives they’ve picked to be pressed into oil.

I love the idea that something we use every day begins with trees growing on the surrounding hillsides.

Because the olive mill isn’t necessarily open throughout the year, we usually buy around twelve liters at a time.

That’s generally enough to last us until the following season.

Our everyday cooking revolves around olive oil. We use it for sautéing vegetables, roasting potatoes, preparing dressings, finishing soups, and baking cakes.

It’s also an ingredient I use when making homemade soap and skin creams.

What began as a practical kitchen essential has become one of those ingredients I simply wouldn’t want to live without.

Why Is Olive Oil Considered Healthy?

The main reason olive oil is associated with good health is its fatty acid composition.

Unlike butter and some other animal fats, olive oil contains a high proportion of monounsaturated fat, particularly oleic acid.

Research suggests that replacing some saturated fats in your diet with unsaturated fats can help reduce LDL cholesterol, often called bad cholesterol.

That’s important because elevated LDL cholesterol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Extra virgin olive oil also contains natural plant compounds, including polyphenols, that have attracted considerable scientific interest.

But there’s something worth understanding from the beginning.

Olive oil is beneficial as part of a healthy overall diet, not because it works as a miracle ingredient on its own.

1. Olive Oil and Heart Health

Heart health is where some of the strongest evidence for olive oil can be found.

One important example is the Spanish PREDIMED study, which investigated the Mediterranean diet in people at high cardiovascular risk.

Researchers compared different dietary approaches, including a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil.

The study found fewer major cardiovascular events among participants assigned to the Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil than among those assigned to the comparison diet.

This is encouraging evidence for the Mediterranean way of eating.

However, it doesn’t mean that swallowing a spoonful of olive oil will prevent heart disease.

The participants were following a broader dietary pattern that included vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, and other Mediterranean foods.

The most useful lesson is to make olive oil part of a varied, balanced diet.

2. Olive Oil and Cholesterol

Olive oil contains substantial amounts of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid.

When unsaturated fats replace saturated fats in the diet, this can help lower LDL cholesterol.

For example, you might replace some butter with olive oil when preparing vegetables or use an olive oil dressing instead of one based on a large amount of cream.

What’s important is the substitution.

Simply adding more olive oil to an already high-calorie diet won’t necessarily provide the same benefit.

And while olive oil is a good choice, it isn’t the only source of beneficial unsaturated fats. Nuts, seeds, avocados, and several other vegetable oils also have a place in a heart-healthy diet.

3. What Are Olive Oil Polyphenols?

Extra virgin olive oil contains naturally occurring plant compounds called polyphenols.

These include substances related to hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, and oleuropein.

They’re of particular interest because of their antioxidant properties.

Antioxidants are involved in protecting cells and other components of the body from oxidative damage.

Certain olive oil polyphenols have been shown to help protect blood lipids from oxidative stress.

In the European Union, a specific authorized health claim is permitted for olive oils containing sufficient amounts of these compounds.

But not every bottle of olive oil contains the same amount.

The olive variety, growing conditions, harvesting, processing, and storage all influence its polyphenol content.

A peppery or bitter flavor can sometimes indicate the presence of certain phenolic compounds, but taste alone cannot tell you exactly how much an oil contains.

4. Olive Oil and Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is involved in many health conditions, and researchers have investigated whether components of extra virgin olive oil may influence inflammatory processes.

Some olive oil polyphenols have shown anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory research.

However, laboratory findings don’t automatically mean that eating olive oil will treat inflammatory diseases.

Human research is more complex, and the effects of a complete Mediterranean diet are difficult to separate from the effects of one ingredient.

Olive oil is a sensible choice within an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern, but it shouldn’t be regarded as a treatment for arthritis or other inflammatory conditions.

5. Olive Oil and Brain Health

Olive oil has also attracted attention in research on cognitive health and aging.

Some observational studies have found associations between higher olive oil consumption and better long-term health outcomes, including certain measures related to cognitive health.

But an association isn’t proof that olive oil directly prevents dementia or protects memory.

