Hailey Bieber starts every morning with a shot of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Experts dive into the viral wellness ritual.
Hailey Bieber has never been shy about sharing what goes into her wellness routine, from the precise steps behind her famous glazed donut skin to the smoothies and supplements she keeps on regular rotation. Her latest morning non-negotiable is, by comparison, practically ancient: a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil mixed with the juice of half a lemon, knocked back in a single shot before anything else. “It helps coat the gut, and it’s a good detox,” Bieber said in a recent Time Studios video. She’s maintained the habit every morning for several months.
The olive oil and lemon shot has been spreading across social media well beyond Bieber’s feed, with devotees crediting it with everything from smoother digestion and skin clarity to reduced inflammation and liver support. Some, like Bieber, favor a morning dose; others swear by taking it before bed, on the theory that the combination facilitates overnight digestion and promotes more restful sleep. The timing may vary, but the claimed benefits are consistent: the oil is said to lubricate the intestinal tract while the lemon stimulates gastric juice production, encouraging more efficient digestion and, in theory, a more comfortable night.
The proven benefits
The science behind these two ingredients, considered on their own terms, is genuinely compelling. Extra virgin olive oil is one of the most studied dietary fats in nutritional research, its cardiovascular credentials bolstered by decades of clinical evidence. A large-scale study published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition consistently linked olive oil consumption with better heart health outcomes, and emerging clinical trial data now suggest it can meaningfully improve bowel movement frequency and reduce constipation symptoms. Its concentration of monounsaturated fats, polyphenols, and oleocanthal — a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory compound — gives it a well-earned place in any serious conversation about diet and long-term health.
Lemon juice’s most significant contribution is vitamin C, well established as essential to collagen synthesis and immune function. The citric acid plays a supporting role, stimulating gastric juices and making a reasonable case for the digestive pairing. Together, the two deliver a dose of antioxidants and polyphenols that, proponents say, compound beyond what either ingredient provides alone — a kind of pantry synergy that’s cheap, quick, and low-commitment.
Does it work?
The more expansive claims — detoxified liver, brighter complexion, improved cholesterol, joint comfort, deeper sleep — are where the research gets thinner. Devotees point to trace amounts of melatonin in olive oil as a mechanism for the sleep benefit, but the concentrations in a single tablespoon are far too small to shift sleep quality in any meaningful way. The liver detox argument is on similarly unsteady ground: the liver is already in the business of detoxification by design, and the most evidence-backed ways to support it — limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a varied and balanced diet — are decidedly less photogenic than a morning wellness shot.
Dr. Cedrek McFadden, a colon and rectal surgeon, weighed in on the trend when it went viral earlier this year. “Olive oil is a healthy fat, and it is a big part of the Mediterranean diet, which we know is associated with lower inflammation and better heart health,” he told Today. The benefits, he emphasized, are real — just not unique to the shot ritual. “Taking them as a morning shot is not some special medical trick,” he said. “You would get the same benefits by using olive oil in meals and adding lemon to foods like vegetables or salads.”
The skin and collagen claims warrant a similar qualifier. Vitamin C is genuinely required for collagen production, but whether a small amount of lemon juice taken once daily makes a noticeable cosmetic difference — particularly for anyone already eating a diet with adequate vitamin C — is a much harder argument to support.
Who should try it (and who shouldn’t)
For most healthy adults, the shot carries no real downside. One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil mixed with the juice of half a lemon, consumed in one go, is the standard recipe. Those who find the combination too sharp can dilute it with half a glass of water. Anyone managing acid reflux, gastritis, or a sensitive stomach is better off skipping it entirely as lemon’s acidity combined with the peppery bite of a high-quality extra virgin olive oil can aggravate these conditions.
The most honest read on this ritual is that both ingredients are legitimately good for you, and most reliably so as consistent elements of a Mediterranean-style diet rather than as a stand-alone shortcut. If you already eat well, the incremental benefit of the shot may be modest. But as morning rituals go, this one asks almost nothing of you — and it costs about 30 seconds and what Bieber accurately called “a big gulp of salad dressing.”
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