How much olive oil to have a day: the complete guide

Olive oil every day: how much is sensible and how to spread it out

Extra virgin olive oil is the reference fat of the Mediterranean diet, but the same question always comes up: how much should you have each day? In this guide we explain the amounts used in the major Mediterranean diet studies, what European regulations say, how many calories each tablespoon provides and how to spread it across your meals without overdoing it.

The quick answer

Usual reference: about 2 to 4 tablespoons a day (20-40 ml), as the main fat in your cooking.
In moderation: up to about 5 tablespoons (50 ml). Beyond that you add calories with no proven advantage.
Calories: about 120 kcal per tablespoon (9 kcal per gram).
The key: extra virgin should replace other fats (butter, margarine, refined oils), not be added on top of them.

These amounts include all the oil you use in a day: raw, in a sofrito, in a stew or on the griddle. They are not extra spoonfuls to add to what you already have.

Where these amounts come from

European regulations. Regulation (EU) 432/2012 lists the health claims authorised for foods. For olive oil polyphenols, it states that the effect is obtained with a daily intake of 20 g of oil, provided those 20 g contain at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives. That is where the 2-tablespoon reference comes from.

The Mediterranean diet in research. In the PREDIMED study, one of the largest Mediterranean diet trials carried out in Spain, one of the groups used around 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil a day as their main fat. That is why this figure is so often quoted as a practical reference.

It is not a magic dose or a medicine: it is a simple way to make extra virgin your everyday fat within a varied diet.

A guide amount for your situation

Adult with a varied diet: 2-4 tablespoons a day, spread across meals.
If you are watching your weight: 2-3 tablespoons, replacing other fats and keeping an eye on total calories.
If you follow a prescribed diet or treatment: adjust the amount with your doctor or dietitian.

Olive oil calories per tablespoon

Like any fat, oil provides 9 kcal per gram. These are the approximate equivalents:

1 teaspoon (~5 ml): ~40 kcal
1 tablespoon (~15 ml): ~120 kcal
2 tablespoons (~30 ml): ~240 kcal
4 tablespoons (~40 ml): ~330 kcal
5 tablespoons (~50 ml): ~415 kcal

That is why the golden rule is to swap: if you replace the butter on your toast or the refined oil in your dressing with extra virgin, you improve your cooking without adding calories.

What extra virgin has that refined oil doesn't

Oleic acid: the main monounsaturated fat in extra virgin olive oil (around 70-80%). Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats in the diet contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.

Polyphenols: they give a good extra virgin its bitterness and pungency, and are more abundant in oils from green olives. Olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress; the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 20 g of an oil containing at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 g.

Vitamin E: extra virgin olive oil provides it naturally.

Aroma and flavour: fruity, green notes, bitter and peppery. This is what makes a good extra virgin stand out, especially raw.

Plain "olive oil" is mostly refined: refining removes much of these compounds and the flavour. If you are looking for all of the above, the label must say extra virgin olive oil.

How to spread the tablespoons through the day

Breakfast (1 tablespoon): toast with grated tomato and a generous drizzle of extra virgin.

Lunch (1-2 tablespoons): the salad dressing and the base of your sofrito or stew.

Dinner (1 tablespoon): a raw drizzle over vegetables, baked fish, gazpacho or a vegetable soup.

Extras: half a tablespoon in a vinaigrette, over pulses or over fresh cheese.

Olive oil on an empty stomach: what's true and what isn't

Taking a spoonful when you wake up is a popular ritual, but there is no evidence that it is better on an empty stomach than with meals. What matters is consistency and the quality of the oil, not the time of day.

Nor is it a "detox", and it won't make you lose weight on its own. If it helps you remember to make extra virgin your everyday fat, go ahead; if not, spread it across your meals and you'll get the same. Bear in mind that a tablespoon is about 120 kcal, so it breaks a calorie fast.

What happens if you have too much?

Excess calories: 5-6 tablespoons a day without cutting other fats can mean a calorie surplus that, over time, leads to weight gain.

Digestive discomfort: several tablespoons at once, especially on an empty stomach, can feel heavy for people with sensitive stomachs.

How to choose a good extra virgin olive oil

The label must say "extra virgin". It is the top category and the only one that keeps all the flavour and compounds of the fruit.

Cold extraction. It means the oil was extracted without heating the paste above 27 °C.

Low acidity. The legal maximum for extra virgin is 0.8%; the lower it is, the better the fruit has been looked after.

Bitterness and pungency. In an extra virgin these are virtues: they point to oil from fresh, green olives.

Protected Designation of Origin. A PDO, such as PDO Priego de Córdoba, guarantees origin and independent quality controls.

Packaging that protects from light. Dark glass or a tin. Store it in a cupboard, away from heat and tightly closed. If you prefer a tin, try our Golden Edition PDO EVOO in a 250 ml tin.

Frequently asked questions about daily olive oil

Does having olive oil every day make you gain weight?
It provides calories like any fat (about 120 per tablespoon). What matters is using it instead of other fats, not as well as them, within a balanced diet.

Is it better on an empty stomach or with meals?
There is no evidence that an empty stomach is better. Spread it across your meals in whatever way suits you.

What is the difference between olive oil and extra virgin?
Plain "olive oil" is a blend of refined oil with some virgin oil. Extra virgin is olive juice obtained only by mechanical means, unrefined, and it keeps the flavour and compounds of the fruit.

Do the spoonfuls I use for cooking count?
Yes. The reference includes all the oil in your day: raw, cooked and fried. Save your best extra virgin for raw use, where it shows the most.

What about cholesterol?
Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats in the diet contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. Extra virgin olive oil is an easy way to make that swap in everyday cooking. If you have high cholesterol, follow your doctor's advice.

Are there any contraindications?
It is a food, not a medicine. If you follow a prescribed diet or have a medical condition, adjust the amount with your doctor or dietitian.

This article is for general information and does not replace the advice of a health professional.