People who regularly consume olive oil may also have other beneficial habits, including eating more vegetables, exercising, and following a Mediterranean dietary pattern.

It’s an interesting area of research, but the evidence doesn’t justify calling olive oil a cure or guaranteed protection against cognitive decline.

Is Taking One Tablespoon of Olive Oil on an Empty Stomach Healthy?

You’ve probably heard this advice before.

Take one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil first thing in the morning, preferably before breakfast.

Some people claim it improves digestion, cleanses the liver, reduces inflammation, or helps with weight loss.

But what does the evidence actually say?

Does It Have Special Benefits on an Empty Stomach?

There is currently no convincing clinical evidence that taking olive oil on an empty stomach provides special benefits compared with consuming the same amount as part of a meal.

Your body can digest and absorb olive oil when it’s eaten alongside other foods.

There’s no established need to take it before breakfast.

Does It Help with Constipation?

Dietary fat can influence digestive activity, and olive oil has sometimes been investigated for constipation.

However, the evidence isn’t strong enough to recommend a daily spoonful as a universal treatment.

If you’re regularly constipated, adequate fiber, fluids, activity, and appropriate medical advice are more reliable starting points.

Does It Detox Your Liver?

No.

Your liver already performs essential functions in processing substances and supporting normal metabolism.

Drinking olive oil doesn’t flush toxins from the liver or cleanse the body.

Does It Help You Lose Weight?

Not directly.

Olive oil contains calories just like every other dietary fat.

There’s no good evidence that swallowing it before breakfast burns body fat.

If you’re already using olive oil in your meals, adding an extra tablespoon every morning increases your total calorie intake unless you compensate elsewhere.

So Should You Take a Morning Tablespoon?

If you enjoy the ritual, there is generally no special reason a healthy adult must avoid a modest amount of olive oil.

But it’s not necessary.

I would much rather enjoy that tablespoon over ripe tomatoes, warm bread, or a beautiful bowl of vegetables.

The nutritional value doesn’t disappear simply because you eat it with something delicious.

How Many Calories Are in Olive Oil?

This is one part of the olive oil discussion that’s sometimes overlooked.

Olive oil may be a healthy fat, but it’s still a concentrated source of energy.

These values are approximate.

One tablespoon of olive oil contains about 13.5 grams of fat.

There’s nothing wrong with including fat in a balanced diet. In fact, dietary fats perform important functions and help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

But portions still matter.

If you take an additional tablespoon of olive oil every morning without changing anything else, that’s approximately 840 extra calories each week.

The simplest approach is to use olive oil in place of some other fats rather than treating it as a calorie-free health supplement.

How Much Olive Oil Should You Eat Every Day?

There isn’t one perfect amount that everyone should consume.

Your energy needs, overall dietary pattern, activity level, and other sources of fat all matter.

Some research on the Mediterranean diet has involved relatively generous olive oil consumption, but that doesn’t mean everybody needs to match those amounts.

The US Food and Drug Administration has acknowledged limited but credible evidence that around 1½ tablespoons of oils high in oleic acid per day, when replacing fats higher in saturated fat, may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

The key point is that these oils should replace other fats rather than unnecessarily increasing total calorie intake.

For everyday cooking, one or two tablespoons distributed across your meals can be a practical amount for many people, depending on their overall diet.

There’s no reason to force yourself to drink olive oil if you already enjoy using it in your food.

We Use About One Liter of Olive Oil Every Month

People sometimes seem surprised when I mention how much olive oil we buy.

But in our kitchen, it’s not an occasional ingredient.

It’s our main cooking oil.

We use roughly one liter a month, shared between the two of us and our everyday cooking.

That sounds like a lot until you remember how many meals a month are prepared at home.

Salads, vegetables, sauces, marinades, soups, roasted potatoes, fish, chicken, and even cakes all use a little.

One liter a month works out to approximately 33 ml per day for the household, or around 16–17 ml per person if shared equally.

Of course, that’s only an estimate.

