If your social feeds look anything like ours, you may have noticed a slightly unexpected wellness ritual popping up lately: taking a shot of extra virgin olive oil every day.
We kept hearing about olive oil shots across the internet, with wellness enthusiasts swapping their elaborate morning supplements for something surprisingly simple—a small serving of high-quality EVOO. And that led us to Kosterina’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil Shots, which essentially package the ritual into a convenient, pre-measured daily serving.
Unlike the ginger, turmeric and green juice shots that have dominated the wellness world for years, this one contains exactly one ingredient: organic extra virgin olive oil.
Kosterina‘s shots use early-harvest, cold-pressed olive oil and contain more than 1,000 mg/kg of polyphenols, according to the company. Each individual bottle is approximately one tablespoon (15 ml), designed to be taken once daily, either with or without food. Kosterina developed the product alongside its medical advisor, physician and Eat to Beat Disease author Dr. William Li.
So why are people suddenly drinking their olive oil instead of simply cooking with it?
The Potential Benefits of a Daily EVOO Shot
The interesting part of the trend isn’t really the “shot.” It’s the extra virgin olive oil inside it.
EVOO is rich in monounsaturated fats and naturally occurring plant compounds called polyphenols. Research on olive oil and Mediterranean-style diets has associated regular EVOO consumption with a number of potential health benefits. Kosterina specifically formulates its shots around a high polyphenol concentration.
+ Heart health
This is arguably where olive oil has some of its best-known research behind it. Extra virgin olive oil is a major component of the Mediterranean diet, and research has associated EVOO-rich Mediterranean dietary patterns with cardiovascular benefits. Kosterina positions heart health as one of the five primary benefits of its high-polyphenol shots.
+ Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds with antioxidant activity. One particularly interesting compound found in EVOO is oleocanthal, which has been studied for its anti-inflammatory properties.
That distinctive peppery sensation you can get in the back of your throat after tasting a robust EVOO? It’s associated with compounds including oleocanthal—which helps explain why Kosterina’s high-polyphenol shots have such a noticeable kick.
+ Metabolic health
Olive oil consumption has also been studied in relation to metabolic health, including insulin sensitivity and blood-sugar regulation. Kosterina lists metabolic health among the areas its high-polyphenol EVOO is designed to support.
+ Gut health
Another emerging area of interest is the relationship between olive-oil polyphenols and the gut microbiome. Researchers are studying how these compounds interact with gut bacteria and whether EVOO consumption can contribute to a healthier microbial environment.
Kosterina consequently includes gut health among the potential benefits of its daily EVOO shots.
+ Skin health
EVOO contains antioxidants as well as monounsaturated fatty acids, squalene and other naturally occurring compounds. Olive oil consumption has been studied in connection with skin health and protection against oxidative stress, although that doesn’t mean drinking an olive-oil shot should be considered a substitute for established skincare or sun protection.
Kosterina includes skin health as another area its high-polyphenol EVOO is intended to support.
Why Take a Shot Instead of Just Eating Olive Oil?
This was our biggest question.
There isn’t anything magical about putting olive oil into a tiny bottle. You can, of course, consume high-quality EVOO by drizzling it over vegetables, salads, yogurt or bread.
The real appeal of the shot is convenience and consistency.
Instead of wondering whether you consumed enough EVOO that day, Kosterina provides a pre-portioned serving that you can make part of a morning or daily routine. You can drink it straight from the bottle, although Kosterina also suggests drizzling it over food or adding it to a smoothie.
And these aren’t simply miniature bottles of standard supermarket olive oil. Kosterina says its current EVOO Shots contain 1,000+ mg/kg of polyphenols and are made from early-harvest, cold-pressed organic extra virgin olive oil. The current batch listed by Kosterina was harvested in October 2025.
What Does a Kosterina EVOO Shot Taste Like?
Don’t expect it to taste like a sweet wellness shot.
High-polyphenol EVOO can be fruity and grassy with a distinctly peppery finish. That little throat-catching sensation is one of the characteristics associated with fresh, phenolic olive oil.
For people accustomed to mild supermarket olive oil, the intensity may be surprising at first. But it’s also part of what distinguishes this style of early-harvest EVOO.
Are Olive Oil Shots Worth the Hype?
The viral part may be the shot format, but the underlying ingredient is hardly a new wellness discovery. Extra virgin olive oil has been central to Mediterranean diets for generations and has a substantial body of nutrition research behind it.
What Kosterina has done is turn that familiar Mediterranean staple into something that fits the modern wellness routine: one small, pre-measured bottle of high-polyphenol EVOO per day.
So while drinking olive oil from a tiny bottle may look like another internet wellness trend, the more interesting story is what’s inside it—and why high-quality extra virgin olive oil has been valued for far longer than the latest social-media craze.
