Hailey Bieber swears by a shot of olive oil with lemon, but do you really want this?
There are those beauty rituals that make you think: should I do this too, or should I just let it pass me by? The latest in that list: a shot of olive oil with lemon in the morning. Hailey Bieber enthusiastically shared in an interview that she has been doing this recently and really notices the benefits, especially for her gut. And honestly, if someone looks that good, I want to do it too. But is this really such a simple hack that your body is truly waiting for, or just another beauty trend that sounds good (and even better because an it-girl does it)? I looked it up for you.
What exactly is in that shot
It sounds quite logical, of course. If you look at the ingredients separately, not much can go wrong. Extra virgin olive oil is full of good fats and antioxidants, lemon is packed with vitamin C. Together in a small glass, on an empty stomach, and you would give your digestion a kind of kickstart.According to Hailey, that is. But honestly? It sounds more exciting than it actually is.
Does it really do something for your gut?
Olive oil is just fat. A lot of fat. And fat in the morning (olive oil, not fries) can indeed help get your digestion going a bit. Your bile production is stimulated and your intestines are kind of ‘woken up’. For some, that means: running to the bathroom. For others: actually little or nothing at all. But that doesn’t mean this is suddenly the game changer in your morning routine. Your body doesn’t actually need a shot to ‘turn on’. It does that by itself. Every morning again. Without lemon, without olive oil, and without TikTok hypes.
Detox? Not quite how it works
You quickly hear the word ‘detox’ when it comes to health tips, and somehow we (me too) find that all very interesting right away. Maybe because it sounds like you’re giving your body a fresh reset. We’ve all done it at some point, or at least considered it. Such a juice cleanse from, for example, Juice Brothers: a few days (or a whole week) of just juices. I still see that big box with daily bottles coming in at the editorial office, hoping that you feel reborn afterwards. And honestly: that idea remains attractive and sometimes just quite nice. Thanks to TikTok, that whole detox story has become a lot ‘simpler’. No more days-long, often too expensive cures, but just one fat shot in the morning and done. Sounds ideal, right?
But does your body actually need a detox? Because let’s be honest: your liver and kidneys are already busy with this all day long. That is literally their function. Your body is actually continuously ‘detoxing’, without you having to do anything extra for it. So you really don’t need to throw an oil-lemon shot in between. That doesn’t mean it’s immediately bad, but it does mean that the effect is often exaggerated compared to what it actually is, especially when it comes from Hailey Bieber.
Why it’s still attractive
And yet I get it. The idea of such a small, morning ritual that is ‘good for you’ just has something. It feels like a self-care moment, like a good start to your day. Just like your skincare routine, but from the inside out. I’ve also had such a phase, celery juice in the morning (with apple, otherwise it’s really not doable). It just sounds better than “I drink a big glass of water”, while that glass of water might actually do even more for your body.
When it does (a little) work
If you have a slow digestion, then such a fat moment in the morning can help. But let’s be real: it is and remains oil. One shot is quickly around 120 to 180 kcal. And even though healthy fats are important, the real gain for your gut still lies in the basics. Fiber, water, regularity. Not necessarily in something that just looks good on TikTok, or in a cool interview.
Fortunately, Hailey doesn’t just talk about this shot, but also about her skincare and a good cup of coffee. I’m of course very happy to join in, together with my cup of AG1. But if she says in a few months in an interview that she starts her day with half an avocado on an empty stomach, then I might be curious again. And for all the TikTok girlies (and boys) who blindly copy everything: think twice. What works for Hailey, doesn’t have to work for you. Right?
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Image: Youtube | Vogue