Some oil stays in the pan, and not every dish is divided equally. And I sometimes use olive oil for homemade soap and skincare products, so our purchases aren’t an exact measure of what we eat.

Still, it gives you an idea of how naturally olive oil fits into our daily routine.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil vs. Regular Olive Oil: Is One Healthier?

All ordinary food-grade olive oil contains predominantly monounsaturated fats.

That means both extra virgin and refined olive oil can be useful alternatives to fats higher in saturated fat.

Extra virgin olive oil has an additional advantage: it undergoes less processing and retains more of the natural flavor compounds and phenolic substances found in olives.

Refined olive oil usually contains fewer of these minor compounds.

For flavor alone, I prefer a good extra virgin olive oil.

It’s particularly lovely for finishing dishes, making dressings, and dipping bread.

But ordinary olive oil is not automatically unhealthy simply because it has been refined.

The bigger nutritional question is often which fats you’re replacing and how the oil fits into your overall diet.

Can You Cook with Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Absolutely.

There’s a persistent myth that extra virgin olive oil should only be used cold.

In reality, a good-quality extra virgin olive oil can be used for many everyday cooking methods, including sautéing, roasting, and moderate-temperature frying.

Its stability depends on factors including composition, freshness, temperature, and cooking duration.

You should still avoid overheating oil until it smokes heavily.

In our kitchen, olive oil goes into almost everything.

I use it for vegetables, sauces, soups, fish, and countless other dishes.

For desserts, a mild, fruity olive oil can be particularly beautiful.

One of my favorite combinations is citrus and olive oil in a simple Mediterranean cake.

Why We Buy Olive Oil in Larger Quantities

Because we buy our oil from a local producer and availability can be seasonal, we normally bring home around twelve liters.

There’s something satisfying about knowing you have a supply of good oil for the months ahead.

But buying in bulk comes with one important responsibility: proper storage.

Olive oil is a natural product that gradually changes as it ages.

Even a beautiful extra virgin olive oil will eventually lose some of its fragrance, flavor, and beneficial compounds.

That’s why I pay attention to how we store it.

Storing Olive Oil in a Stainless Steel Container

I keep olive oil in a stainless steel container, known in Spain as an inox container.

Food-grade stainless steel is an excellent material for storing olive oil because it doesn’t let light through and is easy to clean.

It also doesn’t react with olive oil when the correct food-grade material is used.

But the container is only part of the story.

Keep Olive Oil Away from Heat

The biggest enemies of olive oil are heat, light, and oxygen.

A stainless steel container protects it from light, but it won’t protect the oil from excessive temperatures.

If you keep an olive oil dispenser on your countertop, place it away from the stove, oven, sunny windows, and other heat sources.

For long-term storage, a cool, dark cupboard is generally a better choice.

Limit Exposure to Oxygen

Every time a large container is opened, more air can reach the oil.

As the container gradually empties, the air space above the oil increases.

This can accelerate oxidation and affect flavor.

A useful solution is to store most of your oil in well-sealed containers and keep a smaller quantity in a dispenser for everyday cooking.

Is Twelve Months Too Long to Store Olive Oil?

Not necessarily, but it depends on the oil’s freshness, filtration, packaging, storage conditions, and the producer’s recommended shelf life.

Some properly stored extra virgin olive oils remain in good condition for a year or longer.

Others may lose their best flavor sooner.

If you’re buying a large quantity, ask the producer about the harvest date, filtering, and recommended storage.

And don’t assume that olive oil improves with age. Unlike a good wine, it’s generally at its best when it’s relatively fresh.

Olive Oil for Homemade Soap

Olive oil isn’t only useful in the kitchen.

It’s also one of the traditional ingredients used in soapmaking, particularly around the Mediterranean.

Olive oil soaps have a long history, including the famous traditions associated with Castile soap and Marseille soap.

I occasionally use olive oil to make my own soap.

There’s something lovely about creating a useful household product from such a simple ingredient.

However, traditional soapmaking involves a chemical reaction called saponification, often using sodium hydroxide, or lye.

