The FDA recommends consuming 2 tablespoons of olive oil per day. Most people meet this requirement by cooking with olive oil or drizzling it on their dishes, but some people choose to consume it all at once – in one shot.

Drinking olive oil straight may sound like an eccentric health trend, but the truth is that many in Mediterranean countries swear by the practice as an elixir of health. Recently, however, it seems to be becoming a trend in the US, with some celebrities swearing that extra virgin olive oil is the key to their health. Goldie Hawn drinks two tablespoons of olive oil before bed and massages her face with it to keep her skin looking young and healthy. Kourtney Kardashian drinks a tablespoon of olive oil every other day, according to her website Poosh, where she touts the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil. Dr. Drew Ramsey, clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, believes that the best way to enjoy the health benefits of olive oil is to simply drink a shot glass. He convinced Carson Daly on the Today Show to drink a shot of extra virgin olive oil while Savannah Guthrie and Hota Kotb looked on.

Selena Gomez reportedly drinks a small glass of olive oil before going on stage – a trick she learned from Kelly Clarkson. Screenwriter and producer Shonda Rhimes credits Beyoncé for her new habit of drinking olive oil daily. Beyoncé likes drinking extra virgin olive oil so much that she even invested in an olive oil company that sells her oil with a little shot glass so you can enjoy the taste of it.

Is it safe to drink olive oil?

Yes! According to Healthline, some who live in the Mediterranean drink ¼ cup of olive oil daily. Drinking olive oil is a long-standing practice in Mediterranean countries where olive oil is a staple food.

What are the benefits of drinking olive oil?

Apart from the known heart-healthy benefits, drinking olive oil can provide the following health benefits:

• Drinking olive oil can relieve constipation. Several studies have found that eating olive oil acts as a stool softener.
• Olive oil can relieve stomach discomfort, reduce flatulence and heartburn.
• Drinking olive oil can help you lose weight. Although olive oil is high in calories, it has been found to suppress appetite and regulate blood sugar.
• A shot of olive oil can help prevent you from a sugar crash that makes you reach for unhealthy snacks.
• Olive oil has been shown to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
• Some compounds in olive oil have anti-inflammatory effects, including oleocanthal.

This compound can provide similar pain-relieving effects to over-the-counter medications.

How to start drinking olive oil?

Start small. Start with a teaspoon or tablespoon and work your way up to an amount that is good for you.

Choose a high-quality olive oil. Taste counts! When it comes to olive oil, the more flavour, the more potential health benefits. But again, it may be best to start slowly with a good quality, mildly flavoured extra virgin olive oil until you get used to stronger flavours. Olive oil tastes best when it is fresh, so buy a bottle that you can use within a month.

Choose your vessel. You can enjoy the experience even more if you make it more of a ritual … put the oil in a small special glass and make sure to enjoy the aroma before you drink it. Take a sniff! Our sense of smell is responsible for about 80% of what we taste.

Feel the spiciness. High-quality, fresh extra virgin olive oil is packed with polyphenols. These healthy compounds cause a tingling sensation in the throat and can burn a little. This is a good thing! It’s normal to cough, and in fact premium olive oils are often referred to as one-cough, two-cough or three-cough.

If you just can’t follow this trend, don’t worry. In truth, you can enjoy the health benefits just as much by using olive oil in your cooking and as a condiment to round off your dishes. The point is to get your 2 tablespoons a day. Some recommendations for people who don’t want to drink olive oil:

• Add a tablespoon of olive oil to your morning smoothie.
• Drizzle olive oil over roasted vegetables, soups and pasta.
• Add a tablespoon to yoghurt or oatmeal.
• Use olive oil instead of butter in baking.

Whether you want to follow the latest celebrity trend or not, there is no doubt that extra virgin olive oil has some incredible health benefits. So if you’re looking for a way to incorporate more olive oil into your diet, drinking a shot glass may be the way to go.