Coffee with EVOO- What's all the Buzz About?

How do you take your coffee? Milk? Sugar? Extra virgin olive oil? The idea of adding extra virgin olive oil to coffee may sound a little out there, but hear us out on why a boost of this healthy oil is a good thing. 

Extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest oils around, due to its heart-healthy monounsaturated fat content and incredible mix of biophenols. It's no coincidence that the healthiest diet in the world, the Mediterranean diet, is chock-full of EVOO and is associated with improved cardiovascular, cognitive, and overall health.* Many people, especially in areas in and around the Mediterranean Basin where olives have been grown for millennia, even consume a tablespoon or two of EVOO a day to supplement their dietary consumption of this liquid gold. But where does the coffee come in?

Why Coffee?

Coffee is among the most consumed drinks worldwide. What better vehicle for an extra dose of heart-healthy fats than this universal staple? Many of us are already used to adding something creamy to our coffee, be it milk or cream or even butter. The addition of something rich helps smooth out coffee's natural bitterness to create a more well-rounded profile. Not only does adding extra virgin olive oil make the coffee more velvety and decadent, but its tasting notes can complement the flavours in coffee perfectly. We recommend a mild varietal, such as an Arbequina or Chiquitita, as the creamy profile of these EVOOs are the perfect complement to your morning joe. 

So there you have it; EVOO coffee. And while you likely won't see bottles of EVOO at your local coffee shop among the self-serve carafes of milk and packets of sugar, the idea of adding EVOO to your diet is not just a passing fad. Extra virgin olive oil is consistently recommended as a preferred oil for people looking to improve their overall health in a delicious way. 

* Omar S. H. (2019). Mediterranean and MIND Diets Containing Olive Biophenols Reduces the Prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease. International journal of molecular sciences, 20(11), 2797. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20112797   

Gorzynik-Debicka, M., Przychodzen, P., Cappello, F., Kuban-Jankowska, A., Marino Gammazza, A., Knap, N., Wozniak, M., & Gorska-Ponikowska, M. (2018). Potential Health Benefits of Olive Oil and Plant Polyphenols. International journal of molecular sciences, 19(3), 686. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19030686 

Guasch-Ferré, M., Li, Y., Willett, W. C., Sun, Q., Sampson, L., Salas-Salvadó, J., Martínez-González, M. A., Stampfer, M. J., & Hu, F. B. (2022). Consumption of Olive Oil and Risk of Total and Cause-Specific Mortality Among U.S. Adults. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 79(2), 101–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.10.041