Lye is highly caustic and must be handled with appropriate protective equipment, careful measurements, and an accurately formulated recipe.

It’s not something to improvise.

Making soap is also very different from simply applying olive oil to your skin.

Can Olive Oil Be Used in Skincare?

Olive oil is sometimes used in moisturizers, balms, and homemade creams because it can help soften the skin and reduce moisture loss.

I like experimenting with olive oil in homemade skincare preparations, although I treat that as a separate craft from cooking.

Natural doesn’t automatically mean suitable for every skin type.

Pure olive oil can be too heavy for acne-prone skin, and some research suggests that frequent direct application may interfere with the skin barrier, particularly in people with eczema.

Homemade creams also require careful attention to hygiene, preservation, and formulation.

A water-based cream, for example, needs an appropriate preservative system to reduce microbial contamination.

For that reason, I prefer properly formulated skincare products rather than assuming that anything made from an edible ingredient must be safe to apply to the skin.

Is Olive Oil Good for Everyone?

Olive oil can be part of a healthy diet for many people, but individual needs differ.

People managing their weight may need to pay particular attention to portion sizes because of its calorie content.

Anyone with a medical condition that requires dietary fat restriction should follow advice from their healthcare professional.

And people with digestive conditions or difficulty tolerating fatty foods may find that large amounts of oil, especially taken alone, cause discomfort.

Healthy eating doesn’t require everyone to consume exactly the same ingredients or quantities.

My Favorite Ways to Use Olive Oil Every Day

Here are some of the ways olive oil finds its way into our kitchen.

With tomatoes: A little extra virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt, and fresh basil.

Over vegetables: Roasted courgettes, aubergines, peppers, and potatoes all benefit from a little olive oil.

With bread: Fresh sourdough dipped into good olive oil is one of life’s simplest pleasures.

In salad dressings: Olive oil with lemon juice or vinegar makes a wonderful everyday dressing.

For cooking: Sautéing onions, garlic, mushrooms, and countless other ingredients.

In cakes: A mild olive oil creates a beautiful texture in orange and lemon cakes.

As a finishing touch: A little extra virgin olive oil added to soup, beans, or pasta just before serving.

And of course, occasionally for soap and homemade skincare.

Frequently Asked Questions About Olive Oil and Health

Is one tablespoon of olive oil a day good for you?

It can be part of a healthy diet, especially when it replaces fats higher in saturated fat. But there is no universal requirement to consume exactly one tablespoon daily.

Is olive oil healthier on an empty stomach?

There is no convincing evidence that taking olive oil before breakfast provides additional benefits compared with consuming it with meals.

Does olive oil lower cholesterol?

Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats, including those found in olive oil, can help lower LDL cholesterol.

Is extra virgin olive oil worth buying?

For flavor, freshness, and naturally occurring phenolic compounds, good extra virgin olive oil is an excellent choice. Regular olive oil can still provide beneficial unsaturated fats.

Can olive oil make you gain weight?

Yes, if it contributes to regularly consuming more calories than your body uses. Olive oil contains approximately 120 calories per tablespoon.

Does olive oil detox the body?

No scientific evidence supports the claim that drinking olive oil detoxifies your liver or cleanses your body.

Is olive oil safe for cooking?

Yes. Extra virgin olive oil is suitable for many common cooking methods, provided it isn’t excessively overheated.

More Than Just a Healthy Fat

When I think about olive oil, I don’t immediately think about cholesterol, antioxidants, or nutritional research.

I think about the olive groves around our home in Spain, the growers bringing in their harvest, and our visits to Castell de Castells to buy enough oil for the months ahead.

I think about the little stainless steel dispenser in the kitchen, a warm piece of bread, and the wonderful fragrance of fresh olive oil.

Its nutritional benefits are certainly worth understanding.

But what I love most is how effortlessly olive oil brings good food and everyday life together.

And perhaps that’s the real beauty of the Mediterranean way of eating.

Not one magical ingredient or a complicated set of rules, but simple, delicious food made with care and enjoyed every day.