Hi friend,

Morning olive oil shots are suddenly all over the internet.

Kourtney Kardashian does it. Ryan Seacrest does it. Hailey Bieber does it with lemon juice.

Is this another wellness fad, or is there legit science behind it? It depends on the quality of your olive oil...

In this email:

Why "extra virgin" is important
Longevity benefits
What about lemon juice?
What to look for in an olive oil

What is EVOO?

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the highest-quality grade an olive oil can get. The ranking is: olive oil < virgin olive oil < extra virgin olive oil.

Virgin and extra virgin olive oils must be:

Extracted by mechanical means (not via heat or chemicals)
Produced without heat or chemical solvents
Evaluated using chemical analysis and a panel of taste testers

Extra virgin olive oil must then:

Be free of taste and smell defects
Have positive fruity characteristics
Have a free acidity of 0.8% or lower

Longevity benefits of olive oil

Olive oil has a high concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyphenols.

A diet low in saturated fats with a high concentration of MUFAs, like oleic acid, promotes cardiovascular health and a healthy inflammatory response.

Polyphenols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and may increase high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol) and promote endothelial (blood vessel lining) function.

EVOO may also support cognition, gut health, and cell maintenance.

In short: It's a longevity food you want in your diet.

Note: Olive oil is calorie dense. To get the possible heart health benefits, swap it for other fats in your diet to account for the extra calories.

Should you consume it in the morning?

Some claim taking a morning shot of olive oil on an empty stomach increases the health benefits. There's no research backing that up.

What about with lemon juice?

Lemon juice contains vitamin C, which has antioxidant effects and plays a role in immune function and iron absorption. But there's little research on combining olive oil with lemon juice.

If you like the taste, go for it. But it's more important to add olive oil to your diet, with or without lemon.

What to look for in an olive oil

Purity, freshness, and polyphenol content are all important for olive oil's health benefits.

Look for:

Extra virgin (not virgin or just olive oil)
Cold pressed (made without heat or chemical solvents)
High polyphenol count (>400mg/kg)
High oleic acid count (>67%)
Recent harvest date (fresher olives = more nutrients)

You also want a peppery taste. Polyphenols are responsible for the strong taste and dry mouthfeel of EVOO. More taste = more polyphenol health benefits.

Blueprint EVOO is all of the above. It's also:

Harvested from alternating hemispheres for maximum freshness
Third-party tested for purity and heavy metals
Stored in UV-protected glass to maintain integrity

How to consume olive oil

Consume 1–3 tablespoons of high-quality EVOO per day. This can be as a morning shot or drizzled on salads, veggies, or mixed into a protein shake.

Bryan consumes 3 tablespoons of Blueprint EVOO daily.

Be well, Blueprint

Originally published in Bryan Johnson's Blueprint newsletter (June 4, 2026). This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

Why Olive Oil Shots Are Trending (And What the Science Actually Says)