A shot of oil and lemon juice is claimed to help with inflammation, bloating, and even prevent kidney stones.
According to videos on social media, the mixture of olive oil and lemon can reduce inflammation, ease bloating, help the liver detoxify, and even prevent kidney stones.
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But is it true?
Research does not support the claimed miraculous effects of mixing olive oil and lemon.
However, it is well documented that olive oil is good for your health.
Lemon, on the other hand, contains vitamin C – which is important for the immune system. But it does not help against inflammation or bloating.
Why Olive Oil Is Good Against Inflammation
Olive oil contains substances called polyphenols. These are what primarily reduce inflammation, explains Lars Porskjær Christensen. He is a professor at the University of Southern Denmark, where he researches the health-promoting effects of bioactive compounds.
Studies have shown that the polyphenols in olive oil can activate the body’s own antioxidant defense system, which protects the body against cell damage.
Polyphenols also help stimulate the production of signaling molecules that reduce inflammation, while levels of inflammatory markers are lowered.
When this happens, processes are regulated so that there is less inflammation in the body.
What Is Inflammation?
Inflammation is the body’s reaction to bacteria and viruses entering the body. The immune system sends out white blood cells and chemical substances to protect the body.
If the body is inflamed, you may experience redness, swelling, and pain. If inflammation becomes chronic, it can lead to tissue damage.
Chronic low-grade inflammation can also occur as a reaction to obesity and being overweight. Inflammation can arise in several contexts, including an unhealthy gut microbiota (the gut’s ecosystem).
It is chronic inflammation that leads to many lifestyle diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer.
Additionally, the polyphenols in olive oil can assist the liver in its detoxification work, because they activate the production of certain enzymes – detoxification enzymes. These enzymes help the liver eliminate harmful and carcinogenic substances that can also cause inflammation.
“In that sense, there is scientific documentation for the anti-inflammatory effect of olive oil,” says Christensen.
But it is not the combination of lemon and olive oil that provides these health benefits.
What About the Lemon?
Lemon can be a source of vitamin C, which strengthens the body’s immune system and, according to research, is linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.
“Lemon juice of course contains vitamin C, but you can get that in other ways as well. So it’s the olive oil itself that may have this effect,” says Christensen.
The claim that mixing olive oil and lemon can prevent kidney stones is a myth not supported by research, he says.
Olive Oil Has Several Benefits
In the Mediterranean diet – which includes plenty of vegetables, fish, and legumes – olive oil is also central. Previous studies have tested its health benefits, says Lars Ove Dragsted, professor at the University of Copenhagen.
He researches bioactive compounds in food.
For example, olive oil has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine.
“But this is as part of a Mediterranean diet. Here, canola oil could also replace olive oil, as it has almost the same composition,” says Dragsted.
Is It Unhealthy to Drink Olive Oil and Lemon?
In summary, olive oil is good, but lemon is unnecessary if the goal is the health benefits mentioned above.
Nor is there any reason to drink the mixture as a daily morning shot before your coffee.
“If you use olive oil and lemon juice in cooking, it’s just as good,” says Dragsted.
Olive oil can be used in salads, for frying – or with bread.
“Is it directly unhealthy to drink this shot?”
“I would say it’s not harmful, because it’s not unhealthy. But it’s the olive oil that has the health-promoting effect, and you can get that in other ways through your daily diet,” Christensen replies.
Dragsted emphasizes that olive oil and lemon are not unhealthy ingredients in themselves.
“But mixing them together in a shot has no special, beneficial effect.”
Better Anti-Inflammatory Foods
If you want a more anti-inflammatory diet, there are many foods you should try to eat daily, such as:
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Celery root
- Celeriac
- Celery stalks
- Cabbage
- Spinach
“There are many plant-based foods that have health-promoting effects, but especially cabbage and certain root vegetables are interesting when it comes to an anti-inflammatory effect,” says Christensen.
This is partly because these vegetables contain bioactive natural compounds that reduce inflammation.
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