Easy Ways to Eat More Raw Olive Oil Every Day

You do not have to take shots to get more good olive oil into your day. The easiest way is to use it raw, drizzled over food you already eat. Raw matters because heat slowly breaks down the polyphenols, so a fresh oil added at the end keeps its flavour and goodness. Here are simple daily ways to work in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Why raw?

Extra virgin olive oil is at its best used as a finishing oil. Adding it after cooking, or straight onto cold food, preserves the peppery polyphenols that make a good oil worthwhile. It also tastes far better than oil that has been heated.

Eight easy ways to eat more raw olive oil

1. Over good bread instead of butter, with a little salt.
2. Stirred into hummus or a dip just before serving.
3. As a simple dressing with lemon or vinegar over salad.
4. Drizzled over soup at the table for a glossy, peppery finish.
5. Over cooked pulses and beans, such as gigantes plaki.
6. Over eggs, poached, scrambled or fried, once they are on the plate.
7. Into yoghurt with a pinch of salt and herbs for a savoury bowl.
8. Over roasted or steamed vegetables after cooking, not before.

How much to aim for

A tablespoon a day, spread across your meals, is a good target and lines up with the daily intake behind the authorised polyphenol claim. Since olive oil is calorie dense, treat it as part of your daily fats rather than an extra.

Choosing an oil for finishing

Because it is going on raw, quality shows. Use a fresh, peppery, high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil. Our guide to the best olive oil to drink covers exactly what to look for, and if you would rather take it neat, see the olive oil shot.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to eat olive oil raw?

Use it as a finishing oil: drizzled over food after cooking or straight onto bread, salad, soup, yoghurt or cooked pulses. Raw is best because heat gradually breaks down the polyphenols, so a good oil added at the end keeps its flavour and goodness.

How much raw olive oil should I use a day?

Around a tablespoon, about 15ml, is a sensible daily target and matches the amount behind the authorised polyphenol claim. Spread it across meals if you prefer, and keep it within your daily fats, as olive oil is calorie dense.

Does cooking with olive oil destroy the benefits?

Cooking gradually reduces the polyphenols, though extra virgin olive oil is more stable than many people think. To get the most from a good oil, use it raw as a finishing oil rather than for high-heat frying, and keep a cheaper oil for the pan if you like.

What foods go well with raw olive oil?

Almost everything savoury: bread, salads, soups, roasted or steamed vegetables, eggs, hummus and other dips, grains, and cooked beans such as gigantes. A good peppery oil lifts simple food beautifully.