Scientists from the Kyoto Univ. found that a shot of olive oil before eating carbs may reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes. In an animal study using mice, mice that had a sip of olive oil before dinner had lower post-meal blood sugar rises.
“These test results revealed that giving mice olive oil before rather than after glucose reduced an early rise in blood glucose levels and slowed gastric emptying,” the researchers wrote. This is more evidence that meal sequencing, or the order you eat food, matters.
Older research found that olive oil could positively aid blood sugar health. In 2024, researchers at Virginia Tech found an acid in olives aids weight and blood sugar health.
“Our group has long been interested in practical dietary approaches that people can continue in everyday life,” said Daisuke Yabe of Kyoto Univ. “Our findings suggest that the order in which nutrients reach the gut can engage a coordinated hormone-nerve response that changes how quickly the stomach delivers glucose to the intestine.”
The team had the mice fast overnight. Then there were three groups. One was given water, then carbs 15 minutes later. One was given olive oil, then carbs 15 minutes later. And the third group was given carbs and then olive oil 15 minutes later. The team monitored their blood sugar, GLP-1 levels and digestion rate. They repeated the same test with healthy mice, mice with blood sugar concerns and those lacking the GLP-1 receptor. They also tested fats other than olive oil. They found that having fat of any sort before carbs released GLP-1 and other digestion compounds earlier in all the mice.
“Olive oil can slow gastric emptying, which may lead to slower carbohydrate breakdown and absorption,” said registered dietitian nutritionist Knubian Gatlin.
But it should be noted that the latest research was done in mice. Earlier research on the benefits of olive oil and digestion looked at olive oil as part of a meal, not as a shot beforehand.
“In terms of blood sugar management and overall health, olive oil works best in combination with other nutritious foods rather than a standalone practice,” Mr. Gatlin said.
“There is a more important distinction between consuming olive oil as part of a healthy eating pattern and taking it as a pre-meal ‘shot,’” Pamela Mitri, a registered dietitian, said. “These benefits likely come from the complete dietary pattern and from using olive oil in place of butter or other saturated fats, not from olive oil alone.”
