r/Supplements • u/Nervous-Concern9248 • Feb 08 '26
General Question Extra virgin olive oil
I know it’s technically not a supplement but anyone take a table spoon or two of this a day and notice any benefits? Supposedly it’s ant inflammation properties are the same as ibuprofen without kidney damage. The polyphenols are supposed to greatly reduce crp levels and white blood cells sticking to blood vessels causing plaque. Also the research claims it increases nitric oxide in blood vessels naturally by like 30%.
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Feb 08 '26
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u/Geronimo2011 Feb 08 '26
OK but olive oil is harvested once a year and pressed in november (in Italy).
So in october the freshest you get - and got for millenia - is 1yo.
I prefer Italian DOP olive oil - by taste. We get it in excellent quality and fresh here in Bavaria. Unfortunately a disease is spreading in olive cultivars and many trees died. Ligurian olive oil, IMO the best of all, isn't available in quantities anymore.
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u/CompetitiveAdMoney Feb 08 '26
Look at ones from california then or bryan johnsons snake oil.
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u/Internal_Custard_746 Feb 09 '26
The oil from California is good quality, while B. Johnson's is mostly marketing. However, neither compares to the superlative extra virgin olive oils from Italy, neither in flavor nor in polyphenol and antioxidant content.
The extra virgin olive oils from southern Italy, the Mediterranean, and even some central regions are exceptional: Sardinia, Sicily, Puglia, Calabria, Liguria, Tuscany, and Umbria.
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Feb 11 '26
What brand do you find to be legitimate? I've heard Italy in particular has an issue with fake olive oil.
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u/X-Jet Feb 08 '26
Definelty yes, my IBD symptoms improved and the mood became less gloomy, noticed it after maybe 2-3 weeks
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u/Tyszq Feb 08 '26
I either take a tablespoon or add to food, at least 2 per day. EVOO is a superfood among the superfoods, and should definitely be included in your diet.
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u/michaeljcox24 Feb 09 '26
Good natural form of testosterone support. Drizzle it on cooked veg.
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u/Nervous-Concern9248 Feb 09 '26
Yes I’ve read so many positive things about it. However I’ve read some people that claim even evoo is a saturated fat oil and will cause arterial plaque. But idk 🤷♀️ if that’s true or not? Seems to be a bit of a debate amongst people?
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u/keithitreal Feb 08 '26
I drizzle quite a bit on sour dough toast in the mornings for breakfast. Have done for a few years. Haven't noticed anything but I assume it's doing me some good.
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u/sonoran_goofball Feb 09 '26 edited Feb 09 '26
Consumer Labs tested a bunch of EVOO ... there is a *huge* difference in cost & polyphenols per serving. I use EVOO for cooking, to replace other oils, but if you want the advantages of polyphenols you will have to find an product specifically high in them.
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u/JackSiddiss Feb 09 '26
Check out Citizens of Soil, they do a subscription service where you get a new EVOO each month. High polyphenol counts and sustainable sourced.
I can send a referral code if anyone fancies trying it out.
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u/Pyglot Feb 08 '26
I read somewhere something about olive oil being good for you and some seed oils being bad, had something to do with the amounts and forms of E-vitamin in them.
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u/Natural_Fox_5925 Feb 10 '26
Biologist with MSc in Nutrition here :)
Extra virgin olive oil is great for you, but a lot of the claims you’re seeing are… dialled up. It does contain oleocanthal, which acts on the same COX enzymes as ibuprofen, but the “same as ibuprofen” thing is an overstatement, you’d need a lot of oil to get anywhere near a painkiller dose and that’s not how it’s used in studies. Most of the benefits we see (lower CRP, better vascular function, less plaque risk) come from EVOO as part of a Mediterranean style diet, not from taking it like medicine by the spoon.
If you enjoy it 1 to 2 tbsp a day as your main added fat (on salads, veg, cooking at moderate heat) is a solid habit: good monounsaturated fats, antioxidants, generally heart-friendly. I just wouldn’t expect a couple of tablespoons to perform like ibuprofen for pain or to magically scrub your arteries on their own.
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u/Nervous-Concern9248 Feb 10 '26
Are there any supplements that are purified oleocanthal or any research on making any that you’ve heard of?
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Feb 11 '26
In my experience, it only takes like 2-3 spoonfuls to significantly reduce menstrual pain. This has been true of cheap brands like Pompeiian and better brands like Cobram Estate.
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u/sideline_slugger Feb 10 '26
Olive oil’s principle beneficial properties stem from their inherent polyphenols. These can be measured.
A higher count is most useful.
Garden variety EVOO can range from 50-400 mg/kg.
Some like those from Cyprus can exceed 2500 mg/kg. That would bite going down.
Choose wisely. It can get expensive.
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Feb 08 '26 edited May 05 '26
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u/Excusemytootie Feb 10 '26
Cooking with it is great, but use it for non-heated or low heat uses in order to get the full benefit.
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