Dr. Steven Gundry's Polyphenol-Rich Olive Oil Offers a Simple Daily Ritual to Mark This Year's National Polyphenol Day on July 11th

LOS ANGELES, July 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of National Polyphenol Day on July 11th, there's no better time to spotlight Gundry MD® Polyphenol-Rich Olive Oil™, the polyphenol-packed extra virgin olive oil that is quickly becoming the go-to choice for this viral trend. While influencers and celebrities have only recently caught on, Dr. Steven Gundry has championed high-polyphenol olive oil for years, making this National Polyphenol Day the perfect moment to bring his original recommendation full circle.

From TikTok wellness influencers to celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Kourtney Kardashian, olive oil shots have quietly become one of the biggest wellness rituals of the year. What was once considered a Mediterranean kitchen staple is now being treated more like a daily supplement, with people taking tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil first thing in the morning or before meals for better digestion, skin health, energy, and longevity. Social media is flooded with videos of creators trying the "olive oil shot" trend, often pairing olive oil with lemon juice as part of their morning routine.

But according to Dr. Steven Gundry, this trend didn't come out of nowhere.

"Take a shot," Dr. Gundry advised back in 2019 on the benefits of olive oil episode of the Dr. Gundry Podcast. Long before olive oil shots started trending online, he had already spent years talking about the health benefits of high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil, making the case that not all olive oil is created equal, and that polyphenol content is what separates a truly beneficial shot from an empty one.*

What are Polyphenols?

Polyphenols are naturally occurring plant compounds found in high-quality extra virgin olive oil, and they're increasingly recognized as the ingredients responsible for olive oil's most powerful health effects. Research continues to link polyphenol-rich olive oil to meaningful benefits for heart health, cognitive function, inflammation balance, and gut microbiome diversity.

The catch: most mass-market olive oils are low in polyphenols. Poor sourcing, heat processing, plastic packaging, and aging all degrade them. That's the distinction Dr. Gundry has spent years trying to make. While wellness influencers focus on olive oil's healthy fats, he argues that polyphenol content is what truly separates an oil worth drinking from one that's just going through the motions.

How to Pick the Best Olive Oil for an Olive Oil Shot

According to Dr. Gundry, as discussed across several episodes of the Dr. Gundry Podcast, a handful of factors make all the difference:

• Single-origin extra virgin olive oil — Knowing exactly where an oil comes from supports traceability and quality control.
• Dark glass bottles — Light degrades polyphenols, so dark glass preserves the oil's potency from the moment it's bottled to the moment it's opened. Plastic should be avoided entirely.
• Cold-pressed processing — Heat destroys polyphenols, while cold-pressing helps preserve them.
• A clearly labeled harvest date — Since polyphenol content declines over time, a recent harvest date signals peak freshness and potency.
• A peppery, slightly bitter finish — That throat-tickling sensation most people mistake for a flaw is actually a feature. The peppery bite at the back of the throat is a hallmark of high polyphenol content. As Dr. Gundry puts it: "More bitter, more better."

For those who want to take the trend seriously, Dr. Gundry recommends Gundry MD Polyphenol Rich Olive Oil, a formula he specifically designed to prioritize polyphenol content, sourcing standards, and freshness. It checks every box on his list: single-origin sourcing, cold-pressed processing, dark glass packaging, and that characteristic peppery finish that signals a high-polyphenol oil worth drinking every morning.

What is Gundry MD Polyphenol-Rich Olive Oil?

Gundry MD Polyphenol-Rich Olive Oil is far from your average cooking oil; it's a daily health enhancer designed to work as hard as it tastes. What sets it apart is its exceptionally high concentration of hydroxytyrosol polyphenols, boasting up to 30 times more than typical olive oils on the market.** This potent polyphenol content is what makes Gundry MD Polyphenol Rich Olive Oil so effective at supporting heart health and healthy circulation, promoting a slim, healthy physique, and enhancing mental clarity.

Regular users also report noticeable improvements in joint comfort, immune resilience, and skin hydration. That's because polyphenols act as powerful antioxidants, helping the body combat oxidative stress and supporting its natural defenses from the inside out.

Whether drizzled over roasted vegetables or taken straight by the spoonful as part of the trending olive oil shot ritual, Gundry MD Polyphenol Rich Olive Oil delivers a rich, slightly bitter flavor, a signature of its high nutrient density and its potential to support whole-body wellness.*

What Does the Science Say? Health Benefits of Olive Oil

Nearly 70 years of research consistently point to extra virgin olive oil as one of the most protective dietary fats for long-term health, and the findings span almost every major area of wellness.

• Heart health: One of the largest dietary trials ever conducted found a 30% reduction in major cardiovascular events among people supplementing a Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil, and a long-term Harvard study found that simply swapping 10 grams of butter or margarine for olive oil daily could lower overall mortality risk by up to 34%.
• Brain health: A 28-year Harvard study linked daily olive oil consumption to a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death, regardless of overall diet quality.
• Cancer risk: A JAMA Internal Medicine study found that women eating a Mediterranean diet enriched with extra virgin olive oil were 62% less likely to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.
• Gut health: Research shows that olive oil polyphenols act as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial bacteria, increasing microbiome diversity, and even slowing cognitive decline in older adults.

The pattern across nearly seven decades of research is consistent: polyphenols are the active ingredient, and quality is everything. And according to Dr. Gundry, the best way to get them is simple: take it as a shot.

For Dr. Gundry, this trend isn't a gimmick; it's a reintroduction to one of the most time-tested foods in human history, just with more intention behind it. He recommends starting with Gundry MD Polyphenol Rich Olive Oil, formulated to prioritize polyphenol content, freshness, and sourcing standards, and built to be taken exactly the way he's always recommended: straight from the spoon.

Whether olive oil shots become a lasting ritual or just another social media moment, one thing is clear: olive oil is no longer just sitting in the pantry.

About Gundry MD
Founded in 2015, Gundry MD is dedicated to providing cutting-edge solutions to its users by using science-backed ingredients that can offer a boost in metabolism, sustained energy, smooth, easy digestion, and a youthful-feeling mind and body. These amazing results all begin with feeding your body powerful health-boosting nutrients like polyphenols. Based on his many years of nutrition research, Dr. Gundry helps create every Gundry MD product. Best-selling Gundry MD products include MCT Wellness, Total Restore, and Bio Complete 3. All Gundry MD products come with a 90-day purchase price guarantee (minus shipping) if you are not satisfied. For more information, visit www.gundrymd.com or @gundrymd on Instagram and Facebook.

About Dr. Gundry
Founder of Gundry MD, Dr. Steven Gundry was one of the world's top cardiothoracic surgeons. Currently, he's the medical director at The International Heart and Lung Institute and The Centers for Restorative Medicine in Palm Springs and Santa Barbara, California, where he's spent the past 25 years helping people restore their health by optimizing nutrition and lifestyle choices. Steven Gundry, MD, is also the host of the top-ranked health podcast, The Dr. Gundry Podcast, and author of four New York Times best-selling books, including The Plant Paradox™, which details his famous lectin-free diet. The Gut-Brain Paradox, Dr. Gundry's latest book, explores the fascinating breakthroughs between gut health and mental health. For more information, visit drgundry.com, the Dr. Gundry YouTube channel, Dr. Gundry en Español, and follow @drstevengundry on Instagram and TikTok.

*All individuals are unique. Your results can and will vary.
**Based on a 2004 study of extra virgin olive oil samples from the Mediterranean

Media Contact -
Ashley Dillahunty
Gundry@inspirethenow.com

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