From TikTok to Instagram, it’s the morning ritual social media users can’t seem to get enough of. The viral ‘lemon and olive oil shot’ combines one tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Creators are documenting their experience, incorporating the drink into their wellness routine. They say the shot “should” be taken on an empty stomach and is believed to improve gut and skin health. However, registered dietitian Jennifer Broxterman said the shot is “no magic elixir.” “What we’re seeing now in this day and age, with both AI and the trend of influencers is anyone can say anything,” said Broxterman. “You’ll often see this health halo effect, where people will take a component of something healthy and then place this little halo around that single component and magnify the benefits.” Broxterman explained olive oil is a “well-researched” healthy fat, however if an individual is looking to lose weight, this may “derail” that healthy “caloric deficit”. “My advice always as a dietitian is that the health benefits of olive oil are mostly seen in a whole food diet, where it’s used more in cooking and homemade salad dressings,” said Broxterman. Influencers on social media claim the shot helps “detox” the body. Broxterman said they are not “entirely wrong”, but our liver and kidneys already do that for us. “What that shot does is it releases a little bit of bile in your digestive system,” she said. “That is used whenever we break down fat and gets the GI muscles starting to contract.”
