Ryan Seacrest's Morning Diet Advice Is Not For The Faint Of Heart

Thanks to all the photos of Ryan Seacrest from 2002 to now that put concerns about his health into context, much ado has been made about his change in appearance and noticeable weight loss over the years. It's entirely possible that Seacrest's ever-evolving look and subsequent seemingly shrinking frame can be chalked up to one thing: his diet. With that said, his morning diet advice is not for the faint of heart. "I have a shot of olive oil in the morning before my coffee every day," Seacrest famously told People in 2023. "I find that that actually helps with weight loss and helps with your inflammation, helps with all the different systems in your body." Shots? Of olive oil? For breakfast?! 

Then, in 2026, the television personality and host revealed that he had even influenced his own mother to start implementing his strict, morning olive oil regimen into her diet as well. "Restocked for mom's morning routine: a shot of extra virgin olive oil and a spoonful of honey," he posted on Instagram along with a photo of himself with his mother, proudly showing off a shopping bag presumably filled with — you guessed it — olive oil and honey. 

A quick search on the internet will result in a plethora of wellness influencers and celebrities alike who swear by swigging olive oil for its supposed health benefits. "It tastes like a big gulp of salad dressing," Hailey Bieber dished to TIME in 2026 about her daily olive oil and lemon shot. "It helps coat the gut, I think it's a good detox," she explained about what she perceived were the benefits to her newfound regimen.

Interestingly enough, it appears Ryan Seacrest, his mother, and the rest of the internet's olive oil enthusiasts might be on to something. A 2005 study in Nature Reviews Rheumatology found that olive oil had anti-inflammatory properties similar to those of the popular nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, ibuprofen. Still, there's no evidence that drinking it solo is any better for you than consuming it with nutrient-dense vegetables. In fact, one expert argues the contrary. "You aren't necessarily getting any added benefit by taking it as a shot," primary care doctor, women's health expert, and Women's Health advisory board member Navya Mysore, MD, told Women's Health. 

It does appear, however, that olive oil may help with digestion. But don't just take our word for it. In April 2023, women's health coach and registered dietitian Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, CDN, told SELF that drinking olive oil can get things moving by "[smoothing] the insides of the bowel, making it easier for stools to pass through." Basically, drinking this unexpected ingredient can make yourself poop instantly.

But that's not all. In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a report stating that there was credible evidence supporting the idea that consuming 1.5 tablespoons (20 grams) of olive oil per day "may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease." Meanwhile, a 2024 study in JAMA Network Open found that consuming about a half a tablespoon daily lowered the risk of dementia-related death by 28%. Lastly, it appears that olive oil also has an unexpected effect on your mental health. (Maybe that's why Seacrest is always so smiley